Herby Turkey Crown
Turkey crowns are simple to roast and carve, and delicious to eat. If your turkey crown is off the bone, it will take longer to cook – allow an extra 20-30min.
Hands-on time 45min, plus coming up to room temperature and resting. Cooking time
about 2hr 20min. Serves 8, with leftovers
◆ 4kg (9lb) free-range turkey crown, on the bone if possible ◆ 2 large onions, skin on, thickly sliced ◆ 50g (2oz) butter, softened ◆ Finely grated zest 1 lemon ◆ 250g pack smoked streaky bacon ◆ 6 rosemary sprigs, broken into shorter lengths
1 One hour before cooking, remove turkey from fridge and weigh it, taking a note of its weight. Calculate cooking time, allowing 30-35min per kg (2lb 3½oz), plus 20-30min if crown is off the bone. Scatter onions in a roasting tin that will just fit the crown, then lay the turkey on top (breast up) and allow to come up to room temperature.
2 Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C fan) mark 5. In a small bowl, mix the butter, lemon zest and some seasoning. Spread over the top and sides of the turkey (using your hands is easiest). Next, cover as much of the top and sides as possible with bacon – a lattice pattern is nice (it will shrink on cooking). Tuck in the rosemary sprigs. Loosely cover tin with foil.
3 Roast for calculated time, basting occasionally (add a little water to tin if base is catching), removing foil for last 30min of cooking. To check the turkey is cooked, insert a fork into the thickest part of the breast and check that the juices run golden and clear. If there’s any red tinge to the juice, return the crown to the oven and keep checking every 10min. Alternatively, use a meat thermometer – the temperature needs to read at least 72°C when inserted into the thickest part of the breast.
4 Transfer turkey to a board, cover well with foil and then clean tea towels to help keep the heat in. Leave to rest in a warm place for at least 30min or up to 1hr before transferring to a warmed
platter and serving in slices with our Easy Get-ahead Gravy, see page 172.
PER 125g (4oz) MEAT
(including 20g bacon per portion) 261cals, 36g protein, 13g fat (6g saturates), 0g carbs (0g total sugars), 0g fibre
Turkey crowns are simple to roast and carve, and delicious to eat