3 ½ kg turkey
3 tbsp butter, room temperature
Zest of 1 orange
1 tsp Food Lover’s crushed garlic
¾ tsp Food Lover’s ginger
5 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp finely-diced fresh red chilli
10 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed
1 orange, halved
4 onions, peeled and cut into rounds
1 cup Porcupine Ridge Sauvignon Blanc
1 cup water
Food Lover’s freshly-ground salt and pepper
6 rashers Food Lover’s back bacon, finely sliced
1 med onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp butter
½ cup celery, trimmed and finely chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves removed and finely chopped
1 large handful dried cranberries
1 cup Food Lover’s apple juice
½ tsp ground allspice
Food Lover’s freshly-ground salt and pepper
Zest of 1 orange
1 ½ cups pork sausage meat
1 free-range egg
1 cup breadcrumbs
Melt the butter in a pan and add the bacon, finely chopped onions, celery and rosemary.
Cook on a medium heat for about 8 mins.
Add the cranberries and the apple juice.
Cook for a further 10 mins, then set it aside to cool.
Mix in the allspice, freshly ground salt and pepper, orange zest, pork sausage meat, egg and breadcrumbs.
Set it aside.
In a small bowl combine butter, orange zest, fresh chilli, garlic, ginger, thyme leaves and half the maple syrup.
Season with freshly ground salt and pepper to taste.
Loosen the skin of the turkey from the meat with your fingers, working your way around the whole bird.
Take the butter mixture and push it under the loosened skin, spreading it out as much as possible.
Now, take the pre-prepared stuffing mixture and push that into the cavity of the turkey.
Tie the legs together and place the turkey onto the onion slices that have been spread over the base of a roasting dish.
Pour the wine and water into the dish.
Brush the turkey with the rest of the maple syrup, cover with tin foil and place it in a preheated 240 °C oven for 15 mins.
Then, turn the heat down to 150 °C and allow it to cook for about 3 hours.
Remove the tin foil about an hour before the end of the cooking time.
