Perfect Roast Turkey Recipe
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Recipe Overview
Preparation time: 15 minutes plus 1-3 days dry brining time
Cooking time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Serves: 6-8 people
Start this 2-3 days ahead of time
Ingredients Needed
- 3kg/6.6lbs turkey
Brine
- 1.5 tablespoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dried sage powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Basting Butter
- 150g/5ozs salted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
For Butter Cheesecloth
- 250g/8.8ozs melted salted butter
- 1 square metre/3.3 square foot cheesecloth
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1 DRY - Remove any extra fat, neck and giblets from the turkey and pat dry with paper towels on the skin outside and inside the cavity. Place three layers of paper towels underneath a rack in a baking dish and place the turkey breast side up on the rack.
Step 2 BRINE - Mix the salt, sage and black pepper together. Slide a spoon between the skin and the breast and add some seasoning there too. Rub the seasoning all over the turkey and place in the fridge uncovered for 1-3 days.
Step 3 BENCH - On the day you want to roast the turkey, take it out of the fridge and leave on the bench for 2 hours to take the chill off.
Step 4 MIX - Mix the butter, maple syrup, garlic powder and onion powder together. and melt the butter for the cheesecloth.
Step 5 BUTTER - Preheat oven to 180C/350F conventional or 160C/320F fan forced. Brush the excess salt from the turkey, remove the paper towels from under the rack and replace the rack in the pan. Using gloved hands rub butter between the skin and the breast and all over the turkey. Tuck the wing tips under the body. Dip the cheesecloth into the bowl of melted butter, fold over 4 times and cover the bird entirely tucking in the sides.
Step 6 ROAST - Add 1-2 cups of water to the bottom of the baking tray but don't let the water touch the bottom of the turkey. Calculate roasting time per weight of bird (20 minutes for every kilo/2.2lbs of turkey plus 80 minutes). I check on the turkey every 45 minutes and baste it using the juices. Make sure to rotate the turkey halfway too to ensure even browning.
Step 7 BROWN - In the last 15 minutes, if the turkey needs a bit more browning on the breast remove the cheesecloth and let it brown. Remove from the oven and allow to rest covered with the cheesecloth for 30 minutes.
Personal Note
When I was carving the turkey, Teddy Elliott was right by my side. It's funny, because Milo is allergic to poultry and beef so he doesn't bother coming to the kitchen when he smells it because he has learnt that he doesn't ever get any. But not Teddy, he planted himself firmly next to me patiently sitting in the hopes for some turkey.
Our neighbours Vic and Nicki and their girls absolutely love Teddy and Milo. The girls want a dog of their own but Vic and Nicki are approaching the idea cautiously as the girls are very young and they know that they'll end up doing most of the work with the dogs and they have two busy careers so they weren't sure if they would have time. Also Nicki hasn't had a lot of experience with dogs so she is a bit wary of them.
We were away one night at a hotel staycation so Mr NQN asked if they wanted to look after Teddy and Milo. They happily accepted and Vic and Nicki actually kept the sleepover as a surprise from the girls.
Both girls are super gentle with the dogs. They sent us lots of pictures of the girls and the dogs which we love because as a dog parent, any pics of your "kids" while away is great. Older sister Eleanor is a bit shyer than her younger sister Sarah who is more outgoing.
I knew the girls loved Teddy because he is tinier and very sedate while Milo is a bit bigger, stronger and energetic and loves attention. I was worried that Milo might be left out of the action because all I got were pictures of Teddy.
But like our house, the dogs pick their favourites based on personality. "It seems Milo absolutely loves me, and the feeling is mutual!" messaged Vic. My son Milo became a favourite of Vic and Sarah who are more outgoing while Mr NQN's son Teddy became the favourite of Nicki and Eleanor, the quieter members of the family!
So tell me Dear Reader, do you roast turkey very often? Have you ever heard of the butter cheesecloth method?
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