Darina Allen's perfect Christmas turkey recipe plus all the trimmings for a stress-free feast (2024)

Servings

10

Preparation Time

 30 mins

Cooking Time

 3 hours 20 mins

Total Time

 3 hours 50 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 4.5kg turkey with giblets

• For the giblet stock:

• neck, gizzard, heart

• 2 carrots, sliced

• 2 onions, sliced

• 1 celery stalk

• bouquet garni

• 4 peppercorns

• For the chestnut stuffing:

• 450g chestnuts

• 175g butter

• 350g onions, chopped

• 400g soft breadcrumbs

• 50g freshly chopped herbs (parsley, thyme, chives, marjoram, savoury, lemon balm)

• salt

• freshly ground pepper

• melted butter, to baste the turkey

• large sprigs of fresh parsley or watercress, to garnish

• For the bread sauce:

• 450ml milk

• 110g breadcrumbs

• 2 onions, each stuck with 6 cloves

• 50g butter

• salt

• freshly ground pepper

• 110ml thick cream

Method

1. Remove the wishbone from the neck end of the turkey to make carving easier later. Then make the giblet stock by covering with cold water the neck, gizzard, heart, wishbone, vegetables, bouquet garni and black peppercorns. Bring to the boil. Simmer for 3 hours while the turkey is being prepared and cooked.

2. To make the stuffing, bring about 1.2 litres of water to the boil in a saucepan. Throw in the chestnuts and boil for 5–10 minutes, until the shell and inside skin peel off easily and the flesh should be soft. Pick them out one at a time and chop them finely. Melt the butter, and sweat the onions and chestnuts in it until soft. Add the breadcrumbs and herbs, taste and season carefully, mix well.

3. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Weigh the turkey and calculate the cooking time, allowing about 15 minutes per 450g and 15 minutes over.

4. Brush the turkey with melted butter (alternatively, smear well the breast, legs and crop with soft butter) and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover loosely with greaseproof paper and roast for about 2¾–3 hours.

5. The turkey is done when the juices run clear. To test, prick the thickest part at the base of the thigh and examine the juices to ensure they are clear. Remove the turkey to a carving dish, keep it warm and allow it to rest while you make the gravy.

6. To make the gravy, spoon off the surplus fat from the roasting tin. Deglaze the pan juices with the giblet stock. Using a whisk, stir and scrape well to dissolve the caramelised meat juices from the roasting tin. Boil it up, season and thicken with a little roux if you like. Taste and correct the seasoning and serve in a warmed gravy boat. If possible, present the turkey on your largest serving dish, surrounded by golden crispy potatoes and garnished with large sprigs of parsley or watercress and maybe a sprig of holly (make sure no one eats the berries though).

7. For the bread sauce, bring to the boil in a small, deep saucepan all the ingredients except the cream and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover and simmer gently on a very low heat or cook in a low oven at 160°C for 30 minutes. Remove the onion and add the cream just before serving. Correct the seasoning, and add a little more milk if the sauce is too thick. Serve hot.

Servings

12

Preparation Time

 25 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 45 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1 x 4.5-5.4kg (10-12lb) fresh or lightly smoked ham (make sure it has a nice layer of fat)

• 60-80 whole cloves, depending on the size of the diamonds

• 350-450g (3/4-1lb) Demerara sugar

• 1 small tin of pineapple. Use 75-125ml (3-4fl oz) of the juice

• For the mango relish:

• 50ml (2fl oz) medium sherry

• 50ml (2fl oz) white wine vinegar

• 50ml (2fl oz) water 2 tbsp sugar

• 2 tsp salt

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• 1 star anise

• Pinch of ground mace

• 1 mango, peeled and diced

• 1 small red pepper, seeded and diced

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Method

1. If the ham is salty, soak it in cold water overnight. The next day, discard the water. Cover the ham with fresh cold water and bring it slowly to the boil. If the meat is still salty there will be a white froth on top of the water. In this case it is preferable to discard this water, cover the ham with fresh cold water again and repeat the process. Finally, cover the ham with hot water and simmer until it is almost cooked. Allow 25 minutes to 450g (1lb) approx for ham, 20 minutes for a loin of bacon.

2. Meanwhile, make the mango relish. Put the sherry, vinegar, water, sugar, salt, cinnamon, star anise and mace into a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the mango, red pepper and lemon juice, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes more. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Spoon into a screw-top jar and refrigerate until required.

3. Preheat the oven to 250°C/475°F/gas mark 9.

4. Peel the rind off the ham, cut the fat into a diamond pattern and stud each diamond with a whole clove. Blend the brown sugar to a paste with a little pineapple juice. Be careful not to make it too liquid.

5. Spread this over the ham. Bake it in the hot oven for 20 minutes, or until the top has caramelised. While it is glazing, baste regularly with the syrup and juices. Serve hot or cold with mango relish.