Ingredients
- 1 turkey, 5-6 kg
- 4 onions, peeled and sliced into thick slices.
- 1 packet smoked bacon lardons
- 2 generous springs fresh sage or thyme
- 2 x 440 ml cans cider
- 2 sticks cinnamon or a pinch of powdered cinnamon
- 250g melted butter
- Salt and pepper
1 Pre-heat an oven to 170 degrees Celsius, or equivalent.
2 Remove the neck and giblets from inside the turkey.
3 Trim any excess fat from the opening and stuff the turkey, taking care not to pack it too tightly.
4 Place the onions and smoked bacon lardons on the base of an oven tray, along with the turkey neck, cinnamon and herbs.
5 Perch the turkey on the onions and pour one can of cider around the tray.
6 Brush the turkey liberally with the butter, then season it well.
7 Cover tightly with foil and seal around the edges of the tray.
8 Cook for 2 hours 45 minutes, then remove the turkey from the oven.
9 Turn the heat up to 185 degrees Celsius.
10 Remove the foil and add the other can of cider and place in the oven for another half hour.
11 Baste the turkey with the buttery juices in the tray a few times in this last phase as it will give a lovely golden sheen to the bird.
12 When cooked, transfer the turkey to another tray, cover it loosely in foil and allow it to rest.
13 Strain the juices into a pot. Let it settle. Any fat will rise to the top. Ladle this off.
14 Reduce the juice (by bringing to the boil) by one third. This is your gravy.
