Perfect roast turkey with leek & chestnut stuffing

serves 6–8

preparation time:

25 minutes + 20 minutes for the stuffing

cooking time:

around 3 hours depending on size + 15 minutes for the stuffing

ingredients

The Co-operative British free range turkey (4–5kg/9–11lb)
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
100g (3½oz) butter, melted
6 rashers The Co-operative smoked streaky bacon
Ground black pepper (freshly milled)

for the cavity

1 onion
2 fresh lemons
2 stalks celery
5 garlic cloves
1 tsp whole peppercorns

method

Before you begin:

Wash the turkey in cold water, inside and out (but ensure you clean up any splashes onto work surfaces), then pat dry with kitchen roll. Make sure to remove any giblets and the neck, which you can use to make turkey stock for the gravy.

To stuff the turkey, lift up the flap of skin at the neck end near to where the wishbone is. Place the stuffing (see below, left) under the skin, making sure it is firmly packed. Pull the skin under the turkey and hold in place with 2–3 cocktail sticks.

For added flavour, fill the cavity – the parson’s nose end – with onion, fresh lemon, celery, garlic and whole peppercorns. Finish by tying the legs with string.

To give the skin extra colour and crispiness, mix the dried herbs with the melted butter and brush thoroughly all over the turkey.

Now season the turkey with a generous topping of freshly milled pepper.

For even more flavour, wrap the legs with smoked streaky bacon.

It’s best to cook a turkey raised off the tray. This will allow the juices to run free for the gravy and ensure that there is an even heat all round the turkey. If you don’t have an inner tray, you can do this by placing it on a bed of sliced onion and carrots.

Ready to roast:

Cook for 3 hours at gas mark 6/200ºC/180ºC fan. As a rule, cook for 30 minutes per kilo plus an extra hour, basting as required.

Cover the turkey in tin foil for the first 2 hours of cooking to prevent it from becoming dry. Remove the tin foil for the final stages of cooking and baste some of the juices over the bird. Repeat this three or four times at 15 minute intervals.

Let the turkey rest for 20 minutes before carving, covered with tin foil to maintain the heat.

leek & chestnut stuffing

Finely chop one onion, a leek and two garlic cloves in a food processor.

Slowly pan fry four rashers of streaky bacon in a little butter and add the leek mixture to the pan for a couple of minutes. Remove from the heat.

Add a generous handful of breadcrumbs, one packet of chopped chestnuts, the juice and zest of one lemon and some chopped parsley. Mix together and keep in fridge until needed.

accompaniments

For a lovely hassle-free meal, why not serve your turkey with The Co-operative British sprouts, The Co-operative British parsnips, The Co-operative Truly Irresistible ready-to-roast British potatoes with goose fat, and The Co-operative Truly Irresistible cocktail sausages wrapped in drycure streaky bacon.

You can pick up a fresh free-range turkey from selected branches of The
Co-operative Food from 20 December and frozen turkeys are available from 11 December.