11 December 2023 , 12:09
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Nigella Lawson believes the only turkey to eat on Christmas Day is a brined one because it adds extra flavour, makes the meat tender and is easier to carve.
There's nothing worse than slaving in the kitchen for hours on Christmas Day, only to serve up a dry turkey for the family to try and get their teeth round. Nigella Lawson says we've been overcooking the bird for years and she thinks the only way to eat it is once it's been brined.
She has shared her method for giving your turkey a spicy bath before it goes in the oven and believes that you'll be "utterly convinced" by brining once you've given it a go because it adds a subtle spice, makes the meat tender and therefore is easier to carve too.
"And I mean to say: how hard is it to fill a pan or large plastic bin or bucket with water and spices and lower a turkey into it?" she asks. And if you're worried about fitting it in your fridge while the process takes place, you don't need to. "At this time of year, it's fine just to leave it in a cold place. I sit mine by an open window in the kitchen. It means everyone freezes, but who am I going to put first — my turkey or my family?"
Nigella also suggests you could put it outside but make sure it is properly covered so foxes and other animals can't get to it, although if you're anything like the famous TV chef, you'll want to keep taking a look yourself: "Though you might find it hard to believe sight unseen, a raw turkey covered in brine — with its oranges, cinnamon sticks, and scattering of spices — looks so beautiful as it steeps that I can never help lifting the lid for quick, blissfully reassuring peeks," she says.
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Here's the ingredients you'll need for the brining:
- Approximately 6 litres water
- 1 large orange or 2 smaller (quartered)
- 250 grams Maldon salt (or 125g / ½ cup table salt)
- 3 tablespoons black peppercorns
- 1 bouquet garni
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
- 4 cloves
- 2 tablespoons allspice berries
- 4 star anise
- 2 tablespoons white mustard seeds
- 200 grams sugar
- 2 onions (unpeeled and quartered)
- 1 x 6 centimetres piece of fresh ginger (unpeeled and cut into 6 slices)
- 4 tablespoons maple syrup
- 4 tablespoons runny honey
- Stalks from 1 bunch fresh parsley
- 1 x 5½ kilograms turkey
For the basting glaze you'll need:
- 75 grams goose fat (or butter)
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
Here's the method for Nigella's super juicy roast turkey:
Pour the water into a large cooking pot, or clean bucket or bin. Squeeze the juice from the oranges in and add the peel after too. Add all the other ingredients and stir to combine the salt, sugar and honey.
Take any string or trussing off the turkey and set the giblets aside for the gravy. Add the bird to the water and add more if needed so it's submerged. Keep it covered in a cold place for a day or two. It must be taken out and wiped dry with kitchen paper one or two hours before cooking.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/gas mark 6/400F. Melt the goose fat (or butter) and maple syrup over a low heat. Paint the turkey with the glaze before it goes in the oven and baste periodically during cooking.
Roast for 2 and a half hours (Nigella's suggested cooking times are below and are based on a free range turkey which has a higher fat ratio than standard ones and therefore cooks quicker.) Check the meat is cooked by piercing it with a sharp knife where the body meets the leg. If the juices run clear, it's cooked. If it's still pink, continue cooking until clear or use a meat thermometer.
Remove from the oven and tent with foil. Allow it to rest for at least 20-40 minutes, preferably longer.
Weight of Bird: Cooking time
2.25kg/5lb : 1 ½ hours 3.5kg/8lb : 1 ¾ hours 4.5kg/10lb : 2 hours 5.5kg/12lb : 2 ½ hours 6.75kg/15lb : 2 ¾ hours 7.5kg/17lb : 3 hours 9kg/20lb : 3 ½ hours 11.5kg/25lb : 4 ½ hours
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Will you try Nigella's method for your turkey? Let us know in the comments below.