Best Roast Turkey recipe for novice

[Wing Commander]

So, I offered to do the roast this year, but it is all a bit new to me. Am quite confident and get good results in the kitchen but have never really done a roast of any description before.

I have all of the ingredients I think I would need, but still have time to go out and get more stuff if required.

I normally follow Jamie Oliver recipes but having looked at his, I was slightly concerned it might be overcomplicated for a beginner.

Any hints or tips would be great, as would links to recipes that would be best suited to me getting good results first time out, or your own recipes etc

Thanks

[Shaw Tarse]

Wing Commander said:

I have all of the ingredients I think I would need, but still have time to go out and get more stuff if required.

Thanks

Have you got chestnuts?

[Wing Commander]

Shaw Tarse said:

Wing Commander said:

I have all of the ingredients I think I would need, but still have time to go out and get more stuff if required.

Thanks

Have you got chestnuts?

Nope! Going well, this, isn't it!!!

[escargot]

roast the bird breast-down

[SplatSpeed]

stuff the bird with sweedish meatballs

then cover with bacon to protect

season salt and pepper

cover with foil not allowing foil to touch

cook in own juices

the splatspeed traditional xmas!

[Wing Commander]

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

Wing Commander said:

but have never really done a roast of any description before.

For me, a roast is made soooo stress free with a piece of Paper and a Pen.

Work out when you want it all ready, and work backwards, writing a timetable of what has to be done when. Sounds a little OCD I know, but it also helps make sure you don't forget anything.
Don't forget to include your resting time for the Bird once cooked.


Enjoy.

Piece of Piss.

OCD is my middle name! In fact, you have caught me writing out a list of all the things I need so I can cross reference it against the fridge at lunch so I can get anyfinal bits I have missed.

Will be drafting up a timetable too

Thanks everyone!

[mattdaniels]

Some tips from the Gordan Ramsay programme the other night:

- make a herb butter and stuff under the skin (slide your fingers into the breast and gently separate the skin from the meat, then put the softened butter in the cavity and sequeeze it down)
- wipe remainder of butter over turkey
- start it off in a hot oven for 30 mins to get the skin going
- take it out and cover it in streaky bacon
- let it rest after cooking uncovered for as many hours as you cooked it for


Also seconded re. the pen and paper idea. A roast is about the easiest meal to cook, it's all about what time you put things on. Remember to allow time for making the gravy too.

Edited by mattdaniels on Friday 24th December 09:54

[Wing Commander]

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone

Lunch went without a single hitch, except being 1hr behind schedule due to my oversleeping! I had resigned myself to my first roast being average at best, but it worked very well to my delight. No dry turkey, or anything!

Thanks again