Thanksgiving: NON DRY Turkey
Gordon Ramsey’s Holiday Turkey|
This is Literally THE BEST TURKEY! A juicy, flavorful turkey with a great gravy!
Lets start by saying UNTHAW YOUR TURKEY! Take it out at least 5-7 days before! Having a frozen turkey can defeat how juicy the turkey can get. If you have have a smaller turkey then 4-6 days will work.
RECIPE VIDEO |
Watch Gordon Demonstrate Delicious Recipes, Including two Turkey Recipes
Ramsay’s turkey recipe starts with an array of fresh ingredients. It includes a free-range turkey, onions, lemons, garlic cloves, smoked streaky bacon, and a bouquet of fresh thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. But the showstopper is the homemade herb butter, a blend of butter, olive oil, parsley, and a seasoning of salt and pepper.
Preparing the turkey is a meticulous process. Begin by gently loosening the skin on the turkey and massaging the herb butter underneath and over the skin. This ensures the butter permeates the meat, tenderizing and infusing it with flavor.
The turkey is then stuffed with halved lemons, garlic, and a bouquet of Garni, adding a citrusy tang and an aromatic depth to the bird. Once stuffed, it’s ready for roasting.
Roasting the Turkey
The roasting process is crucial in achieving a golden, juicy turkey. Ramsay recommends a high-heat initial roast, followed by a slow, steady cook. Basting is key here – spooning the cooking juices over the bird ensures it stays moist and succulent.
Halfway through roasting, Ramsay adds a layer of smoked streaky bacon. This not only adds a smoky flavor but also keeps the turkey moist.
Course: Dinner Cuisine: American
Servings |
8 servings
Prep time |
30 minutes
Cooking time |
2 hours 20 minutes
Ingredient List |
1 turkey
2 onions, peeled and halved
1 lemon, halved
1 head garlic, halved horizontally
6 bay leaves
8 slices smoked streaky bacon
1 2/3 cups (3 1/2 sticks) butter at room temperature
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 small lemons, zest and juice finely grated
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 small bunch flat leaf parsley, leaves only, chopped
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
additional olive oil to drizzle
Gravy ingredients
Bacon, onions, lemon and trimmings from the roast turkey
3 rosemary sprigs
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 litre good-quality dry cider
600ml (20.29 OZ)good-quality chicken stock
2 tbsp walnut pieces, toasted
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 428°F.
Combine the butter, olive oil, finely grated lemon zest and juice, crushed garlic, and chopped parsley in a large bowl.
Remove the turkey giblets, season the turkey cavity with salt and pepper, then stuff it with the onions, lemon, garlic halves, and 2 bay leaves.
Gently loosen the skin on the turkey’s breast and legs while keeping it intact. Distribute half the flavored butter in the spaces under the skin and gently massage it from the outside to spread it evenly over the meat. Insert the remaining bay leaves under the skin.
Place the turkey, breast side up, in a large roasting pan. Spread the remaining butter over the skin, season well with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil.
Roast the turkey in the preheated oven for 10–15 minutes. Then take the pan out of the oven, baste the bird with the pan juices, lay the bacon rashers over the breast to keep it moist and baste again. Lower the oven to 350°F and cook for about 2½ hours, basting occasionally.
To test whether the turkey is cooked, insert a skewer into the thickest part of the leg to see if the juices run clear, not pink. Check about 30 minutes before the calculated roasting time is up. If the juices are pink, roast for 15 minutes, then check again.
When the turkey is cooked, transfer it to a warmed platter and let it rest in a warm place for at least 45 minutes before carving. Remove the bay leaves from under the skin before serving. Serve with hot gravy, stuffing and side dishes of your choice.
Once you’ve transferred the cooked turkey to a platter to rest, drain off most of the fat from the roasting tray and place on the hob.
Roughly chop the bacon, add to the tray and fry for a few minutes. Chop the cooked onions and lemon and add to the tray with 2 rosemary sprigs and the tomatoes. Cook for 1–2 minutes, then add the turkey wings, parson’s nose and drumstick tips and fry for a few more minutes.
Pour in the cider and boil for a few minutes. Add the juices from the resting turkey and simmer to reduce the liquid by half. Pour in the stock, return to the boil, then reduce the heat slightly. Using a potato masher, crush the vegetables in the tray. Simmer for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced again by a third. Take off the heat.
Strain the gravy through a sieve into a saucepan, pressing down on the solids in the sieve with a ladle to extract as much of the flavourful juice as possible. Add a fresh sprig of rosemary to the pan, then turn off the heat and leave to infuse for a few minutes.
Before serving, remove the rosemary and reheat the gravy. Coarsely crush the walnut pieces using a pestle and mortar and then tip into a warmed gravy jug. Pour the piping hot gravy on top and serve at once.
