Get-ahead gravy and roast turkey crown
This homemade gravy is made in advance and frozen until ready to serve. The turkey crown is also soaked in brine for a few days before cooking.
Ingredients
For the gravy
- 20 chicken wings
- 250g/9oz unsmoked streaky bacon, chopped
- 2 onions, skins left on, chopped
- 3 celery sticks, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp plain flour (optional)
- 100ml/3½fl oz red wine
- 50ml/2fl oz port
- 50ml/2fl oz Madeira
- ½ tsp whole black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 heads garlic
- 10g fresh thyme sprigs, to finish
- 1–2 tsp redcurrant jelly, to finish (optional)
For the brine
- 500g/1lb 2oz sea salt
- 150g/5½oz caster sugar
- 750ml/1¼ pint white wine
- 100ml/3½fl oz white wine vinegar
- 5 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 orange, juice only
- 4 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 2 heads garlic
- 20g/¾oz fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 tbsp whole black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 4 star anise
- 5 whole cloves
For the turkey
- 2kg/4lb 8oz turkey crown
- 2 onions, chopped
- 3 celery sticks, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 fennel bulb, chopped
- 2 heads garlic, split
- 2 bay leaves
- bunch fresh thyme
- few fresh rosemary sprigs
- 1 packet streaky bacon
For the flavoured butter
- 250g/9oz unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed (optional)
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Method
To make the gravy, preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.
Place the chicken, bacon, onion, celery and carrot in a roasting tin and drizzle with the oil. Roast for around 1 hour–1¼ hours, or until deep golden in colour.
Remove from the oven, transfer all of the mixture to a large saucepan, scraping to lift all the sticky bits from the tin into the saucepan. Sprinkle in the flour, if using. Add the wine and cook until reduced by at least half. Add the port and cook until reduced. Add the Madeira and cook until reduced. Add the peppercorns, bay leaves and garlic and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 1 hour, skimming occasionally.
Strain and cook until reduced by half, skimming frequently. When it reaches the desired consistency, strain again and allow to cool fully. Pour into a freezer safe sandwich bag, and freeze flat to save space in your freezer.
To make the brine, place all of the brine ingredients and 5 litres/9 pints water in a large saucepan or casserole. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
To make the turkey, submerge the turkey fully in the cooled brine. Chill in the fridge for about 24 hours.
When ready to cook, remove the turkey from the brine and pat dry thoroughly inside and out.
To make the flavoured butter, mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl.
Take the turkey and carefully separate the skin from the flesh with your hand. Spread the flavoured butter under the turkey skin and spread out as evenly as you can.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
Scatter the onion, celery, carrot, fennel, garlic, bay leaves, thyme and rosemary in a roasting tin with 300ml/10fl oz of water and sit the turkey on top. Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes remove the turkey from the oven and cover with the bacon and continue to cook for 30 minutes, or until cooked through. The turkey is cooked through when the juices run clear with no trace of pink when the thickest part of the leg, between the drumstick and the thigh, is pierced with a skewer. Leave to rest for at least 40 minutes before carving and serving.
Any juices in the base of the tin can be stirred into the gravy.
Bring the gravy to the boil and add the turkey cooking juices, thyme sprigs and redcurrant jelly, if a bit of sweetness preferred. Strain the gravy and serve with the turkey.
