EASY ROAST TURKEY
This is for all the mums out there who want to roast a juicy turkey the easy way on Christmas Day, so they can enjoy more time spent with their family.
Equipment
- Cooking thermometer , optional
- Small saucepan
- Sieve
- Fat separator jug or baster, optional
Ingredients
- 1 turkey size you need (see above post for advice)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Turkey or chicken gravy granules
- Hot water
Instructions
- Defrost your turkey 12hrs for every 12kg. Then remove the turkey from the fridge about 1 hour before cook time to come up to room temperature. When ready to cook, pre-heat the oven to 180ºc/160ºc/350ºf/gas 4.
- Lay a large piece of foil the bottom of an extra large roasting pan with plenty of foil left over on both sides. Add the turkey into the roasting tin, breast side up. Check the turkey cavity and pull out the innards. Rub the oil all over the turkey crown and legs.
- Then fold the foil up and over the turkey so it’s all covered, but not tightly. Watch the video below for help. Transfer to the oven and cook for the calculated time for the size of your turkey (15 mins x each 500g / 1.1lb).
- For the last 30 minutes, uncover the turkey to brown it, leaving the foil in place underneath the turkey. All ovens are different, so check the temperature of the turkey with a food thermometer in a few places, including the thickest parts of the breast and thigh. If its not reached 75º in those places, put it back in for 10 minutes and check again.
- Leave the turkey out to rest for a minimum of 20 minutes and up to 45 minutes, uncovered. After 45 minutes you can cover it loosely with foil and then a couple tea towels if you like until ready to serve.
TO MAKE THE GRAVY
- Pour the turkey juices from the pan through a sieve into a medium-small saucepan over a medium heat (large turkey’s are heavy, you may need a helper!). Add in your gravy granules - 3 heaped teaspoons (cutlery) of per 4 people. Stir using a balloon whisk until dissolved. Then add in your boiling water - 500ml per 4 people. Taste and add more gravy granules for a stronger flavour if needed. Allow to come to the boil and bubble for 5 minutes, until thickened. Ideally use a fat separator when you come to serve, or a turkey baster to suck up the gravy from the bottom, leaving the fat behind on the top.
Baby & Toddler
BABY-LED WEANING
Slice some of the turkey into finger size strips.SPOON FEEDING
6 months - Put some turkey for baby into your stick blender pot or food chopper (if you have that one that purées), along with some roast potato (scoop out the inside) and vegetables and purée. Add a little gravy and warm boiled water to loosen. 7-9 months -Transfer baby’s turkey into your food chopper along with potato (scooping out the inside) and vegetables. Pulse slowly until finely chopped. Add a little gravy and warm boiled water or stock to loosen. 10-12 months - Gradually pulse baby’s turkey, along with potato (scoop out inside) and some vegetables in your food chopper, until you reach a lumpy, chopped consistency. Add a little gravy and warm boiled water or stock as needed. 12 month + Transitioning Period - Shred some turkey using forks and mash the inside of a couple roast potatoes with the back of a fork. Mash any other root veg you are serving - fine for them to be lumpy. Other veg that can’t be mashed should be chopped through well with a sharp knife and fork. 1 Year + Chop the turkey into small bitesize pieces using a sharp knife and a fork. Serve with sides also chopped bitesize and drizzle with a little gravy. Made this recipe?Leave a rating & comment at the bottom of this page! If you’ve printed this recipe, scan the QR code below to get back to it quickly online. You could also post a picture on Instagram and tag @kidfriendlyfamilymeals to share it with me.
