Christmas Turkey

Looking for the perfect Christmas Turkey recipe? One that’s deliciously tasty, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, wholesome and wonderfully festive? Well look no further, and give this old family recipe of mine a try! Perfect served with roast vegetables and all the festive trimmings.

Ingredients

1 x Turkey

2 x large Red Onions

4 x cloves Garlic

1/2 cup Mixed Peel

Malden Sea Salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

3 Tablespoons Dried Rosemary

1 Teaspoon Sage

Cinnamon (2 whole pieces each approx 5 cms long)

6 x Cloves

2 x Bayleaves

1 teaspoon Nutmeg

1/2 cup Brandy or Cognac

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 175C/350F
2. Prepare your Turkey by removing any unwanted fat, the preening gland and any remaining feathers or sheaths left behind after plucking.
3. Place in a Turkey Roasting Tin.
4. Pour 1/2 cup Brandy or Cognac inside and over turkey.
5. Place half of the Mixed Peel inside the cavity of the turkey.
6. Peel and cut Garlic in half length ways and spread it in the roasting tin around the turkey.
7. Sprinkle 1/2 a teaspoon of Sea Salt into roasting tin.
8. Grind fresh pepper over Turkey to taste.
9. Sprinkle Rosemary, Sage and Nutmeg over Turkey.
10.  Add Cinnamon, Cloves and Bayleaves to roasting tin.
11.  Add 3 cups hot water to roasting tin.
12.  Cover the Turkey with Baking Parchment extending right to the edges of the roasting  tin.
13.  Cover entire Roasting Tin with Extra Strong Tin Foil sealing the edges well.
14.  Place in the oven and allow approx 2 1/2 hours roasting per kilo in weight.
15.  During the last half hour of roasting remove the Baking Parchment from the Turkey baste well and cover with just the Tin Foil shiny side inside to allow the turkey to brown.
16. To determine whether theTurkey is cooked place a meat thermometer into the thigh of the Turkey avoiding the bone as touching the bone will affect the temerature, when it reaches 75C/165F the Turkey is cooked
17.  Remove the Turkey from the oven, remove the Tin Foil and allow the Turkey to stand for approx 25 mins before carving.

Serving Suggestion

Use the juices from the roasting tin after cooking your Turkey to make a delicious gravy.

1. To prepare gravy from the Turkey juices, once you have removed your Turkey from the Roasting Tin and placed it on a board ready for carving place a strainer/muslin cloth over a saucepan big enough to contain the juices and pour the everything from the Roasting Tin through the strainer.
2.  Take the strained juices and place the saucepan in the fridge in order for it to get cold enough for the fat from the Turkey to be easily removable.
3.  When you have removed the fat return the saucepan to the stove and bring to the boil.
4.  Mix 1 teaspoon Xantham Gum in a little water (room temperature approx 1/4 cup) and pour into the boiling juices stiring continually to thicken and make your gravy, add more Xanthan Gum in the same manor until the required thickness is reached. Season with Malden Sea Salt and Pepper to taste. (If you do not have Xanthan Gum you can use Chia Seeds to thicken or if you prefer you could use a combination of Chia Seeds and Xanthan Gum. Start by using 1 to 2 tablespoons Chia Seeds increasing if necessary.)

I wish you good health!

Consult your doctor or health care practitioner for any health problems, before embarking on any new health regimes, using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications or food programmes.

Christmas Festive Healthy