Marmalade-glazed traditional roast turkey

SERVES 8 PREP AND COOK TIME 3 HOURS 15 MINUTES

4kg turkey

20g butter, melted

⅔ cup (230g) marmalade, warmed 1.5 litres (6 cups) salt-reduced chicken stock, approximately

⅓ cup (50g) plain flour

HERB AND BACON STUFFING

100g butter

4 (260g) rindless bacon rashers, chopped finely

2 (300g) medium onions, chopped finely 1 (150g) celery stick, trimmed, chopped finely

3 cloves garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

3 cups (210g) fresh breadcrumbs 1 HERB AND BACON STUFFING Heat butter in a large frying pan over medium-low heat. Add bacon, onions, celery, garlic and rosemary; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion is soft. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Add parsley and breadcrumbs. Season; mix well.

2 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).

3 Discard the neck from the turkey. Pat the turkey dry inside and out with paper towel. Fill cavities with Herb and Bacon Stuffing. Tie legs together with kitchen string; tuck wings under turkey. Place turkey on an oiled rack in a large flameproof baking dish.

4 Combine butter and marmalade in a medium bowl. Brush half marmalade mixture over turkey; sprinkle with salt. Pour 2 cups (500ml) stock into dish. Cover tightly with two layers of greased foil.

5 Roast turkey for 1 hour 20 minutes. Remove foil; brush turkey with remaining marmalade mixture. Roast, covered with foil, for 1 hour. Remove foil; roast, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until browned and cooked through. (Check liquid in base of dish during cooking; the pan juices need to brown but not burn – you may need to drain excess liquid if it’s not colouring or add extra water or stock if drying out too much or burning.) Transfer turkey to a tray or platter; cover with foil. Rest for 15 minutes before carving.

6 Meanwhile, pour pan juices from dish into a large jug; stand for a few minutes or until fat has risen to surface. Skim off 2 tablespoons of fat from juices; return fat to dish. Skim and discard remaining fat from juices. Top up pan juices in jug with enough of remaining chicken stock to make 1 litre (4 cups). Place baking dish over medium heat, add flour; cook, stirring, until mixture bubbles and is well browned. Gradually stir in pan juices; cook, stirring, until mixture boils and thickens. Season to taste. Strain gravy into a heatproof jug.

7 Serve turkey with gravy.