Crispy bacon-basted turkey

Name: Crispy bacon-basted turkey
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 4 h 10 min
Total time: 4 h 35 min
Yield: Serves 8
Cuisine: british
Ingredients: 5kg-6kg oven-ready turkey neck and giblets removed and saved for the Sticky port gravy (see 'Goes well with', far right); 2 thyme sprigs; 1 onion halved; 1 lemon halved; 2 bay leaves; 1 garlic bulb halved; 85g flaky sea salt; 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves; 1 tsp crushed black pepper; 6 rashers smoked streaky bacon or pancetta, chopped into small pieces; 140g butter softened; 1 tbsp maple syrup

5.00 (7)

⏱ 275 mins 🍽 Serves 8 🌶 british ✅ More effort 🏷 Main course

This recipe guides you through preparing a festive turkey, seasoned with a thyme salt mix and infused with a smoky bacon butter. The butter is spread under the skin before roasting, resulting in exceptionally juicy and flavourful meat. After cooking, the pan juices are used to enhance a rich gravy. The dish serves eight and requires a total preparation and cooking time of 275 minutes.

Ingredients

5kg-6kg oven-ready turkey neck and giblets removed and saved for the Sticky port gravy (see 'Goes well with', far right)
2 thyme sprigs
1 onion halved
1 lemon halved
2 bay leaves
1 garlic bulb halved
85g flaky sea salt
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp crushed black pepper
6 rashers smoked streaky bacon or pancetta, chopped into small pieces
140g butter softened
1 tbsp maple syrup

Method

For best results, salt the turkey a day ahead. Combine the salt, thyme leaves, and pepper in a grinder or with a pestle and mortar. Place the turkey in a roasting tin and season it thoroughly inside and out, using most of the salt. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. If short on time, simply season generously just before roasting.
Prepare the bacon butter by cooking the chopped bacon in a dry pan for about 10 mins until crisp and the fat renders. Allow it to cool a little, then transfer the bacon and fat to a food processor with the butter and maple syrup. Process until combined, then shape the mixture into a log using cling film and chill. This can be made days in advance or frozen for 1 month.
Take the turkey out of the fridge about an hour before cooking. Also remove the bacon butter to soften. Preheat your oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Calculate the roasting time: 40 mins per kg for the first 4kg, then 45 mins for each additional kg.
Carefully loosen the skin over the turkey breast by sliding your fingers underneath. Spread the softened bacon butter evenly under the skin across the breast and into the thigh joint. Place a thyme sprig under the skin on each breast, then smooth the skin back down. Fill the cavity with the onion, lemon, bay leaves, and garlic.
Loosely cover the tin with foil and roast for the calculated time. Thirty minutes before the end, increase the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6, remove the foil, baste the turkey, and return it to the oven. Once browned and cooked, transfer the turkey to a warm platter, cover with foil, and rest for up to 1 hr.
Pour off the excess fat from the roasting tin, keeping the juices. If the tin is suitable, add the Sticky Port gravy to the juices and reheat. otherwise, transfer both to a saucepan to warm. Serve the remaining salt mix on the side for seasoning.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories761 kcal

Fat41 g

Saturates17 g

Carbs2 g

Sugars2 g

Protein96 g

Sodium3480 mg

Salt8 g

Recipe details

Skill levelMore effort

CategoryMain course

Cuisinebritish