The Proper Roast Turkey

The Day Before

These three things done the night before make the day itself straightforward.

How to make it

1. Make the Giblet Stock (Day Before)

Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey cavity. Discard the liver (it makes gravy bitter). Place everything else in a saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to the boil and skim. Add bay leaves, parsley stalks, sage and thyme. Simmer 1.5–2 hours. Strain and refrigerate.

2. Make the Stuffing (Day Before)

Soak the dried apricots. Soak bread in milk, then squeeze out. Soften the onion in butter. Combine the sausage meat, apricots, bread, onion, apple, garlic, sage, parsley, thyme and beaten egg. Season generously. Mix well with your hands. Fry off a small piece to taste before committing.

3. Butter the Turkey (Day Before)

Mix the softened butter with pressed garlic, rosemary, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper. Slide your fingers under the breast skin from the neck end to create a pocket. Push generous amounts of herb butter in, massaging it evenly over both breasts. Rub the rest all over the outside of the bird.

Pack stuffing into the neck cavity. Pull the skin flap down over it and secure with cocktail sticks. Place halved lemons and halved onion into the body cavity — these add fragrance and steam. Cover loosely and refrigerate overnight.

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On the Day

4. Set Up the Roasting Bed

Remove turkey from fridge 1 hour before roasting. Preheat oven to 160°C. Quarter 3–4 medium onions and scatter across the base of the roasting tin. Place turkey on a rack on top of the onions. Season well. Lay bacon rashers across the breast in overlapping rows, covering it completely. This is the bard — it bastes the breast continuously throughout the cook. Tent loosely with foil.

5. The Slow Roast

Roast at 160°C with foil on. Baste with pan juices every 45 minutes. After 2.5 hours, remove the foil and increase to 200°C. Glaze the breast with giblet stock every 10–15 minutes for the final 30–60 minutes. The turkey is done when the thigh reads 80°C and the breast 74°C. A 6–7kg bird takes approximately 3–3.5 hours total. Always use a thermometer. Rest 30 minutes minimum under loose foil. Do not skip the rest — the turkey will be noticeably juicier for it. Keep all the bacon — when it comes off the bird it's crispy and turkey-fat-soaked.

6. Duck Fat Roast Potatoes

These go in the oven when you remove the turkey foil and crank the heat. Peel and cut potatoes into golf-ball-sized pieces. Cover with cold salted water, bring to boil, parboil 12–15 minutes until edges soften. Drain and return to dry hot pan. Shake aggressively for 30–60 seconds to roughen the edges. Heat duck fat in a large roasting tray until smoking. Add potatoes — they should sizzle. Roast at 200°C for 45–55 minutes, turning every 20 minutes. Season with fleur de sel before serving.

7. The Giblet Gravy

Once the turkey is resting, tip the roasting pan. Spoon off excess fat, keeping 2–3 tbsp and all the dark drippings. Place pan over medium heat. Add white wine, scraping up all the caramelised bits. Add the giblet stock and any resting juices. Simmer and reduce by a third. Mix cornstarch with cold water to a smooth slurry. Whisk in gradually until desired consistency. Taste. Adjust seasoning. Finish with a knob of cold butter off the heat for gloss. Strain into a warm jug.

8. Glazed Cinnamon Carrots

Cut carrots julienne — matchstick thin. Melt butter over medium-high heat, add carrots, season with cinnamon and fleur de sel. Add a splash of water or stock. Toss for 6–8 minutes until just tender with a slight bite. They should stay vibrant — do not overcook.

9. Garlic Green Beans

Blanch in well-salted boiling water for 3–4 minutes — bright green, just tender, good snap. Drain. In a wide pan heat butter and olive oil, add minced garlic for 30 seconds. Add beans, toss 1–2 minutes. Finish with fleur de sel. Serve immediately.

10. Mashed Potatoes

Boil peeled floury potatoes until completely tender. Drain. Steam dry in the empty hot pan 2–3 minutes. Pass through a ricer or mash. Beat in generous butter and warm milk. Season well. Never use a blender — it makes gluey mash.

11. Cranberry Sauce (Can Make Ahead)

Combine cranberries, sugar, orange juice, zest, spice and water in a saucepan. Bring to medium heat, stir to dissolve sugar. Once cranberries start to burst, reduce to a simmer. Cook 10–15 minutes until thickened. Taste — add more orange juice if it needs brightness. Finish with cold butter for gloss. This can be poured into sterilised jars while still hot and keeps 3–4 weeks in the fridge.

12. Plating

Place rested turkey on your largest warm platter. Scatter the caramelised onions from the roasting pan around the bird. Arrange the reserved bacon rashers around the turkey. Add the golden roast potatoes to fill the platter. Sides in separate warm bowls: mash, carrots, green beans, cranberry sauce. Gravy in a warm jug — never pour over the bird before serving. Warm your plates. Cold plates ruin everything.

Leftovers

• Cranberry sauce — jar it. Keeps 3–4 weeks. Excellent with cheese.
• Turkey carcass — simmer with onion, celery, carrot for exceptional soup stock.
• Stuffing — refrigerates 2–3 days. Reheat thoroughly in oven.
• Gravy — stores 3–4 days. Reheat gently with a splash of stock.