Simon Howie Thyme Roasted Turkey with Cranberry Sauce

Thyme Roasted Turkey

Order your turkey and trimmings online at www.thescottishbutcher.com/christmas

Prep Time: 25 mins

Cook Time: Allow 20 minutes per kg plus an extra 70 minutes for small turkeys under 4kg or 90 minutes for larger turkeys to find your approximate cooking time.

Ingredients:

1 Whole Turkey

150g butter

1 garlic head, peeled and minced

Large handful of thyme, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°c.  Combine the butter, garlic, thyme and seasoning in a bowl and set aside.
2. Remove the giblets from the turkey (these can be put aside and used to make gravy). Place the turkey on a rack in a roasting tin and using a basting brush, baste all over the turkey with the thyme mixture.

3. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the tin, cover the turkey loosely with aluminium foil and place it in the oven.

4. Roast the turkey using the guide above to calculate the overall length of time you will need depending upon its size. Around 45 minutes before the turkey is cooked, remove the foil to allow the skin to brown.  The turkey will be ready when you insert a thermometer into various points including the breast and thigh, and it has reached a temperature between 75-80°c.

5. Take the turkey out the oven and leave to rest for about 30 minutes before carving. 

Cranberry Sauce

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

300g cranberries, washed

50ml water

50ml orange juice

100g caster sugar

1 cinnamon stick

1 piece of orange peel

Method:

1. Combine sugar, orange juice and water in a saucepan over a medium heat and stir to combine. Add the cranberries, cinnamon stick and orange peel and bring to a simmer, stirring continually until the cranberries start to pop and break down.
2. Leave to cool for 30 minutes. The cranberry sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Cover and refrigerate. The sauce will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.