Christmas Lemon & Herb Turkey
Christmas classic. Lemon and herb turkey.
Recipe - SuperValu Online
Christmas Lemon & Herb Turkey
Prep Time30 Minutes
Servings10
Cook Time390 Minutes
Ingredients
3 - Carrots halved length ways
1 head Garlic cut in half across the equator
2 - Onions sliced
1 pinch Pepper
1 pinch Salt
7 kg SuperValu Quality Irish Fresh Whole Turkey
200 g Dried Apricots chopped
2 cloves Garlic crushed
1 - Lemon zest only
1 - Onion finely diced
450 g Sausage Meat
1 tbsp SuperValu Fresh Parsley Flat Leaf chopped
1 tbsp SuperValu Fresh Sage chopped
1 tbsp SuperValu Fresh Thyme chopped
100 g Butter softened
1 - Lemon zest only
1 tbsp SuperValu Fresh Sage chopped
1 tbsp SuperValu Fresh Thyme finely chopped
150 g Butter
1 - Lemon zest only
1 - Onion finely diced
450 g SuperValu Fresh Breadcrumbs
2 tbsp SuperValu Fresh Parsley Flat Leaf chopped
2 tbsp SuperValu Fresh Sage chopped
2 tbsp SuperValu Fresh Thyme chopped
Directions
- Step 1: On Christmas Eve To prepare the traditional stuffing to go in the main cavity of the turkey, melt the butter in a saucepan on a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 to 4 minutes, until translucent, then remove the pan from the heat. In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, lemon zest and herbs. Pour over the onion and butter mixture and stir well. Season the stuffing with salt and pepper and allow to cool completely, then refrigerate overnight. Next, prepare the sausage meat stuffing that will go in the neck cavity. In a large bowl, mix together the sausage meat, dried apricots, onion, garlic, lemon zest and herbs and season well with salt and pepper. Refrigerate overnight. To prepare the turkey, remove the turkey giblets from the main cavity, if supplied. Set aside to use later for the gravy. To make the lemon and herb butter, in a small bowl, beat the butter with the lemon zest and herbs until it’s pliable. Using your fingers, starting with the neck cavity, gently loosen the skin attached to the turkey breast, being careful not to tear or slit the skin. Carefully push the lemon and herb butter under the skin and spread it all over the breast. Pack the sausage meat stuffing into the neck cavity to give a smooth shape. If there is any left over, roll it in baking parchment into a pudding shape, then wrap in tin foil to roast along with the turkey the next morning. Place the turkey and stuffing back in the refrigerator overnight.
- Step 2: On Christmas morning Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas mark 3. Remove the turkey from the fridge. Line the main cavity with some baking parchment paper, then loosely pack the traditional stuffing into the bird. If possible, using kitchen twine, tie the legs together with the parson’s nose to keep the legs together while roasting. This helps to keep the stuffing in and makes for a nicer presentation, but it’s not necessary.
- Important! Cooking times Don’t forget to weigh the turkey again with the stuffing enclosed to ensure you calculate the correct cooking time. It should be 40 minutes per kilo plus 40 minutes, so a 7kg turkey will need about 5½ hours. You can also insert a digital thermometer by the leg of the turkey and it should read 70°C. Prepare the roasting tray by placing the reserved giblets, carrots, onions and garlic in the bottom of the tray to create a trivet for the turkey and to make the gravy later.
- Calculate the start time Work backwards from when you want to serve Christmas dinner and add 15 minutes for the turkey to rest. Season the turkey all over with salt and pepper, then roast in the oven according to the weight of the stuffed turkey. After the first 2 hours, loosely cover the turkey with tin foil to prevent it from browning too much.
- Make the gravy Remove the turkey from the oven, lift out of the roasting tray onto a carving board and loosely cover again with tin foil. Allow the meat to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving. You can make the gravy while the turkey rests.
30 minutes
Prep Time
390 minutes
Cook Time
10
Servings
Shop Ingredients
Makes 10 servings
SuperValu Irish Carrots Loose (1 kg)
€1.25/kg€1.25/kg
SuperValu Loose Garlic (1 Piece)
€0.49
Supervalu Onions Net (750 g)
€0.99€1.32/kg
Funky Soul Ground Black Pepper (41 g)
€0.89€21.71/kg
SuperValu Table Salt (750 g)
€0.50€0.67/kg
Not Available
SuperValu Dried Apricots (250 g)
€2.99€11.96/kg
SuperValu Loose Garlic (1 Piece)
€0.49
SuperValu Organic Unwaxed Lemons (4 Piece)
€2.49€0.62 each
Supervalu Onions Net (750 g)
€0.99€1.32/kg
Superquinn Sausage Meat (500 g)
€3.89€7.78/kg
SuperValu Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley (25 g)
€1.19€47.60/kg
SuperValu Fresh Sage (15 g)
€1.29€86.00/kg
Unsmoked Back Bacon Rind on Rashers (1 kg)
€9.99/kg€9.99/kg
Connacht Gold Low Fat Butter (227 g)
Only €2
€2.00 was €2.40€8.81/kg was €10.57/kg
was €10.57/kg
SuperValu Organic Unwaxed Lemons (4 Piece)
€2.49€0.62 each
SuperValu Fresh Sage (15 g)
€1.29€86.00/kg
Unsmoked Back Bacon Rind on Rashers (1 kg)
€9.99/kg€9.99/kg
Connacht Gold Low Fat Butter (227 g)
Only €2
€2.00 was €2.40€8.81/kg was €10.57/kg
was €10.57/kg
SuperValu Organic Unwaxed Lemons (4 Piece)
€2.49€0.62 each
Supervalu Onions Net (750 g)
€0.99€1.32/kg
SuperValu Fresh Breadcrumbs (300 g)
€1.85€6.17/kg
SuperValu Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley (25 g)
€1.19€47.60/kg
SuperValu Fresh Sage (15 g)
€1.29€86.00/kg
Unsmoked Back Bacon Rind on Rashers (1 kg)
€9.99/kg€9.99/kg
Directions
- Step 1: On Christmas Eve To prepare the traditional stuffing to go in the main cavity of the turkey, melt the butter in a saucepan on a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 to 4 minutes, until translucent, then remove the pan from the heat. In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, lemon zest and herbs. Pour over the onion and butter mixture and stir well. Season the stuffing with salt and pepper and allow to cool completely, then refrigerate overnight. Next, prepare the sausage meat stuffing that will go in the neck cavity. In a large bowl, mix together the sausage meat, dried apricots, onion, garlic, lemon zest and herbs and season well with salt and pepper. Refrigerate overnight. To prepare the turkey, remove the turkey giblets from the main cavity, if supplied. Set aside to use later for the gravy. To make the lemon and herb butter, in a small bowl, beat the butter with the lemon zest and herbs until it’s pliable. Using your fingers, starting with the neck cavity, gently loosen the skin attached to the turkey breast, being careful not to tear or slit the skin. Carefully push the lemon and herb butter under the skin and spread it all over the breast. Pack the sausage meat stuffing into the neck cavity to give a smooth shape. If there is any left over, roll it in baking parchment into a pudding shape, then wrap in tin foil to roast along with the turkey the next morning. Place the turkey and stuffing back in the refrigerator overnight.
- Step 2: On Christmas morning Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas mark 3. Remove the turkey from the fridge. Line the main cavity with some baking parchment paper, then loosely pack the traditional stuffing into the bird. If possible, using kitchen twine, tie the legs together with the parson’s nose to keep the legs together while roasting. This helps to keep the stuffing in and makes for a nicer presentation, but it’s not necessary.
- Important! Cooking times Don’t forget to weigh the turkey again with the stuffing enclosed to ensure you calculate the correct cooking time. It should be 40 minutes per kilo plus 40 minutes, so a 7kg turkey will need about 5½ hours. You can also insert a digital thermometer by the leg of the turkey and it should read 70°C. Prepare the roasting tray by placing the reserved giblets, carrots, onions and garlic in the bottom of the tray to create a trivet for the turkey and to make the gravy later.
- Calculate the start time Work backwards from when you want to serve Christmas dinner and add 15 minutes for the turkey to rest. Season the turkey all over with salt and pepper, then roast in the oven according to the weight of the stuffed turkey. After the first 2 hours, loosely cover the turkey with tin foil to prevent it from browning too much.
- Make the gravy Remove the turkey from the oven, lift out of the roasting tray onto a carving board and loosely cover again with tin foil. Allow the meat to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving. You can make the gravy while the turkey rests.