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Roast Turkey with Cider Gravy

Don't settle for dry turkey this Christmas or Thanksgiving! Brining the bird before cooking it will ensure tender, succulent roast turkey every time. If you have a particularly large turkey you may need to double the brine recipe. For more turkey tips see my blog. If you're putting together a menu around this recipe see my Summer Christmas Menu for inspiration. 

Annabel Langbein Roast Turkey with Cider Gravy Recipe
TURKEY COURTESY OF CROZIER'S FREE RANGE TURKEYS
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Roast Turkey with Cider Gravy
6kg whole turkey 6 pork and fennel sausages ½ recipe Bacon, Herb and Hazelnut Stuffing (optional) 2 tbsp softened butter 5 cups (1.25 litre bottle) cider, plus extra if needed 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp of the cider salt and ground black pepper For the brine ½ cup brown sugar 2/3 cup salt 1 tbsp black peppercorns 1 tbsp cloves 1 tbsp allspice 3 bay leaves 1 onion, finely diced 2 cups boiling water 10 cups cold water

© Annabel Langbein Media
https://www.annabel-langbein.com/recipes/roast-turkey-with-cider-gravy/513/
%0d %0d%0d6kg whole turkey%0d6 pork and fennel sausages%0d½ recipe Bacon, Herb and Hazelnut Stuffing (optional)%0d2 tbsp softened butter%0d5 cups (1.25 litre bottle) cider, plus extra if needed%0d1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp of the cider%0dsalt and ground black pepper%0d%0dFor the brine%0d%0d½ cup brown sugar%0d2/3 cup salt%0d1 tbsp black peppercorns%0d1 tbsp cloves%0d1 tbsp allspice%0d3 bay leaves%0d1 onion, finely diced%0d2 cups boiling water%0d10 cups cold water%0d%0d%0d%0d%0d%0d%0D%0A%0D%0A %0D%0A%0D%0A © Annabel Langbein Media %0D%0A%0D%0Ahttps://www.annabel-langbein.com/recipes/roast-turkey-with-cider-gravy/513/" class="email_button no-print">EMAIL PRINT
Prep time:
30 mins + brining
Cook time:
4 hrs + resting
Serves:
10

  • 6kg whole turkey
  • 6 pork and fennel sausages
  • ½ recipe Bacon, Herb and Hazelnut Stuffing (optional)
  • 2 tbsp softened butter
  • 5 cups (1.25 litre bottle) cider, plus extra if needed
  • 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp of the cider
  • salt and ground black pepper

For the brine

  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup salt
  • 1 tbsp black peppercorns
  • 1 tbsp cloves
  • 1 tbsp allspice
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • 10 cups cold water

To make the brine, place sugar, salt, peppercorns, cloves, allspice, bay leaves and boiling water in a large heatproof pot or bowl and stir to dissolve salt and sugar. Add cold water. Leave to cool.

Pour the brine into a large, clean plastic bag or bowl and add the turkey. Cover and chill for 6-12 hours. (This can be done by pouring the brine into a clean rubbish bag, adding the turkey, then storing the sealed bag packed in ice in a chilly bin).

When ready to cook, preheat oven to 160˚C. Lift turkey out of brine, discard brine and pat turkey dry.

Remove sausages from casings and mash sausagemeat with a fork. Stuff neck end of turkey with sausagemeat and cavity with stuffing, if using. Tie legs loosely and tuck wings under. Place turkey on a rack in a large roasting dish and pour 2 cups cider into the base. Rub turkey all over with butter.

Cook for about 4 hours, adding a further 2 cups of cider to the base of the pan after 2 hours. Your turkey is cooked when a cooking thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh shows 78˚C, or when the juices run clear when you insert a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh. Check now and then to make sure it does not dry out and add a little extra cider if necessary to prevent burning. If the turkey starts to brown too quickly, cover those parts loosely with foil.

Lift turkey out of roasting dish and place breast-side down on a serving platter. Cover with tinfoil and a clean tea towel and rest for 20 minutes while finishing Cider Gravy.

To make the Cider Gravy, warm the roasting dish containing the turkey juices over a low heat on the stovetop and add the cornflour mix and remaining cider, stirring constantly until mixture starts to thicken. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste. Gravy reheats well.

To serve, carve the turkey and slice the sausagemeat and stuffing, if using, and arrange on a serving platter accompanied by a jug of Cider Gravy.

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8 comments

I have never cooked a Turkey before!!! I used this recipe and it was fantastic. Moist succulent turkey on Christmas day. I recommend this recipe. The stuffing, bacon and hazelnut was really tasty. So glad I decided to use this.
ruthiemuthie December 27, 2017
After trying this recipe, complete with the brine and cider and cranberry stuffing (didn't bother with the sausage stuffing) was THE WORST ever turkey we have ever had at Christmas. A complete waste of time. Next year I shall go back to the fool proof turkey bag for a juicy, tender, flavoursome turkey that is not only delicious hot but ab fab cold on Boxing Day. The only good part was the cranberry, bacon stuffing (without the hazelnuts as we had elderly family who would not have coped with the nuts).
JudeGillies December 27, 2016
I usually use a Delia Smith turkey recipe which has been an old favorite. But this recipe I quote from all my guest the best turkey they have ever eaten. It was so moist. We will use this again next year with out a doubt. It was rated 11/ 10. Delia will be our Thanksgiving turkey recipe. Traditions are important and we have just made a new one. Merry Christmas.
Charei December 25, 2016
Just made this for early family christmas on Saturday. Only the 2nd time I've been in charge of cooking the turkey. Because of lack of oven space we cooked it on the bbq. The turkey was beautiful, the cider gravy was beautiful, the stuffing was beautiful and the mango chutney was beautiful. Very easy and very successful. Will definitely be using these recipes again.
LucyLu December 19, 2016
Thanks for your feedback Arnie. I'm sorry to hear you had trouble with this recipe as we've had fantastic feedback on it from others. If you started with five cups of cider and put two in at the start and two in after two hours you should have had only one cup left for the gravy, but we've added a line to the recipe to say to keep an eye on it while it's cooking and add more cider if the tray looks like it's drying out, and also to suggest doubling the brine recipe if you have a particularly large turkey.
Annabel Langbein January 06, 2015
I'm glad I started the turkey before reading the comment below. Yes I had to keep adding cider during the cooking stage and covered it with tin foil after a couple of hours but turkey is beautiful.
Raeline December 13, 2014
I cooked this recipe over the weekend for an early family Christmas get together. I don't think I'll use it again. There wasn't enough brine to completely submerge the turkey so I made sure it was breast side down in the bag as the brine sat in the bottom of the bag. The cider in the roasting pan evaporated leaving a burnt residue on the bottom (assume it was the sugar in the cider that caused this). After adding 4 cups to the roasting pan there was a lot of cider left for the gravy - seemed far too much so I only put one cup in and used the vegetable water for the rest. . Not overly happy with the result. I also made the hazelnut and cranberry stuffing - nice but it all stuck to the foil as I had chosen to save it separately...........
arnie December 08, 2014
great, wewill taste it some christmas...
петяспасова December 23, 2013
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