Roasting a turkey is very simple. Many people have been persuaded away from the traditional way of roasting a turkey, but I still think this is the best way to do it. I know it is slightly faster to cook the bird with no stuffing in and many people now buy a ready-made stuffing in a box that just requires water being added. I have tried all the ready made stuffing and do not recommend them. Cooking a turkey in this way is an all day event. If possible involve the whole family. If you are cooking for a large group of family and friends, there is a lot of work to do. Kids will love to help peel the potatoes. (Or not.)

If you are looking for a way of cooking a turkey that involves buying a quick fix from the grocery store, you are looking in the wrong place. This recipe takes a little extra effort but guarantees results. How many times have you sat down to a Thanksgiving turkey that was dry and tasteless? No more. This is the old fashioned way of preparing a turkey. The secret of a perfectly cooked turkey is a combination of two things: providing moisture and cooking at the correct temperature.

First, providing moisture. Modern turkeys have been bred to be as lean as possible. Turkeys are not a very fatty bird to begin with and it’s really important to provide some fat and moisture – that is why we will stuff the bird.

Second, the cooking temperature needs to be high to start with and then reduced. The bird also needs to be sealed inside am aluminum foil package to retain the moisture and effectively steam the meat.

Try this recipe this Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner – I promise it works and produces the juiciest, most tender turkey you have ever tried.

You will need:

Equipment:

• A large roasting tin
• Aluminum foil
• A skewer
• A bowl
• A sharp knife
• A food thermometer
• A carving set
• A cutting board
• A serving dish

Ingredients:

• A large turkey:
• ½ lb of bacon (As fatty as possible)
• Salt and pepper

For the stuffing:

• 2 lbs pork sausage meat
• 2 tablespoons dried sage
• 1 large onion, chopped into small pieces
• 4 tablespoons breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup boiling water
• Salt and pepper

First, make the stuffing. To do this, combine the onion, sage and breadcrumbs together in a large bowl. Pour on the boiling water and mix this to a paste. Add the sausage meat, season with a generous amount of salt and pepper and mix by hand. Try to use good quality sausage meat with no additions because we are adding our own filler. Many ready made sausage meats have all sorts of garbage added – we do not want that. Set the stuffing aside. Pre heat the oven to 425F.

Now, wash the turkey, pat dry and place on a flat surface. Stuff the turkey at both ends. Begin with the neck end and push it up between the flesh and the skin towards the breasts. Do not pack this too tightly because it will expand while cooking. Tuck the neck flap under the bottom of the turkey and, if necessary, attach with a small skewer. Put the rest in the body cavity.

You can, if you are feeling adventurous, make two different types of stuffing, one in the neck and one in the body, but this way is easiest. Next, rub the turkey all over with butter. Really massage the bird and get the entire turkey covered. Now, season with a good amount of salt and freshly ground pepper, all over. Now, lay the bacon strips across the top of the turkey.

Now we are going to wrap the turkey in foil. You will need a lot of foil and it’s really important to seal the package well so that all the moisture stays in the package. You can buy special bags to do this, but I always use foil.

First, spread out a length of aluminum foil long enough to wrap the turkey neck to tail. Roll out another piece the same length. Placing the edges of both pieces together lengthwise, fold the edges several times to make one large sheet. Do this again. Now, place the turkey on one of the sheets, bend the foil up around the turkey and lay the other sheet over the top. Connect the two sheets together, folding the edges over and over to make a sealed tent.

Place the tent with the turkey in on a roasting tin and place the tin in the oven. Cook at 425F for 30 minutes and then reduce the temperature to 325F Cook for a further 3 to 3 ½ hours for a 12 – 14 lb bird. Cooking time depends on the size of the turkey. Here is a cooking guide time.

But the best and safest way to cook a turkey is to use a food thermometer. Turkey should have an interior temperature of 165F to be properly cooked and the juices should run clear.

Now, take the top half of the foil tent off and turn the temperature back up to 400F. Do not throw this foil away. Remove the bacon slices and allow the skin to crisp. Cook at this temperature for another 30 – 45 minute until the skin is a golden color. Baste frequently during this part of the cooking process.

When the turkey is cooked, remove from the oven and transfer the turkey to a warmed carving tray or cutting board. Place the top of the foil tent back over the bird and let sit for 30 minutes. This is the time to finish cooking all the trimmings and if you are cooking roast potatoes, which I heartily recommend, you can turn the oven back up to crisp them off. (see best roast potato recipe)

Use the fat and juices left sitting in the foil to add to the gravy we have already made. (see gravy Recipe)

Remove the stuffing from the inside and place on the serving platter. If you are going to carve the turkey at the table, use a carving plate. If you are carving in the kitchen put the turkey on a cutting board.

Now for the best part – carving the turkey. Here is a good video showing how to carve the turkey with a minimum of fuss and waste.

Serve with roast potatoes, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, veggies and whatever else your family loves to have with turkey.

Happy Thanksgiving or Merry Christmas.