Classic turkey with trimmings

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Christmas turkey
Average rating: 4 out of 5 star rating

Classic roast British turkey with all the trimmings, including cranberries, stuffing and chestnuts

  • Serves: 12

  • Skill level: Bit of effort

  • Child friendly

Ingredients

For the stuffing:
  • 30ml/2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 50g/2oz dried cranberries
  • zest and juice 1 lemon
  • 175g/6oz fresh white breadcrumbs
  • 200g/7oz ready cooked and peeled chestnuts, chopped
  • 60ml4 tbsp each chopped fresh sage and fresh parsley
  • 225g/8oz sausagemeat
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the turkey:

  • 1 (5.4kg/12lb) oven-ready British Turkey, giblets removed
  • 12 rashers rindless smoked streaky bacon
  • 6 chipolata sausages, twisted in half to make 12
To serve:
  • Roast potatoes
  • Parsnips
  • Mixed vegetables

Method

  1. Make stuffing: heat oil in a pan and fry onion for 4 mins. Add cranberries, lemon zest and juice; remove from heat. In a large bowl, mix remaining stuffing ingredients with onions; season.
  2. Prepare trimmings: stretch bacon rashers with back of a knife; cut in half. Wrap a piece of bacon around each of the sausages and prunes. Place seam side down in a roasting tray, cover and chill until required.
  3. Stuff the turkey: Preheat oven to 190C/Fan 170C/375F/Gas Mark 5. Spoon stuffing into neck cavity of turkey, then tuck skin flap underneath; secure with cocktail sticks. Roll any remaining stuffing into balls and roast with bacon rolls.
  4. Truss and weigh turkey: tie string around leg joints, then around parsons nose, under the bird and up over the wings. Tie tightly to secure shape. Weigh turkey, then calculate cooking time: allow 20 mins per kg + 90 minutes. Place in a large roasting tin. Spread all over with butter and season. Loosely cover with foil.
  5. Roast turkey for the calculated time, basting occasionally with the pan juices. Remove foil for final 45 mins, to crisp skin; roast bacon rolls and stuffing balls above the turkey for 20 mins. Check turkey is cooked by piercing thigh with a skewer - the juices should run clear. Transfer turkey to serving plate, cover with foil and rest in a warm place for 20 mins, this makes carving easier.
  6. Make gravy: spoon off excess fat from juices in roasting tin. Place tin on a low heat, add flour and cook, stirring for 1 min. Gradually stir in stock and bring to boil. Simmer for 5 mins, stirring occasionally then strain into a warm gravy boat.

Nutritional information per portion

  • Calories 771(kcal)
  • Fat 21.0g

This nutritional information is only a guide and is based on 2,000 calories per day. For more information on eating a healthy diet, please visit the Food Standards Agency website.

Guideline Daily Amount for 2,000 calories per day are: 70g fat, 20g saturated fat, 90g sugar, 6g salt.

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4 out of 5 star rating

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