Herb buttered turkey with walnut and cranberry stuffing

3h 30 min 6-8 servings

For the Turkey:
6kg Turkey, giblets removed at room temperature
125g Lurpak slightly salted butter, softened
1 small handful of chopped parsley
I heaped tbsp of chopped rosemary
3 red onions, skin removed and cut in half
3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into 3 pieces
3 sticks of celery, chopped into 3 pieces
1 bulb of garlic, chopped in half
2 fresh bay leaves
A large pinch of freshly ground pepper
A large pinch of sea salt

For the stuffing:
300g sausage meat
2 large banana shallots finely chopped, cooked until translucent and cooled
2 sticks of celery finely chopped, cooked until translucent and cooled
1 small handful of chopped sage
1 large handful of dried cranberries roughly chopped
1 large handful of walnuts roughly chopped
1/2 tsp allspice
2 handfuls of breadcrumbs
1 fee range egg beaten
zest of one small orange
A large pinch of freshly ground pepper
A large pinch of sea salt

For gravy:
25g Lurpak slightly salted butter
25g plain flour
100 ml chicken stock
100ml white grape juice

Herb buttered turkey with walnut and cranberry stuffing

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 220C

In a bowl, add all the stuffing ingredients and mix thoroughly. In another bowl mix the softened butter with the chopped parsley and rosemary and season with a large pinch of salt and pepper

Pat the turkey dry with kitchen towel, carefully lift the skin around the neck so you can get your hand underneath, then rub half of the herby butter between the skin and the flesh.

Stuff the cavity with the stuffing then tuck the skin under the bird. Rub the remaining herby butter over the skin and season generously with salt and pepper.

Place the onion, celery, garlic, carrot and bay in a high sided roasting tin big enough to hold the turkey, sit the turkey on top of the vegetables and cover loosely with turkey foil, place in the preheated oven for 15 minutes then turn the heat down to 160C.

After 2 hours remove the turkey from the oven and baste with the buttery pan juices, return to the oven uncovered and cook for the remainder of the cooking time, basting every 20 minutes. The total cooking time is 3.5 hours.

To test the turkey is cooked, pierce the bird between the thigh and breast. The juices should run clear.

Transfer the turkey to a warmed platter and cover with a double layer of foil and allow to rest while you make the gravy. Ideally you should rest the bird for at least half an hour.

To make the gravy pour the pan juices and vegetables into a sieve and push through as much as possible with a wooden spoon, discard anything left behind. Skim any fat off the juices. Place the turkey pan over a low heat, add the butter and flour and stir continuously with a wooden spoon dislodging any caramelised bits.

With a balloon whisk slowly mix in the white grape juice, followed by the turkey juices and chicken stock, continue to whisk until all lumps are removed and allow to simmer until reduced by one third to half.

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