Roast turkey with garlic & herbs

Covering the turkey breast with buttery garlic and herb breadcrumbs adds subtle flavour to the meat and keeps it beautifully succulent.

Prep time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 3hrs, plus 40 mins resting

4.5kg (10lb) good-quality free-range turkey
Pork, cranberry and chestnut stuffing
100g (3½ oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ x 20g (¾ oz) pack flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, chopped
30g (1oz) unsalted butter, melted
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 fresh bay leaves
1 orange, quartered
150ml (¼ pt) brandy

1. Make sure the turkey and stuffing are at room temperature.
2. Dry the inside and outside of the turkey with kitchen paper. Combine the breadcrumbs with the garlic, parsley and melted butter, and season. Gently push your hand under the skin covering the turkey breast and cover the breast meat with a layer of the flavoured breadcrumbs. Place the bay leaves and orange in the body cavity, then tie the legs together with string. Stuff the neck flap with the stuffing and secure with a cocktail stick. Set the remaining stuffing aside to make stuffing balls.
3. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F, gas mark 5). Season the turkey well. Pour the brandy into a large roasting tin or oven tray, then sit the turkey in the tin. Cover the whole roasting tin with a double layer of foil, so the turkey is loosely encased.
4. Roast the turkey for 2 hr 15 mins. Then remove the foil and increase the heat to 200°C (400°F, gas mark 6). Cook for a further 30 mins. Check the turkey is cooked by piercing the thigh with a skewer or knife. The juices should run clear, with no sign of pink. If this is not the case, cook for a further 15 to 20 mins. Then transfer to a serving plate (saving the cooking juices for the gravy) and cover with foil. Leave to rest for 35 to 40 mins, before serving.

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