How to prepare and roast the perfect Turkey

For perfectly roasted Turkey follow this foolproof recipe. You'll have moist meat and the best gravy made from giblets

For a 6kg turkey remove the giblets then wash, rinse and dry the inside of the cavity.

Mix 100g unsalted butter with ten crushed black peppercorns and two teaspoons of sea salt crushed.

Rub the butter mixture over the top of the bird and the thighs then cover with greaseproof paper/parchment paper and leave overnight in the fridge.

Next day remove the bird from the fridge and give it at least an hour to reach room temperature. Prepare a roasting dish with onions halved and rest the bird on them. Pour one and a half pints of boiling water into the cavity and another half pint into the roasting dish surrounding the bird.

Cover the bird with a double layer of foil, ensuring you leave the greaseproof paper/baking parchment in place.

Bake in the oven at Gas Mark 7/425°F/220°C for half an hour then lower the temperature to Gas Mark 5/175°F/80°C for an hour and a half.

Check the bird is cooked by inserting a knife into the thickest part of the thigh where it joins the breast. If the juices run clear the bird is cooked, if not, return it to the oven for a further half an hour and then recheck.

Once you are sure it is cooked return the bird uncovered to the oven for a further half hour to brown. Then remove from the oven, from the roasting dish and onto the serving dish and cover with the foil.

Add the juices left in the roasting dish, along with the onions, to the stock.

Fantastic Turkey stock for delicious gravy

Shopping List

• Washed giblets
• 2 onions roughly chopped
• 2 sticks celery chopped including leaves
• 2 carrots roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 3 bayleaves
• 2 sprigs Thyme
• 2 sprigs Rosemary
• black peppercorns
• salt
• 4 pints water
• juices from the turkey roasting pan

How to prepare

To serve

Washed giblets, 2 onions roughly chopped, 2 sticks celery chopped including leaves, 2 carrots roughly chopped, 2 garlic cloves, 3 bayleaves, 2 sprigs Thyme, 2 sprigs Rosemary, black peppercorns, salt, 4 pints water, residue from the roasting dish you cooked the turkey in.

How to prepare

Heat a tablespoon of Olive Oil in a stockpot then add 30g butter, when butter has melted add the giblets, browning them for a few minutes. Add the onions, celery, carrots, garlic and seasoning. Stir and cook for 5-8 minutes until the vegetables have softened then add the sprigs of Thyme and Rosemary.

Cook for a further five minutes then add the five pints of water. Bring to the boil and skim the surface. Cover the stockpot and simmer for one and a half hours then uncover and reduce the stock by a third.

Strain the stock through a muslin in a sieve. If you don't have muslin use a coffee filter paper carefully.

The stock will make a superb gravy accompaniment to the roasted turkey and you can keep topping it up and reducing it by adding the water from boiled vegetables. It should keep for three days or so in the fridge.

This stock is also perfect for adding to risotto.

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