RECIPES - ROAST TURKEY WITH MR CRUMB SAGE & ONION STUFFING AND MR CRUMB CRANBERRIES IN PORT SAUCE

1. When you first receive your turkey make sure you know how much it weighs so that you can calculate the cooking time - the timings given here are for a 14 lb (6.5 kg) bird.
   
   
2. Stuff the turkey with Mr. Crumb Sage & Onion Stuffing.
   
   
3. Spread about 6 oz (175 g) of softened butter all over the bird.Lay about 8 oz (225 g) of streaky bacon rashers over the breast of the bird, overlapping slightly, then season with cracked black pepper.
   
   
4. Arrange two large sheets of foil across your roasting tin, one width ways and the other lengthways. Lay the turkey on its back in the middle of the foil then loosely wrap it: the parcel must be firmly sealed but with room for air to circulate around the turkey, creating 'an oven within the oven'. Place in a pre-heated hot oven, gas mark 7, 425°F (220°C), for 40 minutes - this initial blast is so that the heat gets right into the turkey and the stuffing very quickly. Then reduce the oven temperature to gas mark 3, 325°F (170°C) for 3½ hours.
   
   
5. After this time, remove the turkey from the oven, uncover it and discard foil. Baste with the juices then increase the oven temperature to gas mark 6, 400°F (200°C). Cook the uncovered turkey for a further 40 minutes - once the bacon on top of the turkey has browned you can push it down into the tin to allow the breast to get a final browning.
   
   
6. After the final 40 minutes, remove the turkey from the oven. Pierce the thickest part of the leg with a skewer then press the skewer against the leg to see if the juices run clear without any trace of pink - if the juices are clear, the turkey is cooked. You can also give the legs a little tweak – if they feel like they've got some 'give' in them, then the turkey is done. Cover it loosely with foil and allow it to rest for about 45 minutes before serving - it will be fine at kitchen temperature.
   
   
7. The drained fat from the turkey can be used for roasting your potatoes and a selection of root vegetables. Just drain the fat into a clean roasting tin, adding a little extra sunflower oil if needed and add peeled and par-boiled or steamed potatoes and vegetables cut in chunks - try carrots, quartered red onions, sweet potatoes and parsnips. Because they have been par-cooked already, they should be fully roasted in 30mins, just in time for dinner to be served!
   
   
8. Empty a tub of Mr. Crumb Cranberries in Port Sauce into a small saucepan and heat gently over a moderate heat until hot.
   
   
9. Serve the turkey, carved with a spoonful of Sage & Onion Stuffing with a little Mr Crumb Cranberries in Port Sauce on the side.
   
   

   
   
   Cooking times for other sizes of turkey:
   8-10 lb (3.5-4.5 kg) – 30 minutes at the high temperature, then 2½-3 hours at the lower temperature, then a final 30 minutes (uncovered) at gas mark 6, 400°F (200°C).
   15-20 lb (6.75-9 kg) – 45 minutes at the high temperature, then 4-5 hours at the lower temperature, then a final 30 minutes (uncovered) at gas mark 6, 400°F (200°C).
   
   Please bear in mind that ovens, and turkeys themselves, vary and the only sure way of knowing if a bird is ready is by using the tests described above.

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