Jamie's Christmas Turkey
Serves: 4
Hosea Feil
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
57
Spice
49
Sweetness
56
Sourness
48
mins
Prep time (avg)
5.6
Difficulty
Ingredients:
1
Sea Salt1 tsp
Ground NutmegDirections:
1
If you're worried about cooking the perfect Christmas turkey because you're afraid you'll get it wrong, don't be
2
This recipe is nice and simple and will help you achieve brilliant results for your Christmas meal
3
Take your turkey out of the refrigerator about an hour before you're ready to cook it so it comes up to room temperature before roasting
4
Give it a good rinse then pat it dry with some kitchen paper, making sure you soak up any water in the cavity
5
Drizzle the meat with a good lug of olive oil, add a few good sprinkles of salt and pepper and then rub this seasoning all over the bird, making sure you get in to all the nooks and crannies
6
Preheat your oven to full whack then get started on your stuffing
7
For the stuffing: Pour a lug or 2 of olive oil into a large pan on a medium heat and fry off your chopped onion, for about 10 minutes, or until softened
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Stir in a good pinch of salt and pepper, the ground nutmeg and your chopped sage leaves, then continue to fry and stir for another 1 minute or 2
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Spoon the onion mixture into a large bowl and let it cool completely
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Once cooled, add your pork mince and breadcrumbs and use your hands to really scrunch everything together
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Once it's mixed really well, bring the stuffing together into a ball, then cover and chill until you're ready to stuff your turkey
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Pull the skin at the neck-end back so you can see a cavity and push about 1/2 of your stuffing inside your turkey
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Not too much: you don't want to pack it so tightly it slows down the cooking
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Once done, pull and fold the skin over the opening and tuck it under the bird so it looks nice
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Turn the turkey around and drop a few small pieces of stuffing into the larger cavity along with your clementine halves and a few sprigs rosemary
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Place your roughly chopped onion, celery, and carrots in the bottom of a roasting pan and lay your turkey on top
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Cover the turkey with tin foil then put it in the hot oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 350 degrees F/ 180 degrees C/ Gas 4
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Cook for about 35 to 40 minutes per kilo/ 2 pounds 2 ounces
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The 11 pound/ 5 kg bird in this recipe will take about 3 to 3 1/2 hours
20
Check on your turkey every 20 minutes or so and keep it from drying out by basting it with the lovely juices from the bottom of the pan
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After 2 1/2 hours, remove the foil so the skin gets golden and crispy
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When the time is up, take your turkey out of the oven and stick a small sharp knife into the fattest part of the thigh
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If the juices run clear and the meat pulls apart easily, it's ready
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If not, pop the turkey back in the oven to cook for a bit longer, then check again
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Once ready, cover the turkey with tin foil and a few clean tea towels for 30 minutes and let it rest while you get your vegetables and gravy ready