Gordon Ramsay’s roast turkey uses herb butter packed under the skin with lemon, garlic and parsley, then smoked bacon laid over the breast. The recipe comes from Ultimate Christmas and serves 8-10, with a 5kg bird taking about 3 hours plus a long rest.
Ramsay says the whole recipe is about one thing: keeping the bird moist. In the video he calls turkey “a very delicate dainty meat” and warns it dries out fast, which is why every step adds fat or protection.
The technique is layered defence. Butter goes under the skin, olive oil goes on top to stop it burning, then bacon rashers shield the breast 15 minutes into the roast. Between them they add fat, flavour and armour so the lean breast never sees direct heat.
Gordon Ramsay’s Roast Turkey with Lemon, Parsley and Garlic
Course: Dinner, MainCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Medium8
servings20
minutes2
hours45
minutes520
kcal300
The full Christmas roast from Ultimate Christmas, serves 8-10. Norfolk Black or Bronze turkey, 375g herb butter under the skin, smoked bacon over the breast, roasted at 220C then 180C for 30 minutes per kilo. Ramsay rests the bird for as long as he cooks it. His cider and walnut gravy is built from the roasting tray afterwards.
Ingredients
- For the herb butter:
375g (13 oz) butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp olive oil
Finely grated zest and juice of 2 small lemons
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
Small bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the turkey:
1 free-range turkey, about 5-5.5kg (11-12 lb)
2 onions, peeled and halved
1 lemon, halved
1 head of garlic, halved horizontally
6 bay leaves
Olive oil, for drizzling
8 rashers smoked streaky bacon
Directions
- Make the herb butter: Preheat the oven to 220C (425F) / Gas 7. Beat the butter with salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, crushed garlic and chopped parsley. Mix well.
- Prepare the cavity: Remove the giblets and season the cavity with salt and pepper. Stuff with the onion halves, lemon halves, garlic head and 2 bay leaves.
- Butter under the skin: Loosen the skin over the breast from both ends, keeping it intact. Work your fingers under the skin towards the legs too. Pack half the herb butter underneath and massage it evenly over the breasts. Tuck the remaining 4 bay leaves under the skin.
- Butter over the skin: Spread the rest of the butter over the outside of the bird. Season well with salt and pepper, then drizzle with olive oil. Can be covered with foil and refrigerated overnight at this stage.
- Roast hot: Place breast side up in a large roasting tray. Roast at 220C for 10–15 minutes until starting to brown. Remove, baste with the pan juices and lay the bacon rashers over the breast.
- Lower and roast: Reduce the oven to 180C (350F) / Gas 4. Roast for about 2 hr 30 min (calculating 30 minutes per kg), basting occasionally.
- Check: Insert a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh. If the juices run clear, it is done. If pink, roast another 15 minutes and check again.
- Rest: Transfer to a warmed platter. Remove the wings and drumstick tips and save them for the gravy. Rest uncovered in a warm place for at least 2 hours. Remove the bay leaves from under the skin before carving.
Notes
- Ramsay writes: “The texture will be improved the longer you leave the turkey to rest. Piping hot gravy will restore the heat.” His preferred breeds are Norfolk Black and Norfolk Bronze for their gamey taste. You can prepare the turkey the night before and refrigerate it.
FAQs
What temperature and how long does Ramsay roast his turkey?
The oven starts at 220C for 10-15 minutes to brown the skin, then drops to 180C for the long cook at 30 minutes per kilo. A 5kg bird takes about two and a half hours at the lower temperature. Start checking 30 minutes early though, because ovens vary.
Test by pushing a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh, where the juices should run clear. If they are still pink, give it another 15 minutes and check again. Once done, rest the turkey uncovered for at least two hours while you finish his cranberry sauce and the gravy.
How does Ramsay make his turkey gravy?
The gravy is built from what comes out of the turkey: the bacon from the breast, the onions and lemon from the cavity, and the wing tips you saved. Everything goes into the roasting tray with dry cider and chicken stock.
The full method with measurements is in his turkey gravy with cider and walnuts, which deserves its own page because there is a lot to it. The crushed walnuts dropped into the gravy boat at the end are the detail nobody else mentions.
What goes inside the turkey instead of stuffing?
Ramsay does not stuff his Christmas turkey. The cavity gets halved onions, a lemon, a head of garlic and bay leaves, which steam inside the bird and add a gentle sweetness. His actual stuffing bakes separately: pork mince with dried apricots, pistachios, apple and parsley rolled in sage leaves and foil.
Baking it apart means both the turkey and stuffing cook properly, which is safer and gives you crispy edges on the stuffing roll. Serve it sliced alongside his Brussels sprouts with pancetta and the gravy for the full Christmas plate from the same book.
Can you roast just a turkey breast or crown?
The recipe is built for a whole 5 to 5.5kg bird, but the herb butter technique works on any cut. For a crown or boneless breast, loosen the skin the same way, pack the butter underneath and lay bacon over the top. The 30-minute-per-kilo rule still applies, so a 2kg crown takes about an hour.
The main difference is there is no cavity to fill, so you lose the steamed onion and lemon flavour from inside. If you want pastry for a smaller group, his turkey wellington wraps the breast in mushroom stuffing and puff pastry instead.
Can you prepare Ramsay’s turkey the night before?
Yes, and both the book and the YouTube video say so. Make the herb butter, pack it under the skin, cover the whole turkey with foil and refrigerate overnight. In the video he says you can do all this the night before and keep the turkey covered in the fridge.
Bring it to room temperature before roasting, which takes about an hour for a 5kg bird. If you also want to season the meat with salt beforehand, his turkey brine guide explains how a dry brine overnight works alongside the butter. The salt seasons while the butter handles the moisture.
