Tue, 10 December 2019
You just can’t beat the traditional Christmas turkey. Everyone’s perspective is different with regard the stuffing but I think it is fine to stuff the actual bird. However I want to remind you to ensure that the turkey is completely cold before you stuff the bird (unless you are cooking the turkey immediately).
16lb/7.25kg Turkey
6 smoked rashers of bacon
Stuffing:
1 medium onion-diced
4oz/110g butter
1 cooking apple-grated or finely chopped
2oz/50g chestnuts
12oz/350g fresh white breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons of chopped mixed herbs –parsley, sage, thyme etc
Seasoning-Salt and Pepper
Additional Ingredients:
3oz/75g softened butter
1 tablespoon of chopped mixed herbs –parsley, sage, thyme etc
Heat the butter in a medium sized saucepan and gently fry off the diced onion and apple for 4-5 minutes until it has softened but yet not coloured. At this stage add in the chopped mixed herbs and immediately turn off the heat. Allow this mixture to cool
(You must be particularly careful about this stage particularly if you are preparing the terrine in advance because this is a critical stage when it comes to food poisoning)
Add this ‘buttery onion’ mixture to a large mixing bowl and add in the chestnuts & breadcrumbs Season with salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6
Using some cold damp kitchen paper, wipe out the cavity of the turkey.
Line the cavity with baking parchment and loosely pack the stuffing into the bird.
Now weight the turkey again, once it has been cooked to get a true estimation of the cooking time.
Put the Turkey onto a large roasting tray. Mix the remaining butter and the remaining mixed herbs together.
Gently manoeuvre your hand under the skin of the turkey and spread the flesh with the softened herb butter, trying to get it spread evenly over the breasts.
Lay the streaky rashers of bacon across the buttered breasts to protect the meat and prevent it from drying out.
Put the turkey into the oven and begin to bake. If you feel the turkey is browning too quickly you can cover down the turkey with some tin foil for the first two hours. After the first hour reduce the temperature to 150C/300F/Gas Mark 2
Allocate 20 minutes per pound and then an additional 20-30 minutes in the oven. In total it should take about 5½ hours. When a skewer is inserted into the meat nearest the bone (ie-the Leg) the juices should run completely clear and the leg, when pulled, should feel loose and ready to fall away.
Allow the meat to rest when it comes out of the oven and carve as required.
Cranberry & Orange Relish
(Makes 1 jar)
You will never again return to the shop bought cranberry sauce after tasting this delicious commodity. This makes a delicious gift for friends also.
8oz/225g fresh cranberries
1 cooking apple-diced
3oz/75g caster sugar
Juice & zest of 1 orange
2floz/50ml water
1 measure of port
1 cinnamon stick
Add all the ingredients into the pot and boil gently for 10-12 minutes until the majority of the liquids have reduced. The sauce should have a nice crimson red colour.
Transfer to a sterile jar and label. This relish has a shelf life of approximately 3 months.
Leftover relish can be added to gravies, stuffing’s, fruit crumbles etc.
To sterilize the jars wash them out with boiling water and then place in a warm oven (130C for approximately 15-20 minutes until completely dry-this will help to offset rancidity)
