Prepping the turkey | Turkey recipes | Jamie Oliver recipes (2024)

FAQs

How to prepare a turkey Jamie Oliver? ›

Preheat your oven to full whack, get the turkey in the roasting tray and cover with foil. As soon as it goes in the oven, immediately turn the heat down to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. As a rough guide, you want to cook the turkey for about 35 to 40 minutes per kilogram, so a 7kg turkey will want about 4 to 4½ hours in the oven.

There are four essential steps for a perfectly roasted Thanksgiving turkey: brining, stuffing with aromatics, rubbing with herb compound butter, and roasting to perfection. The herb butter does double duty. Part of it is rubbed under the skin and over the meat of the bird for a major boost in flavor.

Yes! You can season, stuffed and butter up the turkey the night before and place it onto a roasting pan, then into the refrigerator. Can I make the garlic butter ahead of time? Yes, I recommend making the garlic butter ahead of time to save time the day of, especially if you have lots of other dishes to prepare.

Roast the turkey in the hot oven for 10–15 minutes. Take the tray out of the oven, baste the bird with the pan juices and lay the bacon rashers over the breast to keep it moist. Baste again. Lower the setting to 180°C/Gas 4 and cook for about 2 1⁄2 hours (calculating at 30 minutes per kg), basting occasionally.

Turkey is a relatively lean bird, particularly the breast meat, meaning that it doesn't have a lot of fat to help keep the meat from becoming dry and tough. By giving your turkey a dunk in a luxurious saltwater brine, you can coax more moisture and flavor into your meal before it's ready to roast.

Should you rub turkey with butter or oil? Some chefs suggest rubbing the turkey skin with vegetable or olive oil rather than using butter for turkey. This debate has very little to do with the meat itself but more to do with getting brown, crispy skin.

This method is simple and roasts the bird slowly, which gently cooks the meat but tends to dry out the bird a little more than the other method. Be sure to brush the bird with olive oil or a butter-and-herb mixture every 20 minutes to help retain moisture and deepen the color of the skin.

Ingredients for Turkey Dry Brine Seasoning Mix

For the most traditional flavored turkey, we recommend the following for a 14- to 16-pound turkey: 3 tablespoons kosher salt (we use Diamond Crystal brand) 1 1/2 combined teaspoons dried herbs: thyme, sage, and rosemary. 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

Add halved onions, carrot chunks, celery and fresh herbs to the cavity of your turkey, inserting them loosely. These flavor builders are the base of stock and most soups. As your turkey cooks, they'll steam and infuse your bird with moisture and flavor.

You can dry brine your turkey the night before or as far in advance as two days.

Why is my butter not sticking to my turkey? ›

Why isn't the butter sticking to the turkey? The bird may be condensating or your butter may be too cold and firm. Make sure the turkey comes to room temperature for an hour and pat it with paper towels to remove moisture before you butter it.

To achieve a perfectly golden, juicy turkey, let the bird spend time both covered and uncovered in the oven. We recommend covering your bird for most of the cooking time to prevent it from drying out; then, during the last 30 minutes or so of cooking, remove the cover so the skin crisps in the hot oven.

"Often, consumers will inquire about adding water to the bottom of their roasting pans. We do not recommend adding water to the bottom of the pan. Cooking a turkey with steam is a moist heat-cook method and is acceptable, sure, but is not the preferred method for cooking your turkey."

Alliums: Add quartered onions, shallots, leeks, or garlic cloves for a delicious, earthy aroma. Fruits: Insert quarters of apple, lemon, orange, lime, or even grapefruit to add moisture and brightness to the turkey. You can even go with dried fruit, like cranberries, to double down on the autumn vibes.

Try a combo of lime zest with cumin and coriander, or something more traditional like fresh parsley, sage and rosemary folded into the butter. Not only does this help season the bird, but it also makes the meat extra juicy.