Roast Turkey with Bay, Bacon and Make-Ahead Gravy

• turkey, ready for roasting↗5-5.5kg kg

  necks and giblets removed

• Bremley sausage and apple stuffing¼

  (see recipe, “Suitable for”)

• large onion↗1

  cut into four quarters

• lemon↗1

  cut in half

• bay leaves↗кілька
• soft butter↗85g g
• strips of streaky bacon10
• dry white or red wine↗150ml ml
• olive oil↗1 ст. л. tbsp
• large onion↗1

  finely chopped

• carrot↗1

  finely chopped

• bay leaf↗1
• plain flour↗50g g
• rich chicken stock↗300ml ml

  plus extra as needed

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   First, prepare the gravy – it can be made a few days before serving. Heat the oil in a non‑stick pan and sauté the onion and carrot with the bay leaf for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until they become soft and golden. Meanwhile, mix the flour with 300 ml of cold water to form a smooth paste.

2. 2

   Remove the bay leaf from the pan, pour in the stock, immediately add the flour mixture, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Let it simmer for 5‑10 minutes, stirring often, then blend with an immersion blender until completely smooth. Transfer to a bowl and cover the surface with film or parchment to prevent a skin from forming while cooling. Cool.

3. 3

   Weigh the turkey (you may need a kitchen scale) and calculate the roasting time: 40 minutes per kilogram for a turkey weighing 4.5‑6.5 kg, then an additional 35 minutes for each kilogram above that. Roughly, a turkey of this size requires 3 h 20 min to 3 h 40 min of roasting, plus 30‑45 minutes resting.

4. 4

   Stuff the turkey neck with the prepared filling, smoothing the skin and tucking it under the bird for a neat appearance. Place the onion, lemon and a few bay leaves inside the cavity. Rub the soft butter over the breast skin and lay strips of bacon on top so they cover and protect each breast and also seal in the butter. It can be prepared the night before, and taken out of the fridge an hour before roasting to bring the turkey to room temperature.

5. 5

   On the cooking day, preheat the oven to 180 °C (160 °C with convection/gas 4). Place the turkey on a large sheet of double foil, large enough to fully cover it, then lift it into a roasting pan and season well. Pour the wine into the cavity, then lift the foil over the turkey and seal tightly. Roast for the calculated time. During the last 40 minutes, uncover the foil and remove the bacon (serve it separately or save for a turkey sandwich). Pour out all the juices, using a bit of the butter that has risen to the top to baste the bird. Continue roasting until the turkey is golden and the thigh juices run clear, without a pink tint, when pierced with a skewer. (If using a digital thermometer, the thigh should reach 80 °C, the breasts — 75 °C.) Let rest on a warm plate, covered with foil and kitchen towels, for up to 45 minutes.

6. 6

   While the turkey roasts, during the last 40 minutes remove excess fat from the juices in a pan and pour it into a jug. The amount of juices depends on the turkey type: bronze turkeys yield less than white ones, so add up to 600 ml of chicken stock if needed. Transfer the gravy base to a pan, gently heat it with a small amount of turkey juices to thin the consistency, then gradually add the remaining juices and cook until it boils. Season.

7. 7

   For serving, carve the turkey into portions and place on a hot plate, drizzling with a little hot gravy, or serve the whole bird directly on the table. Leftover meat can be frozen in the gravy.