TURKEY TIME!

Instead of stuffing the cavity of the bird, which slows down cooking time, gently push the stuffing up under the skin via the neck cavity to protect the delicate breast meat. as the sausage cooks, the fat/juices saturate the meat, moistening & flavoring the turkey - YUM!!

Allow 18 minutes per lb, and 20 minutes’ resting before carving.

Ingredients
Feeds 8 to 10. Takes 3½ hours plus resting.

17 lb fresh or fully thawed turkey
2 lbs italian sausage - sage variety is ok if you like it - it is all good!

1 med. red onion

4 cloves garlic

1 bag pepperidge farm seasoned stuffing/bread crumbs

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

good dash of cayenne pepper

rosemary sprigs

small lemon wedges

Heat oven to 375. Rinse the turkey and wipe it inside and out with a paper towel. Fold the wing tips under the body to help it keep its shape.

To stuff the bird under the skin from the neck, work the skin free of the breast by putting your hand between the two and gently inching your fingers forward to halfway along the length of the bird.

Push about half of the stuffing in, spreading it generously over the breast area. Don’t pack it too tightly, as the stuffing will expand, but do reach as far into the nooks and crannies as you can, and down the length of the drumsticks.

Tuck the drumsticks under the bird slightly. Pop the lemon, herbs,salt and pepper, and all remaining stuffing into the cavity and skewer closed.

Cover the base of the pan with a layer of foil, and lay the turkey on top, breast-side down. Bake for 30 minutes, or until skin is a medium brown and slightly crispy

Completely cover the turkey in buttered or Pam-sprayed foil.

Roast for two hours.

The turkey is cooked when the juices that run from the thickest part of a pierced thigh are clear.

Allow the turkey to rest in a warm place for 20 minutes before carving. If the drumsticks are not fully cooked through, simply cut through each joint where they join the body and return them to the oven under a sheet of foil for another 20 minutes as you rest the turkey and carve the breast.