When approaching the idea of Christmas dinner there is one dish that stands triumphantly above them all. The roast Turkey is synonymous with Christmas time and the very notion of a festive feast without one is as abhorrent as it is unfeasible. That being said, a full turkey is probably one of the most difficult meats to cook. It takes a long time to cook, which means it can dry out, so you need to cover it with tin foil to keep it moist, but then you don't get crispy skin and Granny will pitch a fit if she doesn't get a bit of white meat with crispy skin that isn't overdone. Too much stress right? Here I take you through how to cook a turkey crown. It is essentially just the two breasts of the bird, it is smaller, easier to cook, more budget friendly and you can still feed a small warehouse of people from it.
Everything you need to make your crowning glory (sorry... couldn't resist).
Before we get to the turkey we are going to start on the flavoured butter. This will help baste and season the meat as it cooks. Start with the 250g of butter in a small bowl. Finely dice the shallot and add it to the butter.
Chop up the parsley and thyme leaves and add them in.
Chop up the cranberries and add them in as well.
Zest the lemon into the bowl and as finely as you can.
Season really well with salt and pepper.
Now switch to a bigger bowl if, like me, you realise the one you were using was too small. Then start to mix all of the elements of the flavoured butter together.When it is all well combined you can chill it if you are preparing it in advance or you can use it straight away.
When it is all well combined you can chill it if you are preparing it in advance or you can use it straight away.
Take your turkey crown and with the head end (the non-pointy end) away from you, start to work your hand between the skin and the flesh of the breast. Now take a little of the butter in your hand and push it down into the hole you just made. Make sure you fill it all the way to the front of the bird so every bit gets some of the butter when it starts to cook. Do the same on the opposite side.
As the turkey cooks the flavoured butter will melt, that will baste the meat and season it with all of those beautiful things you combined it with. It will keep the meat moist while allowing the skin to get nice and crispy. Put the turkey into the centre of an oven preheated to 220 degrees for about forty minutes. After the forty minutes, take the turkey out. You will see that the skin is dark and starting to get to that perfect crispy stage. Cover the crown with tin foil and reduce the oven to 170 degrees. Place the turkey back into the oven for about another two and a half hours. The tin foil will keep it moist and save the skin from burning while it cooks.
After the two and a half hours remove the turkey and let it rest for about half an hour. I know that seems like a long time but it will be worth it. The meat will hold onto its moisture and be even more succulent and delicious.When the meat has rested, remove the foil and start carving. Because you just have the breasts to contend with, carving should be no problem as long as you have a sharp knife. Enjoy this beautifully seasoned turkey for Christmas dinner and in sandwiches for the week afterwards!
When the meat has rested, remove the foil and start carving. Because you just have the breasts to contend with, carving should be no problem as long as you have a sharp knife. Enjoy this beautifully seasoned turkey for Christmas dinner and in sandwiches for the week afterwards!
