Classic roast turkey with red wine baste
See this recipe step by step

Classic roast turkey with red wine baste

A recipe designed to guarantee your turkey is succulent, full of flavour and takes pride of place on your table

Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Serves 8 - 10

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 20 mins

Cook time

Cook 3 hrs - 3 hrs 30 mins

Method

  1. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Put the onion and a large sprig of bay in the cavity between the legs (drumsticks). Now pack half the stuffing into the neck end, pushing it towards the breast. Secure the neck skin in position with skewers and tie the turkey legs together at the top of the drumsticks to give a neat shape. Weigh the turkey and calculate cooking time at 20 mins per kilo, plus 90 mins. (You may need to use your bathroom scales.)
  2. Put a large sheet of extra-wide foil in a large roasting tin, then put the turkey on top. Smear the breast with the butter, grate over half the nutmeg and season well. Cover the breast with bacon, pour over the wine, then loosely bring up the foil and seal well to make a parcel.
  3. Roast in the oven, then 90 mins before the end of cooking, open the foil, discard the bacon, and drain off excess fat from the tin. Leaving the foil open, return the turkey to the oven to brown, basting with the juices several times. Then 30 mins before the end of cooking, put the sausage skewers (see link, right) and stuffing of your choice around the turkey or cook in a separate lightly oiled tin.
  4. To test whether the turkey is cooked, push a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh - the juices should run clear. If they are pinkish, cook for 15 mins more, then test again. Transfer the turkey, stuffings and sausages to a platter, cover with foil, then a couple of tea towels and allow to rest for up to 30 mins before carving. This gives the juices time to settle back into the meat, ensuring that the turkey will be juicy. Garnish with sprigs of bay.

Per serving

476 kcalories, protein 74g, carbohydrate 0g, fat 19 g, saturated fat 7g, fibre 0g, salt 0.69 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, December 2006.

Try 3 issues of Good Food magazine for £3 - subscribe now!

Latest comments and suggestions

  • Binder photo Samantha

    25 November 2007

    Samantha commented on this recipe

    I made this turkey recipe last Christmas and it was fantastic. My family said it was the best they'd ever had. I'll be using it again this year, I daren't try a different one in case it's awful.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo Phil

    30 December 2007

    Phil rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    A wonderful recipe. Probably the best turkey I've ever cooked. I'll be doing this one again!

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo Lamb's Food

    17 January 2009

    Lamb's Food rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Absolutely perfect - used it this Christmas. I had never cooked turkey and this was perfect. Not dry at all and really tasty. Definately recommended.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo paula1421

    24 December 2010

    paula1421 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Great receipe, I used this the last two Christmas's and I don't think I'll ever use another. Produces a really tasty and moist turkey.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo peteorwin

    25 December 2010

    peteorwin rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I agree with the others here, this recipe is really good. I have tried various different ways and this one produced the most succulent and moist breast meat I have had from a turkey. I will definitelt be using this method next year.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo Sue

    01 February 2012

    Sue commented on this recipe

    I cooked this for Christmas dinner for 12 this year. It was dead easy, tasted delicious and looked spectacular on the table with surrounding stuffings and bay. I'll use this recipe every year now (although will probably use ground nutmeg to make it even easier).

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo Daniela

    07 December 2012

    Daniela rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I have cooked turkey crowns this way last 2 christmas and it always turned out lovely and moist with great christmas aroma in the house. Everyone loved the wine inhanced gravy, will be definately roasting my turket this way this year too, but i'm doing the whole bird this time. Can't wait for christmas to come :-)

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Leave a comment or suggestion

You must sign in or register to leave a comment.

Sign in / Register

Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Serves 8 - 10

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 20 mins

Cook time

Cook 3 hrs - 3 hrs 30 mins

Juicy and full of flavour

Ingredients

  • 1 onion , quartered
  • fresh bay leaves , to flavour and serve
  • 4.5-5.6kg/10-12lb Bronze turkey , giblets removed
  • 1 quantity of stuffing
  • 85g butter , softened
  • 1 whole nutmeg
  • 10 rashers streaky bacon
  • glass red wine , such as Merlot
Print this recipe
Add to your binder

Per serving

476 kcalories, protein 74g, carbohydrate 0g, fat 19 g, saturated fat 7g, fibre 0g, salt 0.69 g

Advertisement

Your binder

Here are three other great reasons why to sign up:

  • You get an online binder, where you can store all your favourite recipes and create menus.
  • You can add your own recipes to this site for others to try; plus, rate and make comments on recipes, and share your views on our blog.

Follow Good Food

Advertisement

All about Good Food

Magazine

Good Food Magazine

Subscribe to Good Food magazine - enjoy 100+ triple-tested recipes delivered to your door, every month.

Order today, and receive your first 3 issues for just £3

On TV

Foodie TV

See your favourite chefs on Sky Channel 247, Virgin TV 260 and find their recipes at goodfoodchannel.co.uk.

Good Food Apps

Good Food Apps

For Good Food on the go, download our apps to your phone or portable device.
Find out more here

Buy ingredients

With just one click, the full list of recipe ingredients will be put into a basket at your choice of provider. Choose from:

mySupermarket Compare prices and choose a retailer you wish to buy them from.

Ocado Let Ocado deliver all you need for this recipe, right to your door

Tesco Buy all the ingredients from our recipes through your Tesco online shop.

new

Asda Shop with Asda? You can now buy ingredients for our recipes via your Asda online shop.

In association with the above providers. Terms and conditions apply.

Close