A delicious roast turkey is often the centrepiece of many Thanksgiving and Christmas tables.
But regardless of whether you are cooking for two or a large gathering, it can be daunting, especially when it’s for a special occasion.
Our head chef Taylor shares his top tips and failsafe techniques you can use at home, for the perfect turkey roast.
I started working at 17, the early years of my experience involved a number of large hotels in Surrey, from there I joined the team at the Hand & Flowers in Marlow, just after they received two Michelin Stars, it was an exciting time for a young chef, with long hours but I enjoyed it. From there I worked at Wentworth Golf Club, before moving to the Cotswolds, where I worked at couple of brasseries in Cheltenham. It was at Cowley Manor that I first worked directly with the kitchen garden produce. From there I held the position of Head Chef at the Lion Inn in Winchcombe, the Horse & Groom in Bourton on the Hill followed, before working under Sam Bowser at The Wild Rabbit. A pub kitchen is where I am most happy.
My dad was a big influence growing up, we would always cook Sunday roast together, listening to music with a glass of wine. And seeing my idols on TV on Saturday Kitchen!
Brining the turkey is really important. When you roast the turkey, the salt helps to keep all the moisture in the joint. We brine our turkeys in a 10% brine, so for a litre of water, use 100 grams of salt, and soak it in the brine overnight.
Create steam in the oven.
Rest the turkey for at least half the amount of time you have cooked it, it will ensure it is tender and help keep it juicy.
When the turkey goes into the oven, rub it with oil and add a little butter under the skin.
When the turkey is golden and crispy all over, cover with foil to keep the moisture in for the remainder of the cooking time.
Use all of the delicious roasting juices from cooking the meat, and then finish with a little lemon zest, redcurrant jelly and a good quality stock.
So, this is serious business. I boil a litre of water with 10 grams of salt, when the potatoes go into the water it helps break down their edges. Cook them until the knife just goes through and they are nice and tender, strain them in a colander and let them sit with a tea towel on top to pull out all of the moisture. Ruffle them up slightly, to get jaggedy edged before placing them into a piping hot tray with vegetable oil or duck fat for the perfect crispy edge.
I’m a bit of an experimentalist. I had sprouts with miso butter, they were really good. Miso is great for depth of flavour.
Discover our perfect turkey roast recipe here.
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