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- Best-Ever Turkey…
Best-Ever Turkey
Prep time:
Cook time:
Want to serve up a beautifully moist and tender bird with minimum stress? Let Helen Graves show you how with her three-step approach. Helen Graves is a recipe developer, food writer and editor of Pit, a magazine about live-fire cooking. Pick a weight for your bird depending on how many people you’re serving and adjust ingredient quantities and cooking times accordingly. Serve alongside all the usual Christmas sides and trimmings for the ultimate festive feast.
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Ingredients
- 1 turkey, of your choice
- 1 tbsp flaky sea salt per 2kg of turkey
- 50g slightly softened unsalted butter per 4kg of turkey
- 1 handful finely chopped woody herbs, such as rosemary, sage and thyme, for the butter, plus whole leaves (optional)
Recipe tips / Prepare ahead
Small (serves 6) M&S Select Farms British Oakham Turkey Without Giblets Typical weight 3.45kg Medium (serves 10) Kelly Bronze Free Range Large Turkey Typical weight 5.5kg Large (serves 12-14) M&S Collection Organic Free Range Bronze Turkey with Giblets Typical weight 6.6kg If dry brining: Up to 48 hrs before cooking, but at least 24 hrs before, remove all packaging from the bird, including any giblets inside. Place on a wire rack on a roasting tray to fit your fridge. Sprinkle with the sea salt, inside and out. Place in the fridge until 1 hr before cooking. If not brining: Remove your turkey from the fridge 1 hr before cooking.
Method
Step 1
When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Put the turkey in a roasting tin. Combine the butter with the herbs; mix well.
Step 2
Carefully ease your fingers between the skin and flesh of the turkey breast; use a long-handled, rounded spoon (or your fingers) to increase the space, taking care not to tear the skin. Stuff the butter into the gaps and push it over the breasts using your fingers.
Step 3
Season the turkey with pepper (and salt if you haven’t dry brined); roast for 40 mins per kg. The internal temperature should be 65-70°C before resting (it will continue to rise). If you don't have a thermometer, test that the juices run clear when you put a skewer in the thickest part of the thigh.
Step 4
Cover the turkey loosely in foil (to keep it warm but retain the crispness of the skin) and allow to rest for 40 mins before carving. Garnish with fresh herb leaves, if you like.
Shop the ingredients
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On OfferValueLIFE 3w+
Ocado British Unsalted Butter 250g
250g£1.69
67.6p per 100gFor over 10,000 products you know (and love), we now match the price of your like-for-like shop to tesco.com, including promotions and Clubcard prices. If we’re not already the same price or less, we’ll email you a voucher for the difference within 72 hours. Everyday Savers -
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Other
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Maldon Sea Salt Flakes 250g
250g£2.70
£1.08 per 100gFor over 10,000 products you know (and love), we now match the price of your like-for-like shop to tesco.com, including promotions and Clubcard prices. If we’re not already the same price or less, we’ll email you a voucher for the difference within 72 hours.
