Turkey Recipe

1. Take turkey out of its liquid (and wiping it dry with kitchentowel) for 50mins before it goes into the oven.
2. Mix the butter (125g) with the lemon (1 lemon zested &
halved) and season well (for a 6kg turkey). Gently push your
fingers under the turkey's skin, starting from the neck end of
the bird, easing the skin away from the flesh over both the
breast and tops of the drumsticks - you'll have to slide your
whole hand in to reach this far. Spread the lemon butter under
the skin, pushing it as far in as you can, then smooth the skin
back into place. Put the onion halves and bay leaves in the
turkey cavity.
3. In a small mixing bowl, combine the butter, parsley, shallots
and garlic (for a 7.5kg turkey)
a. 120g butter, softened
b. 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves
c. 2 tbsp minced shallots
d. 2 tbsp minced garlic cloves
4. Rub the butter mixture all over the turkey
5. Arrange the sliced onion in the bottom of a large roasting tin
to act as a trivet for the bird and pour in the wine (2 glasses
white wine).
a. 2 large onions, peeled, 1 halved and 1 thickly sliced
6. Sit the turkey on top and cover both the bird and tin
completely with foil to make a tent.
7. Preheat the oven to 220C. Cook the turkey for 30 mins, then
turn the oven down to 180C & continue cooking, turning the
oven back up to 220C for the final 15 mins.
a. For a 4kg turkey 2.5 hours
8. Cook the turkey for 40 minutes per kilo, basting once or twice.
9. Take out the turkey and turn up the oven to 200C fan. Remove
the foil & return to the oven for a further 30 mins or until skin
10.
The glaze (for 7.5kg turkey):
a. 45g butter
b. 120ml maple syrup
c. 185ml Cranberry juice
d. 2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
e. 185 Apple cider
f. 50g Brown sugar
g. 1tsp salt
h. 1tsp freshly ground black pepper
11.
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over
medium-high heat. Bring to boil & reduce heat to medium-low.
Allow to simmer for about 8-10 mins, until it thickens slightly.
Add Piri Pri to taste & simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove
from heat & allow to cool slightly

12.
15 mins before Turkey is due to be finished baste over
some of the glaze. Repeat this process every 5 mins until
Turkey is cooked.
13.
To make the gravy, pour away any excess fat from the
roasting tin but keep the onion slices - a fat separator will help
with this. Set the tin over a medium heat, then sprinkle over
the flour. Stir through and cook for 2 minutes, turning the
onion over in the mixture to extract the flavour. Slowly stir in
the wine, stock and juices and add a pinch of each spice and a
squeeze of orange juice. Bring to a boil, scraping bits from the
bottom, then simmer over a low heat for 15 minutes. Season
and sieve into a jug. Serve with the turkey (for a 6kg turkey).
a. 600ml chicken stock
b. 1 tbsp flour
c. 200ml white/red wine
d. Pinch each of ground cinnamon, ground cumin & sweet
paprika