Classic Christmas roast turkey recipe
Created by The Tesco Recipes team
Christmas and roast turkey go together like roast turkey and cranberry stuffing. Orange zest and macadamia nuts bulk out the scratch stuffing in this recipe while our easy-to-follow homemade gravy ensures that your Christmas dinner spread will come together just nicely.
See method- Serves 6
- Takes 3 hrs 25 mins
- 833 calories / serving
Ingredients
For the turkey
- 5kg Tesco fresh turkey
- 50g butter, at room temperature
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 5 rosemary sprigs
- 3 large onions, finely sliced
- sea salt
For the stuffing
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 red onions peeled and chopped
- 250g breadcrumbs
- 125g macadamia nuts, roughly chopped in a food processor
- 100g dried cranberries
- rind of 2 oranges and juice of 1 orange
- 2 eggs
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
For the gravy
- 250g onions, peeled and coarsely sliced
- pinch cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp organic cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp clear honey
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 250ml red wine, preferably Merlot
- 1 turkey or vegetable stock cube, made up to 300ml
Ready to shop?
Shop ingredientsEach serving contains
- Energy
- 3490kJ 833.0kcal
- Fat
- 33g
- Saturates
- 9g
- Salt
- 2.2g
- Sugars
- 26g
of the Reference intake
Carbohydrate 60.9gProtein 61.3gFibre 5.7g
Method
- Preheat the oven to gas 5, 190°C, fan 170°C. Rub the turkey all over with butter and sprinkle with sea salt. Place the lemon pieces and rosemary inside the cavity.
- Place the onion halves in a large flameproof roasting tin and sit the turkey on top. Cover with kitchen foil, tucking under the tin to create a foil tent. Roast according to the instructions (about 3 hr 30 minutes), but remove the foil 30 minutes before the end and cook until the turkey is golden.
- Meanwhile, make the stuffing. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onions for 4 to 5 minutes until transparent. Place in a bowl and add all the remaining ingredients. Mix and season well. Place in a shallow, ovenproof dish and set aside.
- Remove the cooked turkey from the oven. To test that the meat is cooked, pierce the fattest part of the thigh with a skewer. The juices should run clear.
- Add the stuffing to the oven and cook for 35-40 minutes until golden.
- Remove the turkey from the roasting tin and set aside to rest for 30 minutes, covered loosely with foil. Skim the excess fat off the juices, then add the onions and cumin seeds to the roasting tin.
- Fry gently until the onions are tender. Add the cocoa powder, honey and enough flour to absorb the juices and remaining fat. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Gradually stir in the wine and stock and bring to a simmer. Adjust seasoning to taste, then cook the gravy for 5-10 minutes. Serve with the turkey and stuffing.
- Tip: Leftover meat will stay juicer if you keep it on the bone. Wrap the turkey carcass in a clean damp tea towel and cling film, then store in the fridge.
- Tip: It may sound unusual, but adding cocoa to the chunky onion gravy really works, offsetting the tangy wine.
- See more Christmas recipes
- For top tips on protecting you and your family when preparing raw meat and poultry, visit Food Safety in the Home.
