Info
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Total time: 5 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 10 to 14
Ingredients
- 1 turkey, 14–18 pounds, higher welfare
- Flavored butter
- 2 to 4 clementines
- Several sprigs of fresh herbs
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- Stuffing
- 2 to 3 carrots
- 3 onions, peeled
- 2 stalks celery
Instructions
1. Choose the Right Bird
For me, a 14-to-18-pound (6.5–8 kg) turkey is ideal: it's easy to handle, serves about 10 to 14 people, and tends to have better flavor than larger birds. If you buy from a small producer—like the lovely turkey I got from my friend Paul Kelly—you'll often find cooking instructions included. High-quality birds can cook in less time, so follow the package directions if they're provided.
2. Butter Under the Skin (Do This the Day Before)
This time I'm using flavored butter to give the turkey extra richness, and you can prepare it a day ahead. Starting at the side of the cavity just above the leg, use a spoon to gently separate the skin from the meat, working toward the breastbone and the back to create a large pocket. Take half the butter and push it into that pocket, using your hands to spread it through the skin so it coats the breast meat as evenly as possible. Repeat on the other side, then rub any remaining butter over the outside of the bird. If you have herb stalks left over, tuck them into the cavity for extra flavor during roasting. Cover the turkey with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
3. Bring to Room Temperature and Add Aromatics
Take the turkey out of the fridge a few hours before roasting so it can come up to room temperature. Since the flavored butter is already under the skin, only a few final touches are needed. Halve 2 to 4 clementines and place them in the cavity along with a few more sprigs of fresh herbs such as rosemary, bay, and thyme. The fruit will steam and perfume the bird beautifully. Take a sprig of rosemary, strip the leaves from the bottom, and skewer it through the loose skin around the cavity to hold it closed and prevent it from shrinking back during cooking.
4. Stuff the Neck and Set Up the Roasting Tray
Open the neck cavity and pack in as much stuffing as will fit, then carefully pull the skin back over the opening, tuck it under the bird, and place it in the roasting tray. If you've already made gravy (as I have), you won't need a vegetable trivet; if not, roughly chop 2 or 3 carrots, 3 peeled onions, and 2 celery sticks and scatter them in the tray. Preheat the oven to its highest setting, put the turkey in the roasting tray, and as soon as it goes in, reduce the heat to 350°F (180°C/Gas 4).
5. Roast and Baste
As a rough guide, cook the turkey for about 35 to 40 minutes per 2.2 pounds (1 kg). So a 15½-pound (7 kg) bird will need roughly 4 to 4½ hours. But many factors come into play—your oven type and the quality of the bird, for example. Check on the turkey every 30 minutes or so, and baste it with the pan juices to keep it from drying out.
6. Crisp the Skin and Check Doneness
After 3½ hours, remove the foil so the skin can turn golden and crispy. If you're unsure, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast. For a good-quality bird, it's ready when the internal temperature reaches 150°F (65°C); for a cheaper bird, aim for about 180°F (82°C).
7. Rest Before Carving
Carefully insert a metal skewer into the cavity and use it to lift the bird, tilting it over the roasting tray so all the juices run out. Transfer the turkey to a platter, cover with a double layer of foil and two tea towels to keep it warm, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
