Hubby was really wanting a Turkey for Christmas. I was hesitant because first, I haven’t tasted a turkey yet in my whole life! And second, I have no idea how to cook it. But because hubby liked it, I said, OK!
Then he said we can buy a Turkey from Marks & Spencers and for sure it’ll be easier to cook as full instruction is given. And all along, I thought the only thing I’m going to do is to heat the oven and let the turkey cook by itself… only to find out that it’s just a plain turkey. The only difference is that it’s no longer frozen and I was spared of defrosting it overnight.
But knowing me, when I’m about to cook or make something that’s first and unfamiliar, I do my research beforehand to make sure that I got enough information that I’ll just try to mix and match as I go on. So before hubby collected the turkey from the M&S; shop, I am already confident because I’m armed with everything I need to make the best turkey ever! =)
So hubby ordered the turkey and added a basting sauce which only costs £1, so I said all right, add it. But if it costs much, I would say I better do the basting sauce myself as it only consists of common ingredients ready in my cupboard. Oh, and I think I’ve said too much. I better head on to the cooking process. =)
The stuffing I used isn’t intended for eating, but only to add flavor to the turkey meat.
STUFFING:
1 whole onion, peeled
1 bulb garlic, divided into cloves and peeled
2 whole carrots, peeled
3 celery stalks, cut to about 5 inches each
3 large fresh sage leaves
2 bay leaves
1 whole lemon to close the cavity
SEASONING/BASTING: (though I only used this to season the turkey as what I’ve mentioned above, we bought the basting sauce)
2 tbsp. kosher salt
2 tbsp. freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp. dried sage
2 tbsp. dried thyme
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup butter, melted
GARNISH/SIDINGS:
sausage wrapped in bacon, fried
brussel sprouts, steamed
METHOD:
1. Preheat the oven to maximum.
2. Mix together all the ingredients for seasoning/basting in a bowl.
2. Pat the turkey dry inside and out with kitchen paper and lay breast up.
3. Carefully loosen turkey’s skin from breast to legs, make sure not to tear it. Massage the seasoning/basting mixture all over and under the skin.
4. Place all the stuffing ingredients inside the body cavity, using the lemon to close.
5. Tie the end of the drumsticks together over the body opening and tuck the wing tips underneath.
6. Place the turkey on roasting rack in a large roasting pan and roast in the preheated oven. Once turkey’s inside, lower the temperature immediately to 180°C and cook for about 3 to 4 hours or until the juices run clear from the thigh if you pierce with it a knife or a skewer. Baste every 30 minutes. If you have a meat thermometer (which I don’t have), you can use it to better know if the turkey’s done when it is pricked in the deepest part of the thighs and registers 73°C-76°C or 165°F-170°F.
7. Just about an hour before the Turkey’s cooked, cover it with tin foil to prevent the breast from browning while the thighs continuously cook.
8. When done, rest for about 30 minutes into the serving platter before carving.
9. You can use the juices from the roasting pan to make gravy, but I used turkey gravy granules and just added the juices to it.
There are numerous ways of roasting turkey. Some say baste every 30 mins, some say don’t, but both are said to make the turkey juicy. Some uses different herbs and spices, while some only uses salt and pepper. You can use whatever you think is best and is comfortable for you, but with the finished product on the pictures, that’s basically how I cooked mine.
