Name: Mayo-Roasted (a month after) Thanksgiving Turkey with Gravy
Ingredients: 5 kg whole turkey, backbone removed, neck, giblets and backbone reserved for the gravy; 100 g coarse sea salt; 2 sticks celery (diced); 1 large onion (diced); 1 large carrot (diced); 400 g good mayonnaise; 50 g fresh parsley leaves; 25 g sage leaves; 10 g fresh thyme or oregano leaves; 6 spring onions roughly chopped; 1 lemon zested; 1 pinch salt; 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper; 2 tsp neutral oil, such as vegetable, light olive oil or canola; 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped; 1 large onion, diced; 1 large carrot, roughly chopped; reserved backbone and any neck or giblets from the turkey, roughly chopped; 500 ml chicken stock; reserved herb stems from the Herb Mayo; 2 bay leaves; 50 g plain flour; 60 g unsalted butter; 1 tbsp soya sauce

AuthorBen WatsonCategoryChicken and poultry, Winter

Time: about 2 hours, plus overnight dry-brining

Some recipes for mayo-roasted turkey promise extra-juicy results with minimal effort. This one does no such thing. The mayonnaise won’t help the turkey stay juicy; only salting and resting (a light curing process known colloquially as dry-brining) and carefully monitoring its internal temperature as it roasts will.

The mayonnaise will, however, produce a turkey with glistening, burnished, golden-brown skin evenly flavoured with herbs, no basting required. The mayo’s viscosity helps it stay in place as it roasts, while the extra protein from egg aids in browning.

This recipe will make a little more mayonnaise than you’ll need. Use the excess for leftovers sandwiches, or toss it with roughly chopped vegetables (carrots, broccoli, brussels sprouts, courgette or squash) before roasting at high heat for 10 to 15 minutes.

Yields1 Serving

For the turkey

5 kg whole turkey, backbone removed, neck, giblets and backbone reserved for the gravy

100 g coarse sea salt

2 sticks celery (diced)

1 large onion (diced)

1 large carrot (diced)

For the mayonnaise

400 g good mayonnaise

50 g fresh parsley leaves

25 g sage leaves

10 g fresh thyme or oregano leaves

6 spring onions roughly chopped

1 lemon zested

1 pinch salt

1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

For the gravy

2 tsp neutral oil, such as vegetable, light olive oil or canola

2 celery sticks, roughly chopped

1 large onion, diced

1 large carrot, roughly chopped

reserved backbone and any neck or giblets from the turkey, roughly chopped

500 ml chicken stock

reserved herb stems from the Herb Mayo

2 bay leaves

50 g plain flour

60 g unsalted butter

1 tbsp soya sauce

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit

2. Rinse turkey and pat dry, removing giblets and neck. Generously season the inside of the bird with salt and pepper – the more the better. Let turkey stand at room temperature for at least one hour to dry the skin.

3. In a small bowl, combine mayo, fresh herbs, garlic, lemon zest and juice.

4. Rub half of the mayo mixture under the skin. Use remaining half to rub all over the outside of the skin. Generously season with salt and pepper.

5. Transfer to roasting pan and cook for 30 minutes.

6. Turn oven down to 350 degrees F and continue cooking until turkey reaches 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the thigh, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

7. Remove from oven and let rest for 30 minutes before carving.

Ingredients