Bacon-wrapped turkey
This sausage- and cranberry-stuffed turkey is wrapped in bacon to ensure the juiciest roast on your festive table.
- Serves 8
- 1½ hours
INGREDIENTS
- Basting:
- Juice (60ml) and grated peel of 1 lemon
- 4 tsp (20ml) thyme, finely chopped
- 2 bay leaves, finely chopped
- Salt and milled pepper
- 1 cup (250g) butter, melted
- Stuffing:
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Butter, for sautéing
- ½ cup (125ml) dried cranberries
- 2-3 Tbsp (30-45ml) dry sherry (or use chicken stock if you prefer)
- 1 packet (8 pieces) PnP traditional pork sausages, casing removed
- 1 cup (250ml) breadcrumbs
- 1 Tbsp (15ml) rosemary or sage, chopped
- 1 Tbsp (15ml) bay leaves
- Salt and milled pepper
- 1 (about 4kg) PnP frozen turkey, defrosted and giblets removed
- 2 packets (250g each) streaky bacon
- 800g baby potatoes, cut Hasselback-style
- 2 onions, cut into small wedges
- Sage, for serving (optional)
METHOD
- Preheat oven to 220°C.
- Combine basting ingredients and set aside.
- Sauté onion and garlic for about 5 minutes in butter until soft. Cool.
- Soak cranberries in sherry (or chicken stock) for about 1 hour and drain.
- Combine soaked cranberries, sausages, breadcrumbs, cooled onion-garlic mixture and herbs. Season.
- Stuff turkey cavity and truss bird.
- Starting at the top of the turkey breast, lay a strip of bacon over each breast on a slight diagonal (continue down the breast, creating a herringbone pattern).
- Tuck the ends of a few strips into thigh and drumstick creases and drape over the drumstick too.
- Place turkey in a deep roasting tray and scatter baby potatoes and onion around it. Season.
- Brush turkey with basting.
- Roast for 25-30 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 180°C.
- Roast for another 35-45 minutes, basting every 15-20 minutes until golden and cooked through.
- Sprinkle sage, if using, in roasting pan during the last 20 minutes of roasting.
- Rest for about 10-15 minutes, keeping warm.
- Carve and serve warm.
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