Ingredients

• 1 x 10-12lb (4.5-5.4kg), free-range and organic, turkey, with neck and giblets

For the stuffing:

• 175g butter
• 350g chopped onions
• 400-500g soft white breadcrumbs
• 50g freshly chopped herbs eg. parsley, thyme, chives, annual marjoram, lemon balm salt and freshly-ground pepper

For the stock:

• Turkey giblet, neck, gizzard, heart, wishbone and wingtips of turkey
• 2 sliced carrots
• 2 sliced onions
• 1 stick celery
• Bouquet garni
• 3 or 4 peppercorns

For basting the turkey:

• 225g butter large square of muslin (optional)

Method

1. Make a turkey stock by covering with cold water the neck, gizzard, heart, wishbone, wingtips, vegetables and bouquet garni.
2. Bring to the boil and simmer while the turkey is being prepared and cooked, 3 hours approx.
3. To make the fresh herb stuffing, sweat the onions gently in the butter until soft, for about 10 minutes, then stir in the crumbs, herbs and a little salt and pepper to taste. Allow it to get quite cold.
4. If necessary wash and dry the cavity of the bird, then season and half-fill with cold stuffing. Put the remainder of the stuffing into the crop at the neck end.
5. Weigh the turkey and calculate the cooking time: Allow 15 minutes approx. per lb and 15 minutes over.
6. Melt the butter and soak a large piece of good quality muslin in the melted butter; cover the turkey completely with the muslin and roast in a preheated moderate oven, 180°C/Gas Mark 4, for 2 ¾ -3 ¼ hours depending on the weight and whether the turkey has been brined. Brined turkey cook considerably faster — be careful not to overcook. There is no need to baste it because of the butter-soaked muslin.
7. The turkey browns beautifully, but if you like it even browner, remove the muslin 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Alternatively, smear the breast, legs and crop well with soft butter, and season with salt and freshly-ground pepper. If the turkey is not covered with butter-soaked muslin then it is a good idea to cover the whole dish with dampened parchment paper. However, your turkey will then be semi-steamed, and not roasted in the traditional sense of the word.
8. The turkey is cooked when the juices run clear.
9. To test, prick the thickest part at the base of the thigh and examine the juices: they should be clear. Remove the turkey to a carving dish, keep it warm and allow it to rest while you make the gravy.
10. To make the gravy, spoon off the surplus fat from the roasting pan.
11. De-glaze the pan juices with fat-free stock from the giblets and bones. Using a whisk, stir and scrape well to dissolve the caramelised meat juices from the roasting pan.
12. Boil it up well, season and thicken with a little roux if you like. Taste and correct the seasoning. Serve in a hot gravy boat.
13. If possible, present the turkey on your largest serving dish, surrounded by crispy roast potatoes, and garnished with large sprigs of parsley or watercress and maybe a sprig of holly. Make sure no one eats the berries.

How to brine

My top tip is to brine the turkey ahead — it greatly enhances the flavour, and reduces the overall cooking time. For wet brine, you’ll need a large enough container to fully submerge the turkey in the brine for 24 hours. Some people brine the bird in their stainless steel sink. Use 100g salt to every 1 litre of water, stir to fully dissolve. Drain and dry well before stuffing and covering with butter-soaked muslin. If you want to do a dry brine, rub pure salt all over the surface of the turkey. Leave overnight, the next day pat the bird dry and proceed as above. Gutsy herbs like thyme and rosemary can be chopped and added to the salt. I’m not sure why but brining decreases the cooking time so check for doneness at least 30 minutes earlier and allow to rest for a further 30 minutes.

SOURCE

The post Darina Allen’s Christmas recipes – plus tips on how to avoid a dry turkey appeared first on Healy's Free Range Turkeys.

Serves 10-12 people

Ingredients

• 6kg (12lb) oven-ready turkey, at room temperature (preferably free-range)
• 1 orange
• 4 rindless streaky bacon rashers
• 8 ready-to-eat pitted prunes
• 450g (1oz) cocktail sausages
• 175g (6oz) butter, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 3 tbsp Madeira
• 600ml (1 pint) turkey or chicken stock (see tip below)

For the stuffing:

• 75g (3oz) butter
• 1 large onion, diced
• 175g (6oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
• 200g (7oz) canned or vacuum-packed chestnuts, chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tsp chopped fresh sage
• 50g (2oz) dried cranberries, finely chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• small bunch fresh herbs, to garnish (to include parsley, sage and bay leaves)

Method

Once you have invested in a large piece of muslin, which is readily available from good kitchen shops and on line, often referred to as ‘butter or cook’s muslin’, the easiest way to roast a turkey is, fortunately, also the best. Forget spinning it during cooking, or brining it, or embalming it in foil – this is absolutely foolproof.. If you want to be sure that your turkey is cooked invest in a meat thermometer and push it into the thickest part of one of the thighs. This will then clearly show you when the turkey is cooked, leaving no doubt in your mind.

Preheat the oven to 190C (375F), Gas mark 5.

To make the stuffing, melt the butter in a frying pan and add the onion, herbs, cranberries and chestnuts then cook for a few minutes until the onion has softened but not coloured.
Place the breadcrumbs in a bowl and tip in the onion mixture, then mix well to combine and season to taste. Divide among two buttered sheets of tinfoil and roll each one into sausage shaped rolls, twisting the ends to fasten; set aside. These can be made 2-3 days in advance and kept in the fridge until needed.

Cut the orange in two and stuff into the cavity of the turkey. Cut bacon in half and use to tightly wrap prunes. Arrange on a plate with the cocktail sausages, cover with cling film and chill until needed.
Turn the turkey breast-side up and tie the top of the drumsticks with string. Melt the butter, then soak the muslin in the butter, then season the turkey and place it over the turkey, ensuring it is all covered.

Weigh the turkey to calculate the required cooking time, allowing 20 minutes per 450g (1lb) plus 20 minutes extra – this size turkey should take about 4 hours and 20 minutes.

Put the turkey in a large roasting tin. Baste every 45 minutes to 1 hour; it is important to do this quickly so as to not let the turkey or oven cool down, as this could alter the cooking time.

Add the bacon wrapped prunes, cocktail sausages and stuffing rolls to the turkey for the last 30 minutes and allow to finish cooking. If the stuffing rolls have been made in advance and are well chilled down then give them an extra 15 minutes or so until they are fully heated through. To be sure its cooked, insert a fine skewer into the thickest part of the thigh: the juices should run clear, but if they are still pink, return the turkey to the oven and check again every 15 minutes until you are happy that the turkey is cooked right the way through.
Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving platter, then carefully remove the muslin and surround with the bacon wrapped prunes and cocktail sausages.

Cover with foil and leave to rest in a warm place for 10 minutes or up to 30 minutes is fine, then carefully remove the muslin.

Place the roasting tin directly on the hob over a gentle heat and skim any excess fat from the cooking juices. Stir the flour into the tin’s residue. Cook on the hob for a minute or two, stirring until golden.
Pour in the Madeira, stirring to combine, then gradually add the stock, stirring until smooth after each addition. Bring to the boil and let it bubble for about 10 minutes until reduced and thickened, stirring occasionally. Season to taste.

Serving Suggestions

Garnish the turkey with the bunch of herbs in the neck cavity and bring to the table. Carve into slices and arrange on warmed serving plates with some of the gravy, the roast potatoes, vegetables and all of the trimmings.

Roast Turkey with Chestnut and Dried Cranberry Stuffing

The post Roast Turkey with Chestnut and Dried Cranberry Stuffing appeared first on Healy's Free Range Turkeys.

4 people
1 h

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 red or white onion sliced
• 3 leeks finely sliced
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
• 2 tablespoons plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 300ml chicken stock
• ¼ pint/100ml low fat crème fraiche
• 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 8 oz/ 200g cooked turkey, cubed
• 8 oz/ 200g cooked ham, shredded
• 1 bay leaf
• 375g puff pastry ready rolled (frozen variety)
• 1 egg beaten, to glaze
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley or 1 teaspoon of dried parsley

Heat oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/Gas Mark 7 Heat a large frying pan, melt the butter and oil, and then add the sliced onion and leeks. Cover and cook very gently.

After 5 minutes, add the cubed potatoes and cook for a further 10 mins until the onion, leeks and potatoes are soft. Stir in the flour, turn up the heat, then gradually add the stock, stirring until the mix thickens a little.

Take off the heat, then stir in the crème fraîche, mustard and add the cooked turkey and ham.

Season to taste, then cool (if you have time) Spoon the mix into a large pie dish, add a bay leaf and the chopped parsley. This mix can be made up to a day ahead and kept chilled.

Trim pastry to fit the top of the dish and brush around the edges with a little water to help it stick, then press down along the sides to seal.

Cut a few slits to let the steam escape, then brush all over the top with beaten egg. Bake for 30 minutes until risen and serve hot with a tossed salad.

SOURCE

The post Neven’s Leftover Turkey, Ham and Leek Pie appeared first on Healy's Free Range Turkeys.