Christmas Roast Turkey with Mixed Herb Butter & Outside Stuffing
Prep time: 20-25 mins
Cooking time: 2 hours 30 mins - 3 hours
Serves: 10-12
Ingredients:
- 1 Turkey 5-6kg
- 500g Butter
- ½ Tbsp smoked Paprika
- 4 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Tbsp Chopped Thyme
- 1 Tbsp Chopped Rosemary
- 1 Tbsp Chopped Sage
- 1 Lemon
Outside Stuffing:
- 1 Leek
- 1 Brown Onion
- 1 Cup Sultanas
- 2 Carrots
- 3 Celery Sticks
- 500g Pork Sausages
- 500ml Chicken Stock
- 1 Cup White Wine
- ¼ Cup Honey
- 200g Ciabatta Bread
- 1 tsp All Spice Mix
Method:
- Pat dry the turkey with a paper towel. Remove the butter from the fridge to reach room temperature.
- Place the butter in a bowl and add the chopped herbs, crushed garlic, and paprika. Season with salt and pepper and mix well until combined.
- Lift the skin of the turkey breast with your fingers to separate it from the flesh and stuff it with half of the herb butter. Season the turkey with salt on and pepper and run with some more of the butter, you can also melt the butter and brush the turkey with it.
- Add half a lemon to the cavity, some fresh sprigs of herbs, 1 celery stick, half an onion and tie the legs together.
- Place on a turkey rack with a tray and 2 Cups of water on the bottom of the tray. Place into the oven and cook for 2 ½ hrs. basting every 25mins with more butter and turkey tray juices until golden brown and fully cooked. The temperature inside the legs should reach 70-75°C.
- Meanwhile, cut the bread into 3cm pieces, place on a tray and drizzle with olive oil. Place into the oven and cook for 15 mins. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Finely chop the leek, onion, carrots and celery. Sauté them on a large casserole dish for 10 mins until soften. Squeeze out the pork meat from the sausage skin and add to the pan.
- Add the All spice and cook until sausage is cooked through. Add the honey, add the sultanas, white wine and bring to the boil. Add the stock bring to the boil.
- Pour over on the bread and mix through. Once the turkey is out of the oven, turn up the heat to 200°C and place the tray with the stuffing into the oven, cook for 15-20mins until golden brown.
- Rest the turkey for at least 15mins before slicing and serve with outside stuffing.
- If making gravy, add 2 Tbsp of butter to the pan with the juices, add 2 tbsp of corn flour, mix with a whisk and bring to the boil. Season with salt and pepper and squeeze the juice of half a lemon. Add more flour or more liquid depending on your preferred consistency.