This recipe for my quick stovetop Christmas turkey is delicious and so easy to make. By using a turkey breast roll, it cooks in a fraction of the time of the whole turkey and is so easy to carve and serve.
Turkey can be a tough one to cook and very easily dries out – let’s face it, we’ve all experienced one too many dry turkeys in our time. Three years ago after trying so many methods, I came up with a fool-proof recipe producing moist turkey every time and since then I’ve never looked back. My trick is to submerge the breast roll in stock essentially poaching it gently keeping it super juicy.
Turkey is a great carrier of flavour so to the stock, I add whole garlic, shallots, dried thyme, lemon and some spices to infuse the meat, filling my kitchen with the most wonderful aromas. This flavoured stock also gives me a ready-made gravy at the end, killing two birds with one stone!
Directions
Salt your turkey skin well and place in a hot large pot with the olive oil and cook for 5 minutes on each side until nicely browned. Once golden and crispy remove and sauté the garlic and shallots for 2 minutes. Add in your peppercorns, cinnamon, lemon rind, dried thyme and stock and bring to a gentle boil.
Once the stock is bubbling away, place your turkey roll back in. The breast should be submerged about 3/4 in stock. Reduce the heat to low and cook covered for 30 minutes or until the meat is cooked through. This can be indicated by pressing the breast meat gently with your fingers, it is cooked when the meat springs back.
Remove the turkey and set aside to rest whilst you make the gravy. Strain the stock through a sieve and discard of the garlic, shallots and other solids and set aside your liquid. Place the butter and flour in your now empty pot on a low-medium heat and stir constantly until they are combined and form a deep golden brown colour. One your roux is ready and golden, return the stock to the pot and gently whisk until thick and glossy. Serve with our Clove-Studded Ham and favourite sides and enjoy!
