Herb-Roasted Turkey with Bread Stuffing

Golden, juicy and infused with herbs, this turkey is the perfect centrepiece for any festive table.

How long will it take?

3 ½ hours

What’s the serving size?

Serves 10

What do I need?

1 whole turkey, approx. 5-6 kg
120 g unsalted butter, softened
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lemon, halved
1 onion, quartered
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
500 mL chicken stock

For the Bread Stuffing

225 g unsalted butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
½ cup parsley, finely chopped
800 g day-old white bread, cubed
500 mL chicken stock
2 eggs, lightly beaten

How do I make it?

Prepare the Stuffing by melting butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and celery and sauté for 10 minutes, or until soft.
Add garlic, salt, pepper, sage, and thyme and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring often.
Place bread cubes in a large bowl and pour the vegetable and herb mixture over. Add parsley, chicken stock and eggs and mix.
Preheat oven to 170C.
Pat turkey with paper towel to remove excess moisture.
In a small bowl mix softened butter, olive oil, minced garlic, and chopped herbs.
Gently loosen the skin from the breast of the turkey and spread some herb butter underneath. Rub the remaining mixture all over the skin, legs, and wings.
Season the cavity with salt and pepper. Loosely stuff the prepared stuffing into the cavity, but do not overpack. Add the lemon halves and onion quarters to the cavity. Tie the legs of the turkey together with kitchen twine and tuck the wings underneath.
Place the turkey on a roasting rack in a large roasting dish. Loosely cover with foil and roast for 33 minutes per kilogram. Baste with chicken stock or pan juices every 45 minutes.
Remove the foil during the final hour of cooking to crisp the skin.
To check if the turkey is cooked use a thermometer to test the temperature of the stuffing. It should be 75C. The thickest part of the turkey thigh should be 80C.
Transfer the turkey to a carving board and loosely cover with foil. Allow to rest for 30 minutes before carving.

TOP TIPS

- Use the pan juices, flour and stock to make a classic pan gravy.

- Cube the bread and leave it out to dry, uncovered overnight or toast in a 120C oven for 20-30 minutes until dry and crisp. Dry bread will yield a better stuffing.

- Get ahead by chopping all veggies and herbs up to 3 days ahead and storing in separate airtight containers or resealable bags in the fridge.

- You can make the herb butter for rubbing the turkey up to 3 days ahead and store in the fridge. Let it soften to room temperature before rubbing under and over the turkey skin.

- Prep the turkey 1 day ahead by cleaning, patting dry and seasoning the cavity, then storing uncovered or loosely covered in the fridge to help dry out the skin. This will give crispier skin when roasted.

- Don’t stuff the turkey until just before cooking to avoid food safety issues.