Mary Berry’s Christmas Roast Turkey | Easy Preparation

If you’re looking for the perfect centre piece dish for your Christmas dinner, look no further than our delicious roast turkey recipe. The Christmas season is quickly approaching, and that means it’s time to start prepping your holiday meal!

This easy-to-follow guide on how to roast a turkey will have you enjoying a succulent and juicy roasted turkey in no time – giving you more time to focus on all the other festive treats on the menu! Plus, roasting a whole birds ensures there’s plenty of leftovers to enjoy throughout the season.

Easy Roast Turkey Dinner

A roast turkey with stuffing and gravy is a classic holiday dish that never fails to impress. The combination of tender, succulent turkey meat, stuffing, and rich, savoury gravy creates a mouth watering experience that will leave you craving for more.

Here are a few reasons why you’ll love this recipe:

• Irresistible flavours: The roast turkey absorbs the flavours of the stuffing, creating a harmonious blend of herbs, and aromatics that infuse every bite with deliciousness.
• Textural delight: The contrast between the juicy turkey meat and the crispy, golden-brown skin adds a delightful crunch to each forkful.
• Festive centrepiece: A beautifully roasted turkey with stuffing and gravy makes for an impressive centrepiece at any holiday gathering, adding a touch of elegance to your table.
• Versatile leftovers: Leftover roast turkey can be used in sandwiches, salads, soups, or casseroles, providing you with endless opportunities for delicious meals even after the holiday feast.

Top Tips

Thawing: Make sure to thaw your turkey in the refrigerator well in advance, following the recommended guidelines based on its weight.

Giblets: Remove the giblets before preparing. Use them to make stock or use chicken stock for the gravy.

How to calculate the turkey cooking time : Weigh the turkey and allow 20 minutes per 500g (1lb).

Internal temperature: The internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh. Juices should run clear with no pink or red.

Why stuff a turkey : Stuffing a turkey not only makes it super tasty but keeps the turkey moist and not dry.

Resting: Allow the turkey to rest for at least 20 minutes before carving to allow the juices to redistribute, resulting in more tender and flavourful meat.

Ingredients

• 1 Zest of Lemon
• 2 Parsley Stalk (or dried)
• 4 Thyme Sprigs (or dried)
• 5 kg Turkey (with giblets) remove the giblets to use for stock
• 75 g Butter (softened)
• Salt and Black Pepper (to season)
• 250 g Streaky Bacon (optional)
• 2 Celery Stalks (roughly sliced)

Chestnut Stuffing

• 30 g Butter
• 1 Onion (Finely Chopped)
• 375 g Frozen Chestnuts (or 175g Dried, soaked and chopped)
• 175 g Pork Sausage Meat
• 3 tbsp Chopped Parsley
• 1 tbsp Chopped Thyme
• 1 Egg (Beaten)
• Salt and Black Pepper

Gravy

• 30 g Plain Flour
• 600 ml Giblet Stock (or Chicken Stock)
• 2 tbsp Port (Madeira or Sherry)
• Redcurrant Jelly (Optional)

How To Prepare A Roast Turkey With Stuffing

Stuffing

Prepare the stuffing: melt the butter in a frying pan, add the onion and bacon, and cook until soft and both are golden. Transfer to a large bowl, mix in the remaining stuffing ingredients, and leave until cold.

Roast Turkey Preparation

Turkey

Preheat the oven to 220℃/200℃FAN/Gas 7.

Place the lemon zest, parsley stalks, thyme, and celery into the cavity of the turkey. Fill the neck end with some of the stuffing. Put the leftover stuffing into an oven proof dish and set aside.

Shape the stuffed end of the turkey into a neat round and secure the loose skin with fine skewers. Tie the legs with string to give it a neat shape.

Weigh the turkey and calculate the cooking time. Allow 20 minutes per 500g (1lb).

Place 2 large sheets of tin foil on top of the roasting tin so there is plenty of overhang at the sides and place the turkey on top. Spread the butter over the bird, concentrating on the breast area.

Season with plenty of salt and pepper. If using bacon, overlap them across the turkey, concentrating on the breast again.

Fold the sheets of foil loosely over the turkey. Cook the turkey for 30 minutes.

Reduce the temperature to 160℃/140℃FAN/Gas 3 and cook for the remainder of the time.

Thirty minutes before the turkey is ready, fold back the foil and remove the bacon if used to allow the breast to brown, then baste with the cooking juices.

To check to see if the turkey is cooked, pierce the thickest part of the thigh with a fine skewer. The juices should run clear and not pink or red.

Lift the turkey on to a warmed serving platter, cover with fresh foil and leave to stand for 30 minutes before carving.

Meanwhile, put the stuffing in the oven and cook for 25 -30 minutes.

Gravy

• Spoon most of the fat from the roasting tin, leaving behind the cooking juices. You can use a gravy fat separator to do this if you have one. Place the tin over low heat and add the flour, and cook for 1 minute. Add the stock and port, then cook. Stir until thickened and season to taste. Add some redcurrant jelly if gravy is too sharp.
• Carve the turkey and serve with extra stuffing and gravy and classic accompaniments.

Leftover Turkey

Leftover turkey can be stored in the refrigerator for approximately three to four days. It’s important to ensure that the cooked turkey is properly stored in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in foil or plastic wrap.

If you have more leftovers than you can consume within this time frame, consider freezing them. Cooked turkey can be frozen for up to two to three months, allowing you to enjoy it at a later date. Remember to label and date the packaged leftovers before placing them in the freezer.