other

christmas butter

servings
enough for 1 turkey

method

Like a lot of what I’m doing this year, this butter is a job for Christmas Eve. It won’t take long and will guarantee you happiness the day after. A really beautiful turkey like Mr Kelly’s doesn’t need anything more than olive oil and salt and pepper, they’re that good. While the purist in me says leave it alone, the chef in me is curious and wants to experiment. I think the bird, and the occasion, deserve a bit of extra love so if you can add a bit of an edge with something that complements and enhances its natural flavours, why not try it?

An experiment of mine I’m happy to say really worked out was this flavored butter. It looks beautiful, gives a delicate sweetness and holds the skin away from the meat so it gets extra crispy as it cooks. Another bonus is that the butter’s journey out of the bird will give you a self-basting bird. Brilliant.

Put your butter into a bowl and add the chopped cranberries. Chop, sweep and run your knife through the herb leaves until really finely chopped, then add to the butter with a pinch of salt and pepper, and the finely grated zest of your clementine. Mix so the butter softens and everything is combined. Divide the butter roughly in half.

Get your turkey and use a spoon to work your way between the skin and the meat. Start at the side of the cavity just above the leg and work gently up toward the breastbone and towards the back so you create a large cavity. Pick up half of your butter and push it into the cavity you’ve created. Use your hands to push it through the skin right to the back so it coats the breast meat as evenly as possible. Do the same on the other side then rub any leftover butter all over the outside of the bird to use it up. If you’ve got any herb stalks left over, put them in the cavity of the turkey for added flavor as it cooks. Cover the turkey in cling film and put in the fridge until you’re ready to cook it the next day.

ingredients

• 1 x 250g pack of butter
• 75g dried cranberries, really finely chopped
• a few sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked
• 4 fresh rosemary sprigs, leaves picked
• a few sprigs of fresh sage, leaves picked
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 clementine

share this page

daily recipe rss

new recipe rss

tried this recipe or a similar one? share your tips...

1. by TaniaLT on Wed 28 Dec 2011 @ 15:53

Yet another winner from Jamie. Did this again this year and recorded it all in pictures for my blog. It really does make for an incredibly moist turkey. http://notasadvertised.blogspot.com/2011/12/jamies-flavoured-butter-turkey-for.html

2. by Manos & Daphnr on Sun 25 Dec 2011 @ 21:35

Hi Jamie Merry Christmas ... Greetings from Greece ... You have fab ideas Keep well

3. by Paul and Claire Kenny on Sat 24 Dec 2011 @ 04:58

Well done Jamie. This is great!! You always have the greatest food ideas. :-) Paul and Claire.

4. by michael on Thu 22 Dec 2011 @ 02:07

gonna try the butter this year, so yeh, do i use foil or not on the bird ?

5. by pauline on Wed 21 Dec 2011 @ 09:29

I did this last year, the turkey burnt on top within an hour. I wrapped it in foil then it was great. It tasted fab, and I want to try again this year- did I cook too hot or should I have wrapped in foil in the first place?? Pauline

6. by Emma Drysdale on Sat 17 Dec 2011 @ 22:34

I can only find sweetened dried cranberries ("Craisins") - will they work, or will the added suger spoil the flavour?

7. by Lone Birgitte Bavnhøj on Wed 15 Dec 2010 @ 09:41

Hello Jamie's sister (with the long blond hair in the christmas program)!!!

I love the white shirt/blouse you wear in the familiy program.
Can anyone tell me, who has designed that? Stella M.?
It has been very nice to look at this christmas programs here in DK, I like all the big white decorations as well.
Evrything - about food, looks so easy to do ... but we don't eat so much "heavy" food in DK;-)
Bye, bye from Denmark
Lone, Struer

leave comments

related recipes

must-try red cabbage braised with apple, bacon and balsamic vinegar
Pour a good lug of olive oil into a saucepan, get it hot and add the bacon and fennel seeds. Cook until...
Read more

bashed-up pine nut, basil and balsamic dressing
Mix everything together in a bowl and season to taste. • from Happy Days with the Naked Chef
Read more

videos