Roast Brined Turkey with lemon and fig stuffing
ingredients
For the turkey:
1 Game Farm Turkey (4kg)
150g soft butter
2 cups dry white wine
Brine:
2 cups sugar
2 cups sea salt
1 bunch each of thyme and sage
1/4 cup coarsely crushed black peppercorns
Stuffing:
200g fresh white breadcrumbs
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup finely chopped sage leaves
100g dried figs, chopped
2 tbsp grated lemon rind
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Salt and black pepper to season
method
To make brine:
Combine ingredients and 8 litres of water in a large stockpot, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat. Strain and cool. Completely submerge turkey in the brine and weigh down with a plate. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 2 days. Four to five hours before cooking, remove turkey from brine and rinse under cold running water. Pat dry with absorbent paper.
To make turkey stuffing:
Combine ingredients, season to taste , then mix to combine with your hands. Spoon stuffing into cavity, truss legs with kitchen twine and tuck wing tips under backbone.
Preheat oven to 180°C. Place turkey in a roasting pan and rub all over with butter, putting half of it under the skin of the breast. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Place a piece of foil over breasts, add wine, and roast, removing foil and basting frequently, for 1 hour 30 minutes. Add water to pan if necessary to prevent scorching. Remove foil and cook for a further 30 minutes, basting frequently, until golden brown and juices run clear when thigh is pierced with a skewer and internal temperature of thigh reads 80°C when tested with a meat thermometer.
Remove from oven, cover turkey loosely with foil and rest for 10 minutes. Carve and serve drizzled with pan juices.
tips
Start this recipe a day in advance!
