Honey! Honey! I Roasted the Turkey!

Thanksgiving is around the corner, and the travel industry is gearing up to get loved ones together to share the feast of Roast Turkey, stuffings, cranberry, talk, family gossip, fueds, dysfunction and reconnecting. Gather around this recipe for a Honey roasted herbed Turkey, adapted from a recipe by Mirj. The twist is within the recipe. Can you tell which it is? Can you tell the difference it makes?

1 12-14kg Fresh Frozen Whole Turkey, thawed (psst...blow in its ear to thaw faster ;) )

500 ml water

100 g rock salt
250 ml Honey

20 g fresh ground black pepper

50 g whole garlic cloves

50 g fresh thyme

30 g fresh sage

30 g fresh rosemary

1 L good chicken stock

2 lemons, juiced

50 ml olive oil

Remove giblets and neck from turkey and reserve to make gravy with. Rinse turkey under cold water, drain well. Blot dry with paper towels. Set aside.

In a large bowl (large enough to hold the large bird), mix salt, water and honey. Mix until thoroughly dissolved. Add ground pepper and half of the chicken stock.

Place turkey in bowl. stir and pour the brine in and around the turkey. Cover with cling film, then let sit in the fridge 10-12 hours.

Remove turkey. Drain well and pat dry. Discard the brine. Place turkey on heavy roasting pan.

Stuff the herbs and garlic into the turkey cavity.

Squeeze lemon juice into the turkey cavity, then throw in the lemon halves.

Coat turkey with olive oil inside and out thoroughly. Then rub some salt and fresh ground pepper inside out.

Add the giblets and neck to the roasting pan.

Roast in preheated oven at 350F for about 45 minutes to an hour. Baste with leftover chicken stock and juices from the pan. Internal temperature should reach 170F. You check this by sticking a thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey, usually the breast, away from the bone.

Remove turkey from oven. Set aside drippings for gravy.

Let rest 15-20 minutes before carving.

To make the gravy.

In a sauce pot, saute 1 whole peeled white onion, a celery stalk, 1 peeled carrot until tender and slightly colored.

Sprinkle in about 2 tablespoons of flour, then stir to distribute evenly.

Pour drippings into the sauce pot.

Bring to boil, then let simmer for about 10-15 minutes.

Pass through a fine strainer. Discard the vegetables and meat.

Return to heat and reduce by one fourth.

Season to taste with some salt and pepper. Serve hot!