- 4-5kg organic turkey with giblets
- 1 onion
- 1 carrot
- 1 celery stick
- 1 bouquet garni
- 400g shallots
- A handful of sage, leaves only
- 50g butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 500ml cold water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 750ml boiling water
- 1.
2 hrs before you want to roast your turkey, take it out of the fridge and let it stand somewhere safe so it can come to room temperature. Take the giblets out of the turkey. Rinse them. Pop them in a pan. Peel and halve the onion. Rinse and chop the carrot and celery. Add them to the giblets with the bouquet garni and 500ml cold water.
- 2.
Pop a lid on the pan. Bring to the boil. Once it’s boiling, turn the heat down. Simmer over a low heat for 2 hrs to make a giblet stock. Strain into a bowl. Discard the veg and giblets. Leave the stock to cool.
- 3.
While the stock simmers, heat your oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Peel and slice the shallots. Pop in a roasting tin with half the sage. Add 1 tbsp oil and season them. Mix them together with your hands so they’re coated in the oil and seasoning.
- 4.
Weigh your turkey to check how much it weighs exactly. Pop it on top of the onions, breast side down. Pour 500ml boiling water around (but not over) the turkey. Season the turkey with a little salt and pepper. Put the turkey in the oven on the middle shelf. Roast for 1 hr (this is the same, whether your turkey weighs nearer 4kg or 5kg).
- 5.
After 1 hr, take the turkey out of the oven and carefully turn it over so it is breast side up (make sure you protect your hands from the heat and have some sturdy spatulas to help with turning it). Season the turkey again. Use a sharp knife or skewer to slice right through the skin between the leg and breast to allow the juices to drain out and the thighs to cook. Top the water up again with 250ml boiling water.
- 6.
Return the turkey to the oven and roast for another 1 hr. If your turkey is nearer 4kg, then you just need to roast it for 45 mins more.
- 7.
To check the turkey is ready, insert a skewer into one of thighs. If the juices run clear, it’s ready. Transfer the turkey to a board. Wrap loosely in foil. Rest for 1 hr. Spoon the shallots out of the tin. Pop them in a bowl. Pour the roasting tin juices into a measuring jug. Let sit for 15-30 mins so the fat rises to the surface. Skim off the fat. Pour in enough of the giblet stock to make 750ml.
- 8.
Make the gravy: melt 50g butter in a pan. Stir in 2 tbsp flour. Cook and stir for 2 mins to make a roux. Slowly whisk in the stock. Bring to the boil. Turn the heat down. Simmer for 5-10 mins till the gravy thickens. Stir in the shallots. Chop the remaining sage leaves and add them. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve the gravy with the roast turkey.
- Tip
Clock watching
Your KellyBronze turkey needs less time to cook than standard supermarket turkeys because of the way it has been reared. KellyBronze turkeys are more mature than standard turkeys, which means there is more fat marbling in the meat. This fat conducts the heat through the bird more effectively. They are also safer to cook at a lower temperature and to eat with still a little colour in the flesh because the way the turkeys are cared for reduces the risk of the turkeys picking up bacteria. However, the most important thing when roasting your turkey is to check the internal temperature. We’ve included a meat thermometer with your turkey. Put it into the thickest part of the meat (the thigh) when you have turned your turkey. When the thermometer hits 60°C, take your turkey out of the oven and leave it to rest. BUT do not take the thermometer out. Your turkey will keep cooking while it's resting, so the thermometer should hit 65°C. This will give you juicy meat with a hint of colour to the flesh still. If you prefer your turkey a little more well done, let the turkey come to 65°C in the oven so it gets to 70°C when it's resting. - Tip
Crispy skin
You can leave the skin on the turkey while it rests or make crispy turkey skin crackling with it. Peel the skin off the breast and legs. Lay it flat on a baking tray and slide it back into the oven. Roast for 10-15 mins till crisp and crunchy. - Tip
Weight matters
Your turkey will weigh between 4kg and 5kg. For a 4kg turkey, the total cooking time is 1 hr 45 mins. For a 5kg turkey it will take 2 hrs. For both you must let it rest for 1 hr afterwards so it can keep cooking and come to the right temperature - the important thing is to keep your eye on the thermometer. That is how you will know your turkey is ready.