Roast turkey with lemon, garlic and herb butter

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Mix the butter with the lemon zest, garlic and herbs. Ease the skin from the meat of the turkey with your hands, starting at the neck end. Without breaking the skin, smear the butter under it so the breast is well coated.
2. Put in a big roasting tin (keeping any giblets to make stock, if you like). Stuff a quarter of the stuffing into the neck end of the turkey.
3. Weigh the bird and calculate the cooking time at 20 minutes per kg, plus 30 minutes. Season. Roast for 30 minutes, then turn the oven down to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4 and cook for the rest of the calculated time, until the juices run clear when you pierce the turkey with a sharp knife where the thigh meets the body. If the skin looks like it might burn, cover loosely with foil.
Recipe continues after advertising
Advertisement
4. Once cooked, remove to a warm serving platter and rest, covered in foil, for at least 20 minutes before carving. Keep the juices for the gravy.