Gordon Ramsay Christmas Recipe: How To Make Roasted Turkey With Lemon Parsley & Garlic

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil reduces saturated fat while maintaining flavor.

whole turkey

🥗Healthier: turkey breast

💰Cheaper: chicken

Turkey breast is leaner, while chicken is more affordable.

Make a compound butter by seasoning very soft butter with salt and pepper.

Add a little olive oil to the butter to prevent burning.

Mix in the zest and juice of 2 lemons, pureed garlic, and chopped parsley.

Set the butter aside while prepping the turkey.

Tuck the wings under the body of the turkey.

Season the inside cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper.

Cut 2 onions in half and place them inside the cavity of the turkey.

Cut a lemon in half and add it to the cavity along with a few bay leaves.

Carefully separate the skin from the breast meat using fingers.

Stuff the compound butter under the skin on both sides of the turkey.

Rub the remaining butter on the outside of the turkey skin.

Transfer the turkey to a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake in a 425°F (218°C) oven for 10 minutes.

Baste the turkey with pan juices and lay strips of smoked bacon over the breast.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C) and bake for about 2 and a half hours, basting occasionally.

Check if the turkey is cooked by sticking a knife in the bottom of the thigh; the juices should run clear.

Let the turkey rest for 2 and a half hours before transferring to a clean tray.

Pour out all the fat and juices from the roasting tray.

Remove the bacon, onions, lemon, and bay leaves from the turkey cavity.

Chop the removed ingredients roughly for later use in gravy.

Use a clean pot to make gravy since the roasting pan cannot be used on an induction stove.

Add some fat and juices from the turkey to the pot along with the bacon, lemon, and onions.

Fry the mixture and add a couple sprigs of rosemary.

Once fragrant, add chopped tomatoes to thicken the gravy.

Cut off the wings and tail of the turkey and add them to the pot.

Pour in dry cider to enhance flavor and allow it to reduce slightly.

Add the drippings from the resting turkey to the pot and bring to a boil.

Reduce the liquid by half and use a potato masher to crush the vegetables and turkey meat.

Add chicken stock and reduce again until thickened.

Strain the gravy with a sieve and use a ladle to extract the liquid.

Infuse the gravy with a fresh sprig of rosemary while preparing the meal.

Add crushed walnuts to the bottom of the serving dish and pour the hot gravy over top before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens