Cook Once Roast Turkey with Onions

Use the giblets from the turkey to make stock for the gravy. Add some onion and chopped carrots to add flavour and cover with water, bring to the boil and simmer for about 1 hour, strain before using.

By Caroline Marson

Cookery advisor All recipes by Caroline Marson

Ingredients show imperial units

Serves 10

3.6kg oven-ready turkey
450g chestnut, apricot and sausage stuffing (see Love Food Hate Waste recipe)

150g butter

Butter

Unsalted is better for cooking.

Easy spread butter is ideal for sandwiches and toast.
Salt

Salt

Consider tablesalt, sea salt or crystals.

Sea salt’s pronounced and salty flavour means less is required to season food.
Pepper
Black peppercorns

Best used as a condiment.
They can be lightly crushed and used to spice up a creamy sauce or to coat fillet steak or chicken breasts.
- Although it might seem odd, grinding black pepper over a bowl of strawberries enhances the flavour of the fruit.
- Pepper that is pre-ground is not fresh tasting and often has other ingredients mixed in.
- Choose the type of mill that suits you, and if you want coarser pepper you can loosen the screw on the top of the mill or crush the seeds in a pestle and mortar
900g small onions, peeled and kept whole
1 tablespoon olive oil
Olive oil

Usually the darker green the oil, the richer the flavour.
- Extra virgin olive oil is good for drizzling on salads and should never be heated as this destroys the fine properties
- Lighter olive oil is good for adding to bread, or to flavour a salad or marinade for chicken, meat, fish or vegetables. Lighter olive oil can be gently heated and added to marinades and baking.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) mark 5.
Spoon some stuffing into the neck end of the turkey only. Shape into a neat, rounded end then tuck the neck skin under and secure with a wooden skewer or cocktail stick. Weigh the turkey once it is stuffed and calculate the cooking time (see below). Spoon any remaining stuffing into a shallow dish and cook separately for about 20 minutes.
Place the turkey in a roasting tin and spread with butter. Season with a little salt and plenty of pepper. Cover loosely with a large sheet of foil to make a ‘tent’. In a non-stick frying pan, brown the onions well in the oil and remaining butter.
Cook the turkey for the calculated cooking time, (about 3 –3½ hours) basting occasionally. About 1 hour before the end of the cooking time, remove the foil and add the onions to the tin with the turkey.
Check if the turkey is cooked through, pierce the thickest part of the leg with a skewer: the juices will run clear if the bird is cooked – there should be no pink tinge. Or you can pull on leg a little; it should ‘give’ if the turkey is cooked.
Remove the turkey and onions from the roasting tin, tipping slightly to let any juices run out. Cover with foil and leave to rest for 30 minutes.

To make the gravy

Tilt the roasting tin and spoon off all but 2 tablespoon fat, leaving the turkey juices. Place tin over a low heat; whisk in 2 tablespoons of plain flour. Cook for 1-2 minutes, slowly whisk in 600ml turkey stock. Bring to the boil; simmer for 3-4 minutes until smooth. Add a little dry sherry or Madeira if wished and season well. Strain into a warmed gravy boat.

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