It doesn't get more traditional than turkey on Christmas Day. Whilst it's often the star of the show, you still want it to be simple to prepare yet packed full of flavour. Well, look no further than this citrus and herb butter turkey. A citrus and herb butter is pushed below the skin which helps keep the breasts nice and juicy and crisps up the skin. The neck cavity is stuffed with apple and lemon thyme stuffing to make it extra flavoursome (though be careful not to overstuff your turkey to ensure even cooking).
Money is tight for everyone this Christmas, but aim to buy the highest quality turkey you can afford, always free-range, and you'll be rewarded with the best quality and taste. Have a look at what won our taste tests for a guide. If you're cooking for six people or under and would prefer a cheaper turkey option, then give a turkey crown or stuffed turkey roll a try.
A handful of fresh herbs to garnish - we used sage and flat-leafed parsley
Directions
Step 1Remove the turkey from the fridge 1hr before stuffing to take the chill off it. Preheat the oven to 190ºC (170ºC fan) mark 5.
Step 2Mash the butter with the juice and zest of 1 lemon. Stir in the herbs. Pluck away any feathers. Put the turkey on a board and lift up the neck flap. Use your fingers to ease the skin gently away from the breast meat. Spread the butter between the skin and the meat. Put the stuffing inside the neck cavity, taking care not to overfill. Turn the turkey over on to its breast, pull the neck flap down and over the stuffing and secure with a skewer. (Use short wooden or metal skewers for shoot).
Step 3Put the turkey into a large roasting tin. Secure the legs with string and season the bird. Cover with foil for the first hour and roast for 3hr 25min, basting every half hour or so once the foil is removed. For the last hour add 2 halved lemons to the roasting tin. If you find it is taking on too much colour then cover with foil again.
Step 4When the turkey is cooked, lift the bird and tip any juices back into the roasting tin. Set aside for the gravy. Transfer the turkey to a warm platter and cover loosely with foil for 45min while you make the gravy.
Get Ahead
Make the citrus and herb butter up to one day ahead. Store in an airtight container. Chill. Bring to room temperature before using.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
