INGREDIENTS
- 2 brown onions, coarsely chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled, coarsely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
- 4.8-5.2kg Frozen Turkey, thawed following packet directions
- 1 lemon
- 8 sprigs of thyme
- 8 sprigs of sage
- 8 sprigs of rosemary
- 6 bay leaves
- 6 unpeeled garlic cloves, bruised
- 100g butter, melted
- 3 garlic cloves, extra, crushed
- ¼ teaspoon ground paprika
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup (35g) plain flour
- 2 ½ cups (625ml) chicken stock
- Steamed or roasted vegetables, to serve
METHOD
- Preheat oven to 200°C. Combine onion, carrot and celery in a large flameproof roasting pan. Add ½ cup (125ml) water to pan.
- Remove and discard neck from turkey. Pat dry inside and out with paper towel.
- Use a vegetable peeler to remove 6 thick strips of rind from lemon. Pick the leaves from one-quarter of the thyme, sage and rosemary sprigs and reserve. Fill turkey cavity with lemon rind, bay leaves, garlic cloves and remaining thyme, sage and rosemary sprigs.
- Tie the turkey legs together with kitchen string. Tuck wings under. Place over the vegetables in the roasting pan.
- Combine the butter, crushed garlic, paprika, honey and oil in a small jug. Brush turkey all over with butter mixture. Season well. Cover pan tightly with lightly greased foil. Roast for 30 minutes.
- Remove foil. Reduce oven temperature to 180°C. Roast, basting every 30 minutes, adding a little more water to the roasting pan if the liquid evaporates during cooking and covering with foil if necessary to prevent over-browning, for a further 2 1⁄2 hours or until turkey is golden and juices run clear when thigh is pierced with a skewer. Sprinkle turkey with reserved thyme, sage and rosemary leaves in the final 30 minutes of cooking. Transfer the turkey to a platter and cover loosely with foil. Set aside for 15 minutes to rest.
- Meanwhile, heat the vegetable mixture in the roasting pan over medium-high heat on the stove top, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Gradually add the stock, stirring until well combined. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 mins. Season. Strain the gravy through a fine sieve into a jug and discard the solids.
- Serve the turkey with gravy and steamed or roast vegetables.