Roast Turkey with Cranberry Compound Butter and Gravy

Ingredients

• 3 L Water (for the brine; transcript says to cool with iced water before adding the turkey)
• 72 g Salt (for the brine)
• 5 g Bicarbonate of soda (for the brine)
• 1 Lemon (for the brine; save with the aromatics for stuffing)
• 13 Garlic cloves (10 for the brine and 3 minced for the compound butter; save brined aromatics for stuffing)
• Bay leaves (for the brine; save for stuffing)
• Rosemary (for the brine; save for stuffing)
• Thyme (for the brine and picked leaves for the compound butter)
• 1 Turkey (whole; weight not stated)
• 375 g Butter (for the compound butter)
• 2 tbsp Olive oil (for the compound butter; additional oil is used on the turkey and giblets, quantity not stated)
• 150 g Dried cranberries (for the compound butter)
• 1 Orange zest (zest of 1 orange)
• Salt (for the compound butter and to season the gravy, to taste)
• Black pepper (for the compound butter, to taste)
• 2 Onions (cut; one goes inside the turkey before the saved aromatics, then the other)
• Olive oil (additional oil for coating the giblets and turkey skin; amount not stated)
• Giblets (if available; oil before placing the turkey on top)
• Bacon (lay over the breast after the initial roast; use in the gravy)
• Plain flour (for the gravy; amount not stated)
• 150 ml Dry white wine (for the gravy)
• 250 ml Stock (the description says stock; transcript specifies chicken stock)
• 2 tsp Red wine vinegar (for seasoning the gravy)

Steps

1. 1

   Put the brine water, salt, bicarbonate of soda, lemon, garlic, bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme in a pot. Bring to a simmer for about 1 minute.

2. 2

   Pour the brine into a bowl large enough to hold the turkey and cool it fully. The transcript specifies using iced water to cool it; do not add the turkey until the brine is cool.

3. 3

   Add the turkey to the cooled brine and leave it overnight. Remove the turkey, discard the brine water, and save the lemon and herbs for stuffing. Pat the turkey dry.

4. 4

   Make the compound butter by combining the dried cranberries, picked thyme leaves, salt, pepper, orange zest, minced garlic, butter, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Mix until evenly combined.

5. 5

   Use a spatula to loosen the skin over the turkey breast, working beneath the skin on both sides. Remove the wishbone if desired: cut along either side, loosen both prongs with your fingers, and twist it out to make carving easier.

6. 6

   Shape the compound butter into a ball, slide it between the skin and breast, and spread it evenly beneath the skin with your hand.

7. 7

   Place the giblets in the roasting pan, if using, and coat them with olive oil. Set the turkey on top and drizzle or rub olive oil over the skin.

8. 8

   Stuff the turkey cavity with one cut onion, the saved lemon and herbs from the brine, and the second onion.

9. 9

   Insert probes into the thickest parts of the breast and legs if using them to monitor the two areas separately.

10. 10

    Roast at 220°C for 10 minutes, as stated in the post description. The transcript instead reports 230°C for 15 minutes, so the source gives conflicting initial roasting directions.

11. 11

    Lower the oven to 180°C. After about 45 minutes at the lower temperature, lay bacon over the breast. Continue roasting until the breast and thigh reach the desired temperatures. The transcript describes breast temperatures in the low 70s°C and legs above 80°C at the end of its cook.

12. 12

    For less browning, cover the breast with foil for half of the cook, as suggested in the transcript.

13. 13

    Remove the turkey from the oven and rest it for 1 hour.

14. 14

    For the gravy, strain the roasting juices into a jug and let them stand for a few minutes so the fat rises. Skim off the fat and return the remaining juices to the pan.

15. 15

    Add the aromatics, bacon, chopped onion, resting juices, wing tips, and other saved roasting bits to the pan. Break off the shins for the gravy, remove the turkey’s cavity contents, and cut off the wing tips and tail (Pope’s nose).

16. 16

    Add plain flour to the pan and cook, stirring, until golden. The transcript says to reduce the mixture by half and use a masher to release flavor from the roasting bits.

17. 17

    Pour in the dry white wine, scrape the bottom of the pan to release the browned flavor, and cook for a few minutes to cook off the wine.

18. 18

    Add the stock and reduce the gravy by half. Strain it into a sauce jug; reduce further if you prefer a thicker gravy.

19. 19

    Season the gravy with salt and red wine vinegar. Carve the rested turkey and serve with the gravy.

Notes

The description and transcript disagree about the initial roasting stage: the description says 220°C for 10 minutes, while the transcript says 230°C for 15 minutes. The transcript also describes adding bacon after about 45 minutes at 180°C. Turkey size and total roasting duration are not stated; roast to the cook’s chosen safe target temperature. The source does not specify amounts for the turkey, extra roasting oil, giblets, bacon, flour, or the brine herbs. Transcript-only gravy details include chicken stock, resting juices, onion, wing tips, and other roasting bits. The cook reports liking the cranberry sweetness but not the texture of cranberries beneath the skin.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• holiday
• Christmas
• roasted
• oven-cooked
• poultry