Christmas Roast Turkey

Bronzed skin gives way to moist turkey, with sage-scented sausage stuffing tucked inside. Lemon perfumes the roasting juices, which are whisked into a short gravy with chicken stock.

Instructions

1. Prepare the turkey and stuffing

   Heat the oven to 190°C / 375°F. Take the turkey out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before roasting and pat it thoroughly dry. Mix the sausage meat, breadcrumbs, chopped onion, egg and sage; season lightly. Fill the cavity without packing the mixture, and put any extra in a small buttered baking dish.

2. Season and roast

   Rub the skin with the oil, then season with salt and pepper. Spread the softened butter over the skin. Halve the lemon and place it in the cavity. Set the turkey breast-side up in a roasting pan, cover loosely with foil and put it in the oven. Baste regularly with the pan juices.

3. Roast and brown

   Roast for 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours in total. Remove the foil for the final 30 to 40 minutes so the skin turns deeply golden and feels dry to the touch. Bake the separate dish of stuffing for the final 35 to 40 minutes. Check with a thermometer that the thickest part of the thigh and the centre of the stuffing both reach 74°C / 165°F.

4. Rest the turkey and make the gravy

   Take the turkey out of the oven and let it rest for 30 minutes, loosely covered with foil. Pour off the excess fat from the roasting pan, leaving about 15 g behind. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute over medium heat. Gradually whisk in the stock, scraping up the browned bits; bring to a simmer and cook until the gravy thickens.

Chef's tips

• Keep the stuffing loose in the cavity so heat can circulate and the centre reaches 74°C / 165°F without drying the breast.
• Baste quickly and close the oven at once; leaving the door open too long slows the roast and makes the skin brown unevenly.
• Rest the turkey whole before carving. The juices settle back into the meat instead of running across the board.

Storage

Store the turkey and stuffing separately, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days. Reheat slices covered with a little gravy in a low oven. Shredded turkey and gravy can be frozen for up to 2 months.