Login here! 
Written by At Christmas time Gordon Ramsay’s Roast Turkey will definitely be the star of the show, the main event and the most beautiful ‘bird’ at the table.
Another important thing to note, is the cooking time, approximately 30 minutes per kg. As oven temperatures and turkey shapes and sizes vary, it is crucial to check your turkey about 30 minutes before the calculated roasting time. If the juices are still pink, roast for another 15 minutes and check again. Repeat as necessary until the turkey is cooked to perfection.
Also, If you plan on making Gordon Ramsay’s Christmas gravy recipe with bacon and walnuts, which I would highly recommend, when transferring the turkey to a warmed platter, remove the Parson’s nose, Turkey wings and all other trimmings for the gravy and reserve the onions and lemon from the cavity, and bacon from the top too.
This is truly a superb recipe and will definitely be on my table come the 25th December!
For more go to Gordon Ramsay’s ‘Ultimate’ Christmas Recipe Menu.
| Free Range Turkey | 5.5 | kg | |
| Salt & Pepper | couple | pinches | |
| Brown Onions | 2 | ||
| Lemon | 1 | ||
| Garlic | 3 | cloves | |
| Bay Leaves | 6 | ||
| Fresh Parsley | 1 | small bunch | |
| Olive Oil | couple | lugs | |
| Smoked Bacon Rashers | 8 | ||
| Soft Butter | 375 | g | |
| Small Lemons | 2 | ||
| Garlic Bulb | 1 | ||
| Olive Oil | 1 | tablespoon | |
| Salt & Pepper | 1 | pinch |
1 . Preheat oven to 220°C
2 . To prepare the herbed butter, put the butter into a large bowl & season with salt and pepper.
3 . Add 1 lug of Olive oil and mix well.
4 . Add the Lemon zest and juice of 2 small Lemons, crushed Garlic Cloves and chopped Parsley.
5 . Mix well to combine.
6 . Make sure the giblets have been removed from the turkey cavity.
7 . Season the cavity well with salt and pepper, stuff with the onions – peeled and halved, 1 Lemon – halved, Garlic bulb – halved and 2 Bay leaves.
8 . With your hands, loosen the skin on the breast from both ends of the bird so that you will be able to stuff the flavoured butter underneath it, making sure you keep the skin intact.
9 . Repeat with the skin on the legs – from the lower side of the breast feel your way under the skin and out towards the leg, loosening the gap.
10 . Stuff half the butter mix into the opened spaces under the skin. From the outside of the skin, gently massage the butter around the breasts so that the meat is evenly covered.
11 . Finally, insert the rest of the Bay leaves under the skin of the breasts.
12 . Place the bird in a large roasting tray, breast side up. Spread the rest of the butter all over the skin.
13 . Season well with salt and pepper, then drizzle with a little olive oil. (If preparing a day ahead, cover the turkey with foil and refrigerate at this stage.)
Cooking:
1 . Preheat the oven to 220°C / 425°F.
2 . Roast the turkey in the hot oven for 10-15 minutes.
3 . Take the tray out of the oven, baste the bird with the pan juices
4 . Layer with the bacon strips over the breast to keep it moist.
5 . Baste again.
6 . Lower the setting to 180°C / 350°F and cook for about 2.5 hours.
7 . Test whether your turkey is cooked, insert a skewer into the thickest part of the leg and check that the juices are running clear, rather than pink.
8 . Transfer the turkey to a warmed platter and Leave the turkey to rest in a warm place for at least 45 minutes.
9 . Serve the turkey with the piping hot gravy, stuffing and accompaniments.
