Mary Berry’s ‘deliciously flavoured’ roast turkey crown ready in 10 ‘easy’ steps

With just two days away, many will be starting to think about preparing their turkey for the big day.

If you have a turkey crown to feed the family this year, recipe is super simple and packed with flavour.

The notes on BBC Good Food said: “This turkey crown recipe is deliciously flavoured with orange and thyme and made in 10 easy steps.

“A wonderful option for Christmas dinner. To find exact turkey crown cooking times use our roast calculator.”

It requires just a few extra ingredients and is ready from start to finish in under three hours.

Ingredients:

For the turkey crown:

2.2kg turkey crown

Two teaspoons of chopped thyme leaves

50g butter, softened

Two small oranges, one thinly sliced, one cut in half

One to two tablespoons of vegetable oil

For the turkey gravy:

Three tablespoons of plain flour

Six tablespoons of port

450ml hot turkey or chicken stock

Splash of Worcestershire sauce

Two tablespoons of soy sauce

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200C or 180C Fan.

2. Loosen the skin on the turkey crown by pushing your fingers or a spatula between the skin and meat, moving it around.

3. Mix the thyme leaves with the softened butter until combined, then smear the mixture underneath the skin of the bird. Arrange the orange slices in two neat rows under the skin, on top of the herb butter.

4. Place one of the orange halves under the skin at the neck of the bird and any orange trimmings in the neck cavity.

5. Transfer the turkey to a small roasting tray, rubbing all over with the oil, and seasoning with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for around one and a half to two hours, or until the juices run clear when the turkey is pierced in the thicket part with a skewer. During cooking, check the turkey every 30 minutes, basting occasionally and covering it with foil if it browns too fast.

6. About 15 minutes before the end of cooking, squeeze the juice from the remaining half-orange over the turkey. Return the turkey to the oven, uncovered, to allow the skin to crisp up.

7. Transfer the turkey crown to a serving platter and set aside to rest, covered in foil, for half an hour. Reserve the meat juices left in the roasting tray.

8. For the gravy, pour the juices from the roasting tin into a jug and allow it to settle. Skim all but four tablespoons of the fat from the top, then tip the remaining gravy into a saucepan and heat over medium heat until the gravy is just simmering.

9. Whisk the flour until the mixture is smooth and then pout in the port and stock, whisking again until combined. Continue to simmer the gravy until it thickens, then add a few drops of Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce.

10. Bring the gravy to the boil, adding any remaining turkey juices released while the meat was resting. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then decant into a warmed serving jug and serve it alongside the turkey.