Roast Turkey Recipe

Roast Turkey Recipe 

The perfect turkey recipe for Easter Weekend!

Ingredients: 

• 1 Whole Turkey (about 5kg)
• 1/2 Cup Butter - Room Temperature 
• 1/4 tbsp Sea Salt 
• 2 tsp Pepper 
• 1/4 Sprigs Rosemary
• 1/4 Sprigs Thyme
• 1 Lemon
• 2 Cooking Onions
• 2 Bay Leaves 
• 1/4 Cup of Oil of Choice

Method:

Preheat an oven to 350F and adjust the shelves so there will be enough room for the roast. Remove the bird from its packaging and set aside the neck, heart, and liver if present (they’ll often put them under the neck skin). Drain off any liquid that had pooled inside of it by tipping it tail down over a sink. Put the bird onto a tray and dry it inside and out with paper towels.

Season the inside of the bird with salt and pepper. Cut a lemon in half and put inside along with the thyme, rosemary and bay leaf. Rub the turkey all over with butter then season generously with salt and pepper. 

Oil the bottom of a dish large enough to hold the turkey. Peel and thickly slice the onion and place into the pan. Rest the turkey on the onions. This helps it not cook to the bottom and adds great flavour to the pan drippings. If using a leave-in thermometer insert it into the thickest part of the breast being sure not to touch a bone. place the roast in the oven and cook for 1 hour. after an hour check the temperature and baste. Continue to baste every 20 or 30 minutes until the bird has good colour. Drop the oven temperature and continue to baste and cook until an internal temperature of 74C or 165F. Chef Pekka's 5.25kg roast went in at 5:45 PM and came out at 8:30 PM. 

Serve with your choice of favourite Easter Dinner sides and enjoy!