Roast Turkey with Bay Leaves and Orange

• turkey↗ kg
• butter↗200 г g

  soft

• oranges↗4

  2 pcs with zest and juice

• stuffing450 г g

  (see “Suitable for”)

• a bunch of bay leaves
• shallot↗250 г g

  unpeeled, thickly sliced

• chicken broth↗850 мл ml
• golden fine sugar↗50 г g
• flour↗4 ст. л. tbsp
• Marmite1 ч. л. tsp

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180 °C (convection) or 160 °C (gas). Remove the giblets, then rinse and pat the turkey dry, discarding any remaining feathers. Mix half of the softened butter with the zest of two oranges and a generous amount of spices. Lift the skin near the neck and carefully separate it from the breast. Apply a little aromatic butter under the skin and on the breast. Fill the neck cavity with the prepared stuffing and secure the skin with skewers or toothpicks. Weigh the turkey to calculate the roasting time, and rub the remaining aromatic butter over the entire surface.

2. 2

   Place two whole oranges and a few bay leaves inside the turkey cavity. In a large roasting pan, spread the sliced shallots and a few more bay leaves, then set the turkey on top. Add 500 ml of chicken broth, cover with foil forming a tent, and roast for 20 minutes per each 450 g (1 lb) of turkey.

3. 3

   Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter, add orange juice and sugar, stirring constantly until the mixture becomes syrupy. Thirty minutes before the turkey is done, remove the foil, generously brush the turkey with the syrup and return it to the oven, raising the temperature to 200 °C (convection) or 180 °C (gas) to brown it. Brush the turkey once or twice more during roasting. Check doneness by piercing the thickest part of the thigh – the juices should run clear. Remove the turkey, brush it again with the syrup and let it rest, loosely covered with foil, for about 20 minutes while you make the gravy and finish the vegetables.

4. 4

   Pour the pan juices into a jug, leaving the shallots and bay leaves in the pan, then place the pan over heat. Add the flour and stir, then gradually whisk in the remaining broth, Marmite and the reserved turkey juices, removing excess fat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens, then strain it back into a saucepan, crushing the shallots with a masher to release all the flavor. Keep the gravy warm while you carve the turkey for serving.