Ingredients
Onion and sage dressing
Method
1.Heat butter in a large frying pan; add the bacon, onion and celery. Cook, stirring over medium heat until onion has softened and bacon is browned lightly. Combine the onion mixture, herbs, breadcrumbs and egg in a large bowl; mix well.
2.Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).
3.Discard the neck from the turkey. Rinse the turkey under running cold water. Pat dry inside and out with absorbent paper. Fill the turkey cavities with Onion and Sage Stuffing. Tie the legs of the turkey together with kitchen string; tuck the wings under. Place the turkey on an oiled rack in a large flameproof baking dish. Brush the turkey all over with half the melted butter; sprinkle with sea salt flakes. Pour 2 cups of the stock into the dish.
4.Cover the baking dish tightly with two layers of greased foil. Roast the turkey for 2 hours. Remove foil; brush with remaining butter.
5.Roast the turkey, uncovered, for a further 1 hour 30 minutes or until browned and cooked through. Add water to the dish during cooking to prevent the juices burning, if necessary. Remove the turkey from the dish; cover with foil. Stand in a warm place for 15 minutes before carving.
6.Meanwhile, pour the juices from the baking dish into a jug; stand for a few minutes or until the fat has risen to the surface. Skim off the fat and return 2 tablespoons to the baking dish; discard remaining fat. Top up the pan juices with remaining chicken stock and water to 3 cups. Place the baking dish over medium heat; add the flour. Cook, stirring, until well browned. Gradually whisk in the reserved pan juice mixture; cook, stirring, until the mixture boils and thickens. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Strain gravy into a heatproof jug.
7.Serve the turkey with gravy, roast potatoes, pumpkin and steamed green vegetables.
Make the turkey stuffing the day before and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. If using a frozen turkey, allow 3 days to thaw in the refrigerator.
Note