Christmas Turkey
If you’re celebrating Christmas by hosting a Christmas dinner or Christmas party, then you have your work cut out for you. Throwing a Christmas dinner or party is a lot more than decorating a tree and putting up some lights; you must make sure that you are more than ready to fill your guests’ stomachs with food that’s as warm as the season. Time to defrost that turkey and get cookin’!
Ingredients
1 Turkey, any size
2 Cups chicken broth, or vegetable broth, or water
1 Cup unsalted butter; melted (optional)
Equipment
Roasting pan (or an alternative roasting dish)
Roasting rack (or something to lift the turkey off the pan)
Brush
Method
- Take the turkey out of the fridge 30 minutes to 1 hour before roasting. Remove any packaging from the inside.
- Position an oven rack in the bottom third of your oven and preheat the oven to 230°C.
- Set the turkey breast-side up on the roasting rack and let it sit while the oven preheats. This takes the chill off the meat, which helps the meat cook faster and more evenly.
- Rub it with some salt and pepper before putting it in the oven. Leave your turkey un-stuffed so that the turkey will cook more evenly.
- When ready to roast, pour two cups of broth or water into the roasting pan.
- Place the turkey in the oven and turn down the heat to 170°C. Shield the breast meat with foil toward the end of cooking if it starts getting too browned.
- For an 8 Kg turkey, it will take about 3.5 hours, but start checking on your turkey every 15 minutes.
- Every 45 minutes, remove the turkey from the oven, close the oven door (don’t let that heat out!). Tilt the pan and use a spoon to scoop up the pan liquids and drizzle them on top of the turkey.
- Carve the turkey the same way you would carve a chicken. Remove the wings first, then the thighs, then the breast meat.
