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jamie’s christmas turkey © David Loftus

jamie’s christmas turkey

main courses | serves 8-10
If you’re worried about cooking the perfect Christmas turkey because you’re afraid you’ll get it wrong, don’t be. This recipe is nice and simple and will help you achieve brilliant results for your Christmas meal.

Take your turkey out of the fridge about an hour before you’re ready to cook it so it comes up to room temperature before roasting. Give it a good rinse then pat it dry with some kitchen paper, making sure you soak up any water in the cavity. Drizzle the meat with a good lug of olive oil, add a few good sprinkles of salt and pepper and then rub this seasoning all over the bird, making sure you get in to all the nooks and crannies.

Preheat your oven to full whack then get started on your stuffing. Pour a lug or two of olive oil into a large pan on a medium heat and fry off your chopped onion for about 10 minutes or until softened. Stir in a good pinch of salt and pepper, the ground nutmeg and your chopped sage leaves, then continue to fry and stir for another minute or two.

Spoon the onion mixture into a large bowl and let it cool completely. Once cooled, add your pork mince and breadcrumbs and use your hands to really scrunch everything together. Once it’s mixed really well, bring the stuffing together into a ball, then cover and chill until you’re ready to stuff your turkey.

Pull the skin at the neck-end back so you can see a cavity and push about half of your stuffing inside your turkey. Not too much: you don’t want to pack it so tightly it slows down the cooking. Once done, pull and fold the skin over the opening and tuck it under the bird so it looks nice.

Turn the turkey around and drop a few small pieces of stuffing into the larger cavity along with your clementine halves and a few sprigs of rosemary. Place your roughly chopped veg in the bottom of a roasting pan and lay your turkey on top. Cover the turkey with tin foil then put it in the hot oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 180°c/350°f/gas 4. Cook for about 35 to 40 minutes per kilo. The 5kg bird in this recipe will take about 3 to 3½ hours.

Check on your turkey every 20 minutes or so and keep it from drying out by basting it with the lovely juices from the bottom of the pan. After 2½ hours, remove the foil so the skin gets golden and crispy.

When the time is up, take your turkey out of the oven and stick a small sharp knife into the fattest part of the thigh. If the juices run clear and the meat pulls apart easily, it’s ready. If not, pop the turkey back in the oven to cook for a bit longer then check again. Once ready, cover the turkey with tin foil and a few clean tea towels for 30 minutes and let it rest while you get your veg and gravy ready.


ingredients

Serves 8-10
• 5kg turkey, preferably free-range or organic
• olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 clementine, halved
• a few sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 sticks of celery, roughly chopped
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped

For the stuffing
• olive oil
• 2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• a few sprigs of fresh sage, leaves picked and roughly chopped
• 300g good-quality pork mince
• a large handful of breadcrumbs

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user comments

75 comments
1. Yelow Tue 24 Feb 2009 @ 02:55 i LOVEDDDDDD your turkey heaps
2. Rich Tomkinson Tue 13 Jan 2009 @ 17:24 Cooked the turkey like you said (first time I've done Chrimbo dinner) for the in-laws, total sucess. Just looking again how to do it, having my parents around Jan 16th for repeat performance. The stuffing such a simple recipe, but tastes awesome!!!!
Cheers Rich
3. Catarina Tue 06 Jan 2009 @ 00:59 Como eu adoro as receitas do Jamie!! Parabéns pela simplicidade e pela deliciosa comida que fazes. PORTUGAL adora-te:)*
4. Fran Mon 05 Jan 2009 @ 20:55 Hi there,

Cooked the Turkery for crimbo just like you said, and it turned out fantastic!!!
First christmas meal that my hubby raved over, telling just about everyone about the Jamie Oliver way of doing things!!!!

Many thanks, just about to purchase your latest cook book!!!
5. ANNA TOMASIELLO Sun 04 Jan 2009 @ 01:14 Merry Christmas Jamie to you and your lovely family!!!
I hope that you have a great, wonderful 2009!!!
You are a good soul and a great chef! You are the only person who has been able to get my husband to cook ( and my italian mum) he is Scottish and since meeting me just loves italian food. we have all your cookbooks, and when Glen decides to make a meal, brings out your book and finds what he needs. l brought him his own mince meat maker, he wants to try and make his own sausages and mince now! Thank you for all that you do for people!!!!!!!
All my best Anna xx
p.s. was able to print your turkey recipe
6. E-man146 Sat 03 Jan 2009 @ 07:14 Taste's soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good!!
7. Avis Sat 03 Jan 2009 @ 05:30 Hi all praying that your christmas was good one and that much blessing comes your way this new year!! hey Jamie, watched the show here in NZ, made up your herb butter as the rest of your show aired - minus the little fish, sorry mate just can't stomach them!! anyway, for the first time in over 20 years of cooking christmas turkey, i slid the old hand up the skin and lavished that baby with the butter and man on man was it one good turkey - the best ever!! have to be honest and admit tho that i did do nigella's soak for the turkey - over 2 days. the family have decided that the combination of the yours and hers worked so well that its our new turkey cooking way for ever!! all the best for the new year and thanks again for all that you do to educate and get folk back to basics!!
8. Hugo Santos Fri 02 Jan 2009 @ 14:15 Quentin, in the tv he use the stuffing to make the sauce for cover the meat in the end. Sorry about my english.
9. chuckie eggs Thu 01 Jan 2009 @ 13:58 you forgot to say what temp to whack the oven up to to begin with, James! now I shall do an internet search as my turkey sits lonely on the work top waiting for me...
10. Yvonne Bailey Thu 01 Jan 2009 @ 11:30 Simple and straightforward, escellent recipe. I have avoided turkey for years as it always seemed a hassle with all that wrapping in foil etc to avoid a dry and tasteless result. I used the butter mix under the skin which was superb, every scrap was eaten thanks to the leftover recipes too!
11. Tracy Thu 01 Jan 2009 @ 09:55 Cooked my turkey just the way Jamie said and it was fantastic, not a bit of dry meat in the house!! Jamie Oliver is the best!!!
12. Michael Boctor Thu 01 Jan 2009 @ 04:00 Hello Jamie,
I love your show. The reason being, you cook with love, you enjoy using your hands. Let us say you have the cooking passion for cooking. You cook with the same simplicity and passion as Julia Child.
Our Xmas is on Jan. 7th. I got a capon and I heard it is a great meat. So I will try your recipe.
Marry xmas and happy new year.
Michael
13. Helen Wed 31 Dec 2008 @ 18:31 First thing frist happy new year and hope you had a great christmas.
I saw you do the christmas turkey on one of your christmas shows, well i had to try it as it looked so so nice, well i did it for christmas dinner (my very first christmas dinner) and everyone loved it. so i have to say thank you for making my christmas dinner gone down a treat.
thanks Jamie i owe you one.
14. baltar Tue 30 Dec 2008 @ 22:12 hi jamie... i did the turkey and all my family loved!!! tanks a lot...
15. Rosemary Tue 30 Dec 2008 @ 00:23 Saw the Christmas show in NZ as well. Made me very homesick for a proper Christmas meal (USA). I'm going all out and making Jamie's turkey and all the trimmings this week! Can't wait!! YUMM
16. Gemma Mon 29 Dec 2008 @ 11:11 The man is a genius! Cooked this on Christmas day for my family and they were all super impressed, stuffing was sooooo good. Served simply with the roast potatoes/parsnip/carrots he did on the Christmas special show.

Thanks Jamie!
17. margaret Sat 27 Dec 2008 @ 10:48 In a supplement last week there was a paste to put between the skin of the turkey which was very tasty but the mag got thrown away can you repeat it please thank you margaret x x
18. Niklas Sat 27 Dec 2008 @ 09:17 Sweden calling..
Wonderful turkey.
Made it last night..

Niklas

19. Sean Sat 27 Dec 2008 @ 01:08 Roasting turkey is simple so long as you put something inside the cavity to keep the white meat moist - like lemons, oranges or clementines. Also, I find that soaking some cheesecloth in butter and dry white wine and draping over the breast for the first 2-3 hours works well. Keep the bird moist throughout cooking (inside the bird and by basting) and you'll be rewarded with a great showpiece. Good luck!
20. Sherri Fri 26 Dec 2008 @ 21:48 This is quite possibly the best xmas turkey recipe I have ever tried! In my family, everyone brings something on the day of, turning the day into a pot luck of sorts. So the turkey has not been the star for quite some time; This xmas it was! Along side the gravy and the stuffing, it was the talk of the family dinner, and there are plenty of us. Quality recipe!
21. Paul Fri 26 Dec 2008 @ 21:42
Thanks for the recipe Jamie. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Next year could you please comb your hair. The turkey is more presentable in the photo than you are.
22. Gwen Fri 26 Dec 2008 @ 16:26 really want the recipes for the left over turkey, cant find it any where. (can anyone help???) Great show Jamie, and loved the turkey. Merry Christmnas one and all!!!
23. Luciano Thu 25 Dec 2008 @ 21:46 Jamie, você é o cara, abras luciano Brasil
24. Tolga Thu 25 Dec 2008 @ 18:32 My name is Tolga, I am nearly ten years old and I live in Turkey. I made the Christmass Turkey for my family and they loved it.
bye
25. Bodil Neergaard Thu 25 Dec 2008 @ 13:18 Hi Jamie,
I saw your Christmas Special on TV and your recipe was just what I needed for my turkey on 6 kg. My kids and I loved it.

Merry Christmas from Malmoe, Sweden!
26. AndyGalpin Thu 25 Dec 2008 @ 12:08 Hi Jamie,
This is my 1st xmas away from home roasting my own bird ... and youve really helped my get through this!! shoving the balls up the bird was the highlight of the roasting for sure!! your program was an inspiration and made my festival season!! Thanks mate, and keep up the good work!! all my love and best wishes to you and your family!!
Andy
27. wil tarmey Thu 25 Dec 2008 @ 10:23 got your times wrong on tv you said 20 mins a kilo are you trying to poison us
28. gary Thu 25 Dec 2008 @ 09:11 Nice one Mr.
Saw your show here in Sweden the other night, took lots of notes and now I'm cooking for nine people? Me that usually messes up a bacon sandwich!
Will let you know how it went.
Merry Christmas all
29. b0unce Thu 25 Dec 2008 @ 03:39 hey from new zealand have just cooked your turkey recipe and it was absolutley amazing!!!!!
30. Lisa Wed 24 Dec 2008 @ 23:15 Looking forward to trying this out tommorrow.
I just wanted to know if there's any need to stuff a turkey, if it's been brined
( I know this is not in your recipe, but I was just wandering)
Wish me luck.
Merry Christmas!!
31. chillidog Wed 24 Dec 2008 @ 21:07 Good one mate!
Every year we race around Sainsbury's just before closing and grab the reduced Turkeys. This year we got a great deal and I'am simmering the Giblets as I type this.
Your recipes have ALWAYS worked and I'am sure this one will be no exception!
Happy Christmas
32. joni r Wed 24 Dec 2008 @ 19:12 RAchel at commet 12. DONT DO IT. Cook your Turkey Crown as directed by the manufacturer or weigh it and do it the usual way of around 20/25 minutes per pound. If you do it overnight it will totally dry out and you will have wasted your time, effort and the turkey meat. Good luck
33. Colin Wed 24 Dec 2008 @ 17:26 Cheers Jaimie, nice one!!!! It will be a great crimbo turkey this year!!! Merry Xmas and have a pucker new year for you and the family!!!
34. Nisa Wed 24 Dec 2008 @ 17:19 Hi Jamie! That's Nisa from Spain. My boyfriend saw this show on TV some hours ago and he's gonna make this recipe at our friend's home next Sunday. It will be our first Christmas turkey but we completly trust in you!

Thanks, we love your work. Merry Xmas!
35. Beryl Quinlan Wed 24 Dec 2008 @ 15:08 Dear Jamie

I don't watch TV chef programmes as a rule, but I really enjoyed watching you prepare and cook your Christmas turkey and goose. I have been inspired to experiment with the stuffing, roasting and carving instead of doing what I have been doing for the past 40 years! Thank you.

A very Happy Christmas to you and your family.
36. Rita Soares Wed 24 Dec 2008 @ 14:39 I got stuck with doing the christmas turkey this year and I had no idea how...

You have just saved my christmas !

A big big Thank you from Lisbon !
37. Champa Thalatala Wed 24 Dec 2008 @ 11:56 I love to watch your cooking shows. I watched your x'mas cooking show today. It is fabulous. I am going to make the roast turkey for our x'mas party. I am pretty sure everybody will enjoy your lovely roast turkey recipe.
Merry Christmas Jamie!!
38. Andy J Wed 24 Dec 2008 @ 11:37 Cracking show as always started the 1st half of the stock to day and smells good, all been well the turkey will look as good as Jamie's. Fingers crossed or it might be a vegetarian Xmas in my house hold
39. Sascha Wed 24 Dec 2008 @ 11:15 Heyyy...

Weihnachten ist gerettet..
Vielen Dank für das Rezept, die ganzen tollen Bücher
und Dein Engagement den Menschen das Kochen und eine bessere Ernährung
wieder näher zubringen..
Alles schmeckt wunderbar !!!
Lieben Gruß aus Neuss/Germany

Sascha+Vroni+Anna
40. Shaun Forward Wed 24 Dec 2008 @ 10:26 It sound good, and I reckon even I can do it! So here goes!!!!!!
(Plus, I did your filo and puff festive mince pies last year - and they were REALLY successful - I called them 'festive swirls' - everyone loves 'em - so Christmassy!
I think I'll recommend my Daughter Abbey in NZ tries this as well…
41. andy Wed 24 Dec 2008 @ 07:45 simple but too the point love it
42. Vix Tue 23 Dec 2008 @ 17:03 Excellent recipes but i would really like that flavoured butter recipe that you made for the cabbage on last weeks episode please x
43. Gordon Ramsay Tue 23 Dec 2008 @ 14:53 If you want to print this just copy and paste text into word and print from there :o)
44. hildah Tue 23 Dec 2008 @ 14:25 have just been looking at ur receipe and cant wait to try it on xmas day for my family and friends and this will be my first time i will cook a xmas dinner and i must admit iam not so worried now.
thanx Jamie and Merry xmas and happy new year
45. angela Tue 23 Dec 2008 @ 12:07 Loved the tv show..
Ive now got ur books and going 2 have a lovely xmas dinner..
Im scared but goingm to give it a go.. Dad has got me a 19 lb turkey
just hope it all turns out good. we will cxxxx
46. Liz Mon 22 Dec 2008 @ 23:49 Yuuuum. Saw it on the tele the other night, and myself and all my friends were raving about it!! Going to give it a crack down here in NZ!!!!
47. anabel dutton Mon 22 Dec 2008 @ 23:05 I knew Jamie would save the day! Thank you & merry xmas
48. Quentin Mon 22 Dec 2008 @ 18:51 this might sound a little silly but, once the turkey s cooked, do you eat the stuffing? is it meant for anything else beside flavouring?
please let me know as I ll be proudly cooking it on wednesday!!!
49. maggie Mon 22 Dec 2008 @ 18:22 I am really gonna enjoy following this recipe it sounds so easy we will see!
50. Arkadiusz Mon 22 Dec 2008 @ 17:27 Absolutely CRAZY GOOD !!! Now, this recipe just blew me and all my guests away. I did add some sprigs of rosemary between the skin and breast to give an extra flavor and replaced the oliver oil rub with melted butted and maple syup blend (which really also crisped up the skin!). As a result, the amazing consistently "good gravy" got even a little better. Along with that, your roasted veggies of potatoes, carrotts and parnips were a perfect side dish (add the goose/duck fat if you can!). I did this recipe on the lower rack of my BBQ and the roasted cauliflower cumin, coriander, almond recipe on top. Great meal !!!
51. Tayleur Mon 22 Dec 2008 @ 14:21 Jamie, Your food is so fabulous!!!!! You are my complete idol and at christmas, your turkey will be the complete center peice! UR SOOO COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
52. Sally Griffiths Mon 22 Dec 2008 @ 13:53 On the tv programme, you put butter under the skin with sage leaves. It was this that I wanted to confirm and it isn't on this recipe. Is it that it doesn't work well or that it just goot forgotten in this recipe?
53. sheila bunten Mon 22 Dec 2008 @ 13:14 Last year I separated the skin from the turkey and pushed in butter(I think it was from one of your ideas) I want to do it again as it was delicious but cannot remember whether I mixed anything with the butter,can you advise? It is a fresh 13lb turkey as there will be 10 of us.
54. Janice Jordan Sun 21 Dec 2008 @ 21:49 Watched your Christmas specials last week a couple of times. I'm so pleased the recepies are on line as I actually might be able to cook the Christmas dinner this time.
With best wishes
Janice
55. Emma Sun 21 Dec 2008 @ 20:39 Am doing my first big family Xmas dinner and have been trawling the Internet for hours trying to find the best way to cook my turkey. Good old Jamie. Simple, clear and (hopefully) idiot proof. Thank you very much :)
56. spinningtop Sun 21 Dec 2008 @ 15:40 hi Jame thanks for your good cooking guide for christmas turkey. Mate i consider myself a very good cook i really make a good effort in cooking and enjoy it very much in fact i don't let my wife near the kitchen i do it and love it.Anyway mate have a good chrismas and best wishes to your family many thanks Derek Ross
57. rachel houlihan Sun 21 Dec 2008 @ 14:19 ive got a 5lb turkey crown and would like to cook over night how long and what gas mark
58. July Sat 20 Dec 2008 @ 18:11 I'm from Brazil and don't speek english so well. I saw your program in GNT and I love it.
I'd like cook the turkey in the Christman's and catch your recipe.
Congratulatios and merry Christman's.
Juliana Razuk

PS: sorry for the wrong's words.
by
59. shirley Sat 20 Dec 2008 @ 15:31 Achei o maximo esta receita. Inovar o peru, so o Jamie .
60. Pat Glaister Sat 20 Dec 2008 @ 14:15 Help! As I have a fan assisted oven would I need to cook the turkey at 160 degrees please. Your turkey looked delicious.
Thanks, Pat
61. Annie21 Sat 20 Dec 2008 @ 12:14 why can I not print off the recipe for Christmas turkey - would really like to try it?
62. David Nash Sat 20 Dec 2008 @ 11:44 Happy Christmas Jamie. I will use the recipe again this year its Quality!

keep up the great work and have a peaceful 09

Dave
63. Cheryle Stonebridge Sat 20 Dec 2008 @ 09:41 Jamie, you can do no wrong and I totally applaud all the things you are trying to do, i.e. good school dinners, getting people to eat healthily and growing your own. Brilliant and keep it up
64. Fee Fri 19 Dec 2008 @ 22:01 Why is in not in printable version ?
65. margie radcliffe Fri 19 Dec 2008 @ 21:25 Brill mince pies they went down a treat going to make more for christmas thanks jamie
66. fiona Fri 19 Dec 2008 @ 20:19 hi i am going to attempt to cook the turkey like jamie we dont eat pork what else could i use for the stuffing thanks fiona
67. i always line the cavity of the bird with foil before stuffing it helps to cook the bird from the in Fri 19 Dec 2008 @ 16:29 i loved youe christmas cooking show. what a shame that there is a fault on channel 4 web site not allowing me to download the receipes.
so disappointed
but to you and your family merry christmas
68. john Fri 19 Dec 2008 @ 12:20 I watched one of your shows the other night, and you made a lovely left over tourkey pie, but i can not find the recipe could you help me please. thank you
69. COLIN DAVIES Fri 19 Dec 2008 @ 09:56 Thanks a bunch Jamie - after last night's programme (18dec) my wife has extended our shopping list to include ingredients for all the recipes she wants to make over the Christmas holiday. Never mind however, I'm looking forward to flicking my balls into the turkey. Great programme - Merry Christmas
70. sabrina Fri 19 Dec 2008 @ 09:06 jamie o's xmas turkey
71. riley Fri 19 Dec 2008 @ 08:21 i think this is a great website and im just a eleven year old and i want to be a Chef
i love your recipes
from riley
72. Rene Fri 19 Dec 2008 @ 06:08 Wow I made this last Sat for a Christmas party - 30 people. This is the BEST turkey recipe EVER and well worth a try - xx
73. June Vernon Thu 18 Dec 2008 @ 23:49 I am pleased to find this recipe but it is not as good as Jamie's demonstration of cooking the turkey that I saw on TV last night. He placed a butter mixture uner the outer skin of the turkey, after making a space with his fingers. I should have liked a recipe for the delicious butter mixture. Also his idea of adding water to the gravy during the cooking was very helpful.

His carving was also totally unique and I shall be trrying it.
74. marion Thu 18 Dec 2008 @ 22:20 Hi there,First let me say Happy Xmas & New year too.
Watched your show tonight 18th dec08 absolutely fabulous had me watering at the mouth,I am going to be away for Xmas but I am going to have another xmas when I get back & pt into action some of the food I saw you make Yummy! keep up the good work.
75. jane coghlan Thu 18 Dec 2008 @ 21:43 i loved your turkey

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