How to stuff, truss & carve a whole turkey
Ingredients
For the bacon and maple stuffing
(enough for one turkey)
1 small bunch parsley (including stems), finely chopped
¼ bunch sage (about 2 tbsp leaves), chopped
2 sprigs rosemary (about 1 tbsp leaves), chopped
4 cups fresh breadcrumbs (6–8 slices of day-old bread, ground into crumbs)
¾ cup whole milk (add more if needed)
⅓ cup pure maple syrup
100g (7 tbsp) ghee or unsalted butter, melted
200g cooked ham or bacon, finely chopped (about 1½ cups)
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tsp cracked black pepper
To make the stuffing
Mix the chopped herbs in a bowl and set aside. Combine the breadcrumbs with milk, maple syrup, and melted ghee and let this mixture sit for 5 minutes to absorb.
Into the breadcrumbs, stir in the herb mix, chopped ham/bacon, salt, and pepper. Add more milk if the mixture appears dry.
Taste and adjust seasoning (if using raw bacon, cook a small sample to test).
Stuffing the turkey
Remove the turkey from the fridge an hour before preparing to roast it.
Using a small, sharp knife remove the wishbone from inside the turkey’s cavity.
Stuff the turkey with generous spoonfuls of stuffing. It is incredibly important not to overstuff the cavity. We generally recommend that the cavity should be up to two thirds full.
(Any extra stuffing can be baked separately in a tray at 175°C for 30 to 40 minutes until golden.)
How to truss a turkey and preparing it roast
Cut 2m of butchers twine. Place the centre of the twine at the front of the turkey’s crown then pull either side of the twine towards you, wrapping it around the entire crown and tying a basic knot just above the opening of the cavity.
Pull the twine around the ends of the legs, pulling them together then tying firmly in a knot.
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Rub the bird with a generous amount of extra-virgin olive oil before seasoning all over with coarse sea salt.
Place the turkey on a roasting tray and into a preheated oven. A 4kg turkey will take about 2.5 to 3 hours to roast. A 5kg turkey will take about 3 to 3.5 hours to roast.
While the turkey is roasting, prepare a herb butter by mixing chopped parsley, chives, tarragon and chervil with softened butter.
Halfway through roasting, remove the turkey from the oven then use the back of a spoon to cover the breasts and legs with the herb butter.
Place the turkey back into the oven and continue to baste at regular intervals.
How to carve a whole turkey
When the turkey has reached an internal temperature of 77C. Remove from the oven and allow it rest for at least 45 minutes.
Remove the trussing string from the turkey using a sharp knife.
Using a carving knife and fork, slice thin pieces off the breast of the turkey at a 30 degree angle. Repeat on both sides until you reach the carcass.
Cut off the legs by slicing between the thigh meat and the body then gently carve the leg pieces.
Arrange the turkey meat on a serving platter with the resting juices before serving with a jugful of gravy, cumberland sauce and mustard.
Explore the technique
