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6 fresh rosemary sprigs, halved 2 garlic cloves, sliced into 12 slivers 6 strips streaky bacon, sliced in half lengthwise 300g stuffing 4-4.5kg turkey, at room temperature 120g butter, melted Salt and black pepper 1 tbsp dried sage leaves

1 Preheat the oven to its highest setting. Place a rosemary sprig and a garlic sliver on one end of a bacon strip and roll it up tightly. Repeat with the other pieces of bacon until you have 12 little rolls.

2 Pierce the turkey in six places on each side. Push a little bacon roll into each hole until it just peeks out.

3 Gently peel back the skin from the turkey breast, using your fingers to separate the skin from the meat. Be careful not to rip it. Lift the loose skin at the neck end and spoon the stuffing between the skin and the breast, tucking the flap of skin underneath to stop it from leaking out.

4 Tie the legs together and calculate the cooking time (see our roasting calculator on page 149). Place the bird on a large roasting tray, rub it all over with butter and season with salt, pepper and sage. Cover the entire tray with foil and place in the oven.

5 Reduce the heat to 180°C/160°C fan/ gas mark 4 and roast for the calculated time, or until the juices run clear.

6 Remove the foil for the last 45 minutes and baste every 15 minutes. Cover with foil and leave to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes before carving.