Recipe courtesy Jeanne-Marie Philips

 Ingredients

•  1 medium Turkey
• 1 cup mixed green seasoning of your choice
• 1 pk butter for basting
• Salt and pepper for rubbing in
• 1 quantity of Cornbread Stuffing

Method

1. Defrost overnight (8-12 hours depending on size)
2. Soak in salt water for 5 to 6 hours
3. Remove from salt water and season
4. Stuff with cornbread stuffing
5. Tie both legs together with twine.
6. Baste it with melted butter
7. Cover with foil and bake for the recommended time (Will be indicated on Turkey wrapping)
8. Remove from oven 20 minutes before time is up, remove foil and baste with butter
9. Return to over, foil off, and allow to brown.
10. Remove from oven, allow to cool and enjoy.

Thawing your turkey

Your stuffing can be prepared ahead, but don’t stuff the bird until it is about to be cooked. Only stuff the neck cavity, never the body cavity (as it will not cook through). This can be filled with sprigs of fresh herbs and slices of lemon or onion to infuse the meat with extra flavours.

• Weight: 2.25kg – Thaw in fridge 27 hrs – Thaw in cool room 9 hrs
• Weight: 3-3.5kg – Thaw in fridge 42 hrs – Thaw in cool room 12-14 hrs
• Weight: 4.5-5.5kg – Thaw in fridge 66 hrs – Thaw in cool room 18-22 hrs
• Weight: 6.75-7.5kg – Thaw in fridge 90 hrs – Thaw in cool room 27-30 hrs

Carving Tips

• To remove the leg from the carcass, loosen it a little at the thigh socket with your hands, then carve into the natural joint – cutting through the socket of the bone.
• To split the drumstick and the thigh, again loosen then carve into the socket of the bone.
• To cut the breast meat, cut off the wing tip then make a horizontal incision underneath the breast towards the body of the bird.
• Using a fork, carve slices of meat from the breast.
• Repeat process on the other side.
• Alternatively, remove the breast altogether by making a horizontal incision under the breast and then cutting off the meat in one piece.
• Put the breast on the chopping board and then cut across the breast – this is an easier way as it goes along the grain of the meat and gives a smooth slice.
• Remove the wings in the same way as the leg, cutting through the socket where it attaches to the carcass.
• Place the finished carved meat onto a serving plate.