Simple Roast Turkey

Here’s what you’ll need

• 100g butter, softened
• 2tsp salt
• 2tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 4.5kg turkey, with giblets removed and cavity wiped clean
• 3 large onions, halved

Step-by-step method

1. The turkey should be prepared the night before and ready for the next day.
2. Mix the butter with the salt and freshly ground black pepper, then season the cavity of the bird making sure it’s evenly coated.
3. Rub the butter mix all over the turkey. Fold a large piece of greaseproof paper to double thickness and lay over the breast to protect it during the cooking. Leave it in the fridge overnight.
4. On the day you wish to serve the bird, take the turkey out of the fridge, and allow it to come to room temperature for about 2 hours before cooking.
5. Heat the oven to 220C. Put the onions in the base of a large roasting tray, then place the turkey on a trivet or wire rack in the tray.
6. Pour one cup of boiling water into the cavity of the bird and seal with a skewer.
7. Pour two cups of boiling water into the bottom of the tin, then cover the whole thing with two layers of foil, making sure it is well sealed around the edges.
8. Cook for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 200C. After 90 minutes remove the foil and greaseproof paper, then cook for a further 40 minutes and don’t open the oven door until the cooking time is complete.
9. To test the turkey insert a skewer or knife blade into the point where the thigh joins the breast, and the juice should run clear. If it is pink, recover and return to the oven for 20 minutes and test again.
10. Leave the turkey loosely covered with foil in a warm place for at least 15 minutes to rest before carving. Strain the juice from the bottom of the tin into a large jug – the fat will rise to the top, leaving the tasty turkey stock beneath. Skim off the fat, use the juices to make a gravy.