Christmas is just days away and for those of you who haven’t had a chance to get your Turkey yet then we’ve got you covered. Chef Mark Taylor from our Karma St. Martin’s resort shows us how to craft a traditional British Christmas Turkey! Slip on your chef’s hat and impress your loved ones with this show-stopping centrepiece. His recipe serves 8-10 people (you can use leftovers to make Turkey sandwiches and curries).
Ingredients
Brine
Turkey
Brining the Turkey
- Find a large enough pan – stock pot or container to house the bird that allows it to be fully submerged.
- Zest and juice the orange and fill the pan with the water.
- Add all the remaining ingredients except for the turkey, and give it a stir
- Remove all packaging, string and any offal or giblets that maybe in the cavity of the bird itself.
- Wipe any moisture from the bird with kitchen roll and place in the brine – add additional if needed to cover the bird.
- Place a plate on top of the bird in order to keep it submerged – and cover the pot.
- Keep refrigerated for 12 to 48 hours, i personally recommend the latter and wait.
- After the allotted time in the brine, remove the bird and place in a separate roasting tray and using kitchen dry the bird completely, removing any surface water on the skin.
- After performing this, the turkey is ready for the oven but too take it up a level place it back in the refrigerator for a couple more hours. This will dry the skin out further, by air drying you are further more removing moisture form the skin – the enemy of that crispy we all desire.
- This is a trick i use each week for the roast pork here at Karma St Martin’s, and anytime we rotate the meats round to Chicken.
Roasting the Turkey
- For the turkey, preheat the oven to 210ºC/Gas mark 7
- Season the turkey well inside and out and place the stuffed turkey into a roasting tray, spread butter over the entire bird and cover with pancetta
- Arrange the onions, leeks, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme and bay around the turkey. Then pour 1 litre of water into the roasting tray and cover the entire tray with tin foil
- Make sure the tin foil is tightly covering the turkey and roasting tray so that the turkey will steam
- Place in the oven and cook for 40 minutes. Then, turn the oven down to 170ºC/Gas mark 3 and continue cooking for another 110 – 120mins
- For the last half hour of cooking remove tin foil from the turkey and peel off the bacon
- Retain the bacon for the sprouts (additional recipe to follow)
- Turn the oven up to 200ºC/Gas mark 6 and roast until the skin of the turkey is golden brown and crisp. Once roasted remove from the oven and allow to rest for 45 minutes
- Lay a sheet of tin foil over the turkey whilst resting to help retain moisture and heat, but don’t place too tightly as it will make the skin go soft. Don’t want to ruin all that hard work in the build up.
- To serve, carve the turkey and serve with the accompanying side dishes for an amazing Christmas dinner.
We can almost taste this moist delight. However being in Sri Lanka it is unlikely we can gather the ingredients necessary to follow to the letter. We will adapt, survive & enjoy
All the very best to all Karma members, staff & their families.
Stay safe, happy & full!!