Traditional roast turkey with pork, sage and onion stuffing

Weʼve tried and tasted a lot of turkey recipes over the years, but we still believe that Delia Smith's traditional roast turkey with pork, sage and onion stuffing recipe is our all time favourite.

We have more delicious side dish recipes on our blog: www.harrystreetmeats.co.uk/christmas

View the recipes here: www.deliaonline.com/ingredient/turkey

INGREDIENTS
1 turkey, about 14 lb (6.3 kg) oven-ready 6 oz (175 g) softened butter
8 oz (225 g) very fat streaky bacon
salt and freshly milled black pepper

For the pork, sage and onion stuffing:
2 lb (900 g) good-quality pork sausage meat or finely minced pure pork
1 heaped dessertspoon dried sage
1 large onion, grated or very finely chopped 4 heaped tablespoons white breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten (optional)
salt and freshly milled black pepper
For the gravy
about 2 level tablespoons plain flour
1 quantity Turkey Giblet Stock

CHRISTMAS EVE

Before you start, please bear in mind that it is important to take the turkey out of the fridge last thing on Christmas Eve to allow it to come to room temperature so that it heats up immediately you put it in the oven.

The same applies to the stuffing (you can make this on Christmas Eve, ahead of time), and you also need to remove the 6 oz (175 g) of butter to soften ready for the morning.

To make the stuffing, combine the breadcrumbs with the onion and sage in a large mixing bowl, then stir in a little boiling water and mix thoroughly. Next work the sausage meat or minced pork and egg, if using, into this mixture and season with salt and pepper. Leave the stuffing covered in a cool place – but not in the fridge, as it shouldn't be too cold when you come to stuff the turkey.

ON CHRISTMAS DAY

On the morning of cooking, pre-heat the oven to gas mark 7, 425°F (220°C) then stuff the turkey.

Loosen the skin with your hands and pack the stuffing into the neck end, pushing it up between the flesh and the skin towards the breast (though not too tightly because it will expand during the cooking). Press it in gently to make a nice rounded end, then tuck the neck flap under the bird's back and secure with a small skewer.

Don't expect to get all the stuffing in this end – put the rest into the body cavity.

Now arrange two large sheets of foil across your baking tin – one of them widthways, the other lengthways (no need to butter them). Lay the turkey on its back in the centre, then rub it generously all over with the butter, making sure the thighbones are particularly well covered.

Next season the bird all over with salt and pepper, and lay the bacon over the breast with the rashers overlapping each other. I always put some over the legs as well. The idea now is to wrap the turkey in the foil. The parcel must be firmly sealed but roomy enough inside to provide an air space around most of the upper part of the turkey. So bring one piece of foil up and fold both ends over to make a pleat along the length of the breastbone – but well above the breast.

Then bring the other piece up at both ends, and crimp and fold to make a neat parcel. Place the roasting tin on a low shelf in the oven and cook at the initial high temperature for 40 minutes.

After that, lower the heat to gas mark 3, 325°F (170°C) and cook for a further 3 hours for a 12 lb bird (around 5.5 kg), or 31⁄2 hours for a 14 lb bird (around 6.3 kg).

Then tear the foil away from the top and sides of the bird and remove the bacon slices to allow the skin to brown and crisp. The bacon rashers can be placed on a heat-proof plate and put back in the oven to finish cooking till all the fat has melted and there are just very crisp bits left. (I like to serve these crunchy bits with the turkey as well as bacon rolls.)

Turn the heat up to gas mark 6, 400°F (200°C) and cook the turkey for a further 30 minutes.

The turkey will need frequent basting during this time, so the whole operation will probably take nearer 40-45 minutes. To test if the bird is cooked, pierce the thickest part of the leg with a thin skewer: the juices running out of it should be golden and clear. And the same applies to any part of the bird tested – there should be no trace of pinkness in the juices. You can also give the leg a little tug, to make sure there is some give in it.

AND FINALLY...
Then remove it from the roasting tin (using a carving fork and fish slice) and transfer it to a warm carving dish. If you can engage someone's help while lifting it, it's a good idea to tip the turkey to let the excess juice run out. Leave the turkey in a warmish place for 30-60 minutes to 'relax' before carving: provided it's not in a draught it will stay hot for that length of time, and it will give you a chance to turn the heat up in the oven to crisp the roast potatoes.

GRAVY
Meanwhile, to make the gravy, tip all the fat and juices out of the foil into the roasting tin. Spoon off all the fat from the juice in a corner of the tin, then work the flour into the remaining juices over a low heat.

Now, using a balloon whisk, whisk in the giblet stock, bit by bit, until you have a smooth gravy. Let it bubble and reduce a little to concentrate the flavour, and taste and season with salt and pepper. Then pour it into a jug and keep warm.

Recipe | Lean Spicy Chicken Broth

There is a big focus on Lean Meat this month. We have come up with a quick and easy recipe for you to follow. The ingredients in this recipe are all health conscious and will boost your immune system too. In this recipe we have used Harry's Chicken Breasts which can be found in the Lean Detox Box.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 shallots

3 sticks of lemongrass

1 thumb-sized piece of ginger

1-2 red chillies

½ a bunch of fresh coriander

1 bunch of spring onions

2 free-range chicken breasts

groundnut oil

1.75 litres light organic chicken or veg stock

fish sauce

3 limes

1 large handful of beansprouts

Method:

1. Peel and finely dice the shallots, then remove the outer leaves from the lemongrass and finely chop the remainder. Peel and finely grate the ginger and garlic, and finely slice the chilli. Pick the coriander leaves, then trim and shred the spring onions and set aside. Next, cut the chicken into finger-width strips.

2. Gently sweat the shallots in a splash of oil until soft. Throw in the lemongrass, ginger and garlic, and fry for 1 minute. Add the stock and most of the chilli. Add the chicken and simmer for about 8 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Add a splash of fish sauce and squeeze in the lime juice.

3. Taste and add more fish sauce, lime juice or chilli as needed. At the last minute, add the coriander, beansprouts and spring onions, then divide between bowls.

You can find the full recipe at Jamie Oliver's website: www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/chicken-recipes/hot-sour-chicken-broth/

Recipe | Brussels in a Hustle

Nothing compliments a roast turkey better than fresh Brussels sprouts. We’ve tried them every which way; boiled, roasted, steamed, stir-fried and even raw. But nothing compares to Jamie Oliver’s 'Brussels in a Hustle' -  this delicious twist on a classic side dish is an absolute tour de force!

This is another super easy recipe and only takes 25 minutes to cook. It should serve between 6 - 8 as a side too (but that depends how hungry your guests are).

Ingredients

1 red onion

50 g unsalted butter

4 sprigs of fresh sage

1 kg Brussels sprouts

4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 clove of garlic

Method

1. Peel and quarter the onion, push it through the fine slicing attachment of your food processor, and tip into a large pan on a medium heat with the butter.

2. Pick, finely slice and add the sage leaves, then fry for 4 minutes, or until soft, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, wash and trim the Brussels sprouts, clicking off any tatty outer leaves.

3. In batches, push them through the same fine slicer.

4. Add them to the pan, turn the heat up, cover, and fry for 10 minutes, or until soft, adding a splash of water, if needed.

5. Toss in the Worcestershire sauce, then turn the heat off and gun in the unpeeled garlic through a garlic crusher.

6. Stir well, season to perfection and serve.

Recipe by Jamie Oliver: jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetable-recipes/brussels-with-hustle

Recipe | Mulled Cider

It might sound like a cliché for farmers in the West Country to say but Harry’s a big fan of cider. Chilled in the summer months and mulled in the winter, it keeps him chipper come rain or shine.

So there’s no better excuse than joining him in raising a glass of mulled cider to see the year out with this fantastically simple recipe. Prepared in just 15 minutes, this mulled cider recipe serves 15 people. We think it pairs perfectly with the Chilli Sausage Rolls we’ve been snacking on throughout the winter months too.

Ingredients

2 litres good-quality traditional cider

6 cloves

3-4 star anise

1/4 nutmeg, finely grated into the pan

1 cinnamon stick

1 vanilla pod, halved

1 orange, juice of

2 clementines, juice of

1 pomegranate, juice and seeds

4-5 tablespoons caster


Method

1. Pour the cider into a large pan on a low heat and let it warm through for a few minutes. Add all the spices and juices and turn the heat up. Once boiling, turn down to a simmer and leave to tick away for 5–8 minutes.

2. As everything infuses you’ll get delicious layers of flavour. Taste it and add sugar as you like. You don’t want it sweet; you just want the sugar to join the spices in a harmonious taste. When you’re happy with the flavours, ladle into glasses or mugs and serve warm.

Recipe by Jamie Oliver: jamieoliver.com/recipes/fruit-recipes/incredible-mulled-cider

Recipe | Boxing Day Sandwhich

It is worth mentioning a few points if the sandwich is to be memorable and worthy of its accompanying glass of champagne.

The meat should be sliced thinly. Thick chunks of cold meat are far from appealing.

You can never be too generous with the salt when serving cold meats and poultry.

Bacon – crisp, streaky and smoked – is pretty much essential.

Cranberry sauce, redcurrant jelly, chutney and slices of cold stuffing all have their place, as do crisp salad leaves.

The mayonnaise is particularly good when seasoned with any of the following: capers, chopped gherkins, tarragon, lemon zest, lemon juice, dill, chilli sauce, paprika, wasabi paste, grated fresh horseradish, crème fraîche and chives, or seeded mustard.

If the bread isn't as fresh it might be, then it is best lightly toasted.

ENJOY!

Source http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/dec/26/nigel-slater-turkey-sandwich-recipe