Roasting a turkey is a daunting task for many. Even the most accomplished cooks find that preparing this bird requires exrtra care and attention. This is not completely untrue but with this recipe, cooking your Christmas turkey just got that much easier! Remember, it’s handy to have a turkey thermometer on hand in order to determine whether or not the bird is fully cooked.
Ingredients:

  • 1 turkey (5gk)
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 1 clementine cut in half
  • Several sprigs of fresh rosemary
  • 2 onions, roughly chopped
  • 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped

Stuffing ingredients:

  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg (ground)
  • Several sprigs of sage (pick the leaves and chop roughly)
  • 300g pork mince
  • 1 generous handful of breadcrumbs

Method:

  • Remove your turkey from the fridge approximately one hour before you start cooking. This allows the turkey to slowly warm to room temperature before you begin roasting.
  • Rinse your turkey thoroughly before patting it dry with kitchen towels.
  • Drizzle oil over the meat and sprinkle with salt and pepper before rubbing the seasoning over the entire turkey.
  • Set your oven on its highest setting to preheat and get started on the stuffing.
  • Fry your onion in olive oil over a medium heat until soft.
  • Stir in some salt, pepper, and the nutmeg.
  • Add the sage and fry for another minute or two before allowing the mixture to cool to room temperature.
  • Once cooled, add the pork mince and the breadcrumbs. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty! The best way to mix the stuffing is with your hands. Once well mixed, press the mixture into a ball shape, cover, and chill until you are ready to stuff that bird.
  • Place half of the stuffing inside the front of bird and make sure that you don’t stuff it too full or it will slow down the cooking process.
  • Once stuffed, fold the flap of skin and tuck it in to hold the stuffing in place.
  • Now turn the bird around and fill the larger cavity with some more stuffing, rosemary, and your clementine halves.
  • Cover the base of a roasting pan with your roughly chopped vegetables and place the turkey on top. Cover with tin foil and place in the oven.
  • REMEMBER to turn the oven down to 180 degrees Celsius at this point to prevent overcooking or uneven cooking.
  • Cook the turkey for about 40 minutes per kilogram. The larger the bird, the longer the cooking time. A 5kg turkey will take about 3 hours 30 minutes to cook.
  • Check on your turkey every 20 minutes and baste to prevent it from drying out.
  • When you have about 1 hour of cooking time remaining, remove the foil so that the skin can get crispy and golden.
  • Use your turkey thermometer in the thickest part of the bird to measure the core temperature. Once the thermometer reads 75 to 80 degrees Celsius, you know your turkey is cooked all the way through.
  • Another test you can perform is to carefully pierce the thickest part of the thigh with a small knife. If the juices run clear then your turke is cooked. If not, continue cooking until you achieve this result.
  • Once cooked, allow your turkey to rest for at least an hour. Larger turkeys may need as much as two hours to rest.
  • Now it’s time to prepare those trimmings like gravy and various side items. Remember, you can also double up on the stuffing and place the excess in an ovenproof dish. Bake along with the turkey and serve as a side dish. This will ensure that everyone gets a good helping of your delicious stuffing!