Christmas Roast Turkey
 
Christmas Roast Turkey
 
CHRISTMAS RECIPE

Christmas Roast Turkey

2hrs 30mins
medium
Servings: 6

Turkey has a reputation for being tricky, but I’m here to tell you it doesn’t have to be. Working in restaurants throughout my teens, I quickly learned a game-changing trick: cook the meat hours, sometimes even the day before serving. The benefits? Less oven stress, perfectly rested meat, and an extra moment to sip a glass of wine instead of panicking over timings. Once cooked, keep the turkey somewhere cold (less than 11°C), and when it’s time to serve, bring it back to room temperature. Flash the skin under the grill to crisp it up again, heat your plates to keep everything warm, and for most, it’ll be topped with hot gravy, instantly heating it right up again. Even without the gravy, the turkey should still be perfectly pleasant.


And let’s not forget the trivet. A mix of vegetables, herbs, and turkey juices that caramelises as the bird roasts, the trivet is the foundation of your gravy. Treat it well, and it’ll reward you with a depth of flavour that ties the whole meal together.

Our separate Chicken Bone Broth Gravy recipe can be found here.

Written by Ros Heathcote Founder, Borough Broth

Ingredients

  • 1 whole turkey (size depending on your needs)
  • 2 onions, roughly chopped
  • 3 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
  • ½ lemon
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 sprigs fresh sage
  • 1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 tbsp Borough Broth Organic Chicken Fat
Free-Range Organic Chicken Fat
£7.50
£7.50
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Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
  2. Prepare the Trivet: In the bottom of your roasting tray, place the roughly chopped onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Add the sprigs of rosemary, thyme, and sage on top. This will serve as the trivet for your turkey, adding flavour to the drippings for the gravy.
  3. Prepare the Turkey: Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Rub the chicken fat all over the turkey, ensuring to coat the skin evenly.
  4. Season the turkey generously with salt and pepper, both on the outside and inside the cavity.
  5. If desired, stuff the cavity with half the lemon and any additional herbs or aromatics.
  6. Roast the Turkey: Place the turkey on top of the vegetable trivet in the roasting tray.
  7. Roast the turkey in the preheated oven, basting with the pan juices every 30–40 minutes.
  8. Cooking times will vary depending on the size of the turkey, but as a general guide, roast for about 20 minutes per 450g (1 lb). Use a meat thermometer to check when the thickest part of the turkey (usually the thigh) reaches 75°C (165°F).
  9. Rest the Turkey: Once fully cooked, remove the turkey from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Cover it with foil and let it rest for at least 20 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute through the meat, making it tender.
  10. Prepare the Gravy (Using the Trivet): While the turkey rests, use the trivet drippings and vegetables to make the gravy (follow the separate Chicken Bone Broth Gravy recipe).
  11. Serve: Carve the turkey and serve with the rich chicken bone broth gravy made from the trivet drippings, alongside your festive sides.