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Easy Roast Turkey

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How to cook easy roast turkey, complete with a cooking calculation guide. And do you know the secret tip to keeping turkey moist? | ditchthecarbs.com

Easy Roast Turkey – for Thanksgiving or Christmas 

This is how I cook our easy roast turkey for Christmas every year, and it turns out perfect and moist every time. Roast turkey is the most popular meal for Christmas and for Thanksgiving. With guests and family over, you want to make it a success. Plan the timing of everything, so once you have a glass of wine, you don’t need to think of what to do. You will have a plan.

I’ve given you my easy-to-follow schedule at the end of this post to show you exactly how to plan and cook your turkey. This schedule has saved me many times and allowed me to relax and have a glass of wine. I don’t have to think, I just have to look at my timesheet and know exactly what has to be cooked when. Set a timer for each next step and make this easy roast turkey.

GENIUS!!! The perfect way to cook a turkey that involves BUTTER and BACON! With a cooking scheduleClick To Tweet

Because turkey is a low-fat meat and has to be cooked for hours, it can very easily dry out. To avoid this, I stuff the skin, cover it with butter then wrap it in bacon.  I start at the neck end and separate the skin from the turkey breast to create a cavity.

In the cavity, you place a pork and sage stuffing which adds moisture, fat and flavour. I also stuff inside the turkey with more pork and sage stuffing, again, for more moisture, fat and flavour.

To wrap the easy roast turkey, use large sheets of aluminium foil. Place 1 sheet lengthwise and 1 sheet sideways to the turkey. Once the turkey is ready for cooking, loosely wrap the first sheet of foil over and crimp (fold) the edges together to form a seal.

Do the same with the next sheet and crimp (fold) the edges. The turkey should be sealed from any moisture being lost. It will look like one huge silver Christmas present. If there are any gaps, use another sheet of foil.

For healthy Christmas Low-Carb Sweet Treats, take a look at my new eCookbook. You can enjoy parties AND stay on track this year.

21 Low-Carb Sweet Treats - perfect for winter parties. 21 easy gluten-free and low-carb recipes, 10 baked desserts, 8 sweet treats, 3 beverages. #lowcarbdesserts #ketodesserts #sugarfreedesserts #healthydesserts #glutenfreedesserts

The Night Before

Try to get some preparation completed the night before.

  • Make the pork and sage stuffing. Roll a quarter of the mixture into stuffing balls. Keep in the fridge
  • Peel and cut the roast vegetables. Leave in a large saucepan or mixing bowl of water to stop them from browning
  • Peel and cut any vegetables that need to be cooked on the stovetop
  • Make any desserts
  • Wrap the sausages in bacon, place in a baking dish and cover with aluminium foil. Keep in the fridge

Timings

Firstly work out when you want to serve the roast turkey meal. Christmas day lunch for us is 1 pm. After calculating cooking times, work the schedule backwards. Always check your turkey to ensure it is completely cooked as your oven may vary in cooking temperature and heat distribution.

  1. Calculate the turkey cooking time according to its weight. 20 minutes at 200C/400F  to get the turkey and all the stuffing up to temperature, plus 15 minutes per 500g/1 lb at 180C/350F (For example, 2 hours for a 4 kg/8 lb turkey) plus 20 minutes at the end to remove the foil and cook uncovered to crisp the bacon, plus a further 30 minutes once it is all cooked to allow the turkey to be removed from the oven, wrapped and kept warm which allows the meat to relax and the juices to settle. So if I am cooking a 4kg (8 lb) turkey, the time it will take from first putting in the oven, to being ready to carve is 20 minutes + 2 hours + 20 minutes +30 minutes = 3 hours and 10 minutes.
  2. Now deduct this from the time you want to be able to carve the meat. Lunch for us is usually at 1 pm. Here are my timings.How to cook easy roast turkey, complete with a cooking calculation guide. And do you know the secret tip to keeping turkey moist? | ditchthecarbs.com

Easy Roast Turkey Cooking Schedule

The times shown are calculated for a 4 kg/8 lb turkey.

  • 9.50am I put the turkey in the hot oven at 200C for 20 minutes
  • 10.10am reduce the temperature to 180C and cook for 2 hours
  • 12.10pm remove the foil and cook uncovered to crisper the bacon and turkey skin for 20 minutes
  • 12.30pm remove the turkey from the oven, cover in the foil again and place a few tea towels on the clean side of the foil to insulate, keep the turkey hot and let the meat rest for 30 minutes
  • 1 pm ready to carve

Add these times into the turkey schedule if you are cooking sausages, roast vegetables and stuffing balls.

10.10am = I run out of cooking space in my oven so I add the roast vegetables at 10.10am, cook for an hour

11.10am = remove roast vegetables then cook the bacon wrapped chipolatas and stuffing balls for 30 minutes

11.40am = remove chipolatas and stuffing balls

12.30am = When I remove the turkey at 12.30 to allow it to rest, I put the roast vegetables, chipolatas and stuffing back into the empty oven to bring them back up to temperature. I make the gravy and cook the stove top vegetables already prepared last night.

1 pm = all ready

Stuff The Cavity And Under The Skin

Stuff The Cavity And Under The Skin

Stuffed Turkey
Turkey Smothered In Butter
How to cook easy roast turkey, complete with a cooking calculation guide. And do you know the secret tip to keeping turkey moist? | ditchthecarbs.com
Cover In Bacon

How to cook easy roast turkey, complete with a cooking calculation guide. And do you know the secret tip to keeping turkey moist? | ditchthecarbs.com
Ready To Wrap In Foil
How to cook easy roast turkey, complete with a cooking calculation guide. And do you know the secret tip to keeping turkey moist? | ditchthecarbs.com
Wrap Lengthwise
How to cook easy roast turkey, complete with a cooking calculation guide. And do you know the secret tip to keeping turkey moist? | ditchthecarbs.com
Wrap Across And Crimp Edges

How to cook easy roast turkey, complete with a cooking calculation guide. And do you know the secret tip to keeping turkey moist? | ditchthecarbs.com

Sausages Wrapped In Bacon

Some suggestions to accompany the easy roast turkey.

  • Buttery bacon Brussels sprouts
  • Leeks with garlic and cream
  • Spinach carbonara
  • Eggplant parmesan bites
  • Mashed cauliflower
  • Zoodles
Buttery bacon brussels sprouts with a hint of garlic and orange, oh my word!!! Give this one a go for sure. | ditchthecarbs.com
Perfect low carb vegetarian meals. Low carb can be so difficult for vegetarians, but these recipes change everything. | ditchthecrabs.com
Do you have trouble getting your kids to eat their leafy greens? Try Spinach Carbonara. It is flavoured with garlic, bacon and cream cheese and my kids absolutely go nuts for this. #healthy #realfood | ditchthecarbs.com

Low carb eggplant parmesan bites for a quick and easy snack. Nutritious and so tasty, these are fabulous for a snack tray or an appetiser. | ditchthecarbs.com
What are zoodles? Click to see an easy recipe for low carb, gluten free, wheat free spaghetti bolognese which is incredibly healthy, fresh and nutritious. #lowcarb #sugarfre #glutenfree | ditchthecarbs.com
How to make low-carb keto mashed cauliflower. Watch the NEW cooking video just added. This makes it idiot proof. | ditchthecarbs.com

For healthy Christmas Low-Carb Sweet Treats, take a look at my new eCookbook. You can enjoy parties AND stay on track this year.

21 Low-Carb Sweet Treats - perfect for winter parties. 21 easy gluten-free and low-carb recipes, 10 baked desserts, 8 sweet treats, 3 beverages. #lowcarbdesserts #ketodesserts #sugarfreedesserts #healthydesserts #glutenfreedesserts

Wishing you all a very happy Thanksgiving, Christmas, and healthy new year.

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Print

Easy Roast Turkey

Many struggle with cooking the perfect roast turkey. Just follow my cooking guidelines for easy roast turkey and you can't go wrong.

Course Dinner
Cuisine Gluten Free, Grain free, Keto, LCHF, Low Carb, No Sugars, Wheat Free
Keyword easy roast turkey
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes

Ingredients

Easy Roast Turkey

  • 4 kg turkey
  • 500 g streaky bacon
  • 55 g butter

Pork and Sage Stuffing

  • 1 onion finely diced
  • 1 tbsp dried sage
  • 750 g pork sausage meat
  • 1 egg
  • +/- salt and pepper
Metric grams - US measurements

Instructions

Pork and Sage Stuffing

  1. Place the onion, sage, pork and egg in a mixing bowl.
  2. Mix through with your hands, squeezing all the ingredients together.
  3. Half will be used to stuff the turkey breast, a quarter will be used to stuff the turkey cavity, and the remaining quarter can be rolled into balls and baked for 30 minutes.

Easy Roast Turkey

  1. Separate the skin from the turkey breast and push half of the stuffing gently as you can into the space.
  2. Rub the butter over the skin of the turkey breast and legs.
  3. Cover turkey as shown with slices of streaky bacon.
  4. Loosely wrap the large aluminium foil around the turkey and turn over the edges to make a wrapped parcel. This will keep the turkey moist.
  5. Place in a large roasting dish and cook according to the cooking schedule above.

 For dessert or after dinner treat, try these.

  • Tiramisu
  • Mocha ice bombs
  • Lemon bars
  • Lemon meringue pies
  • Walnut and brandy truffles
  • Chocolate mint truffles
This is simply the best sugar free tiramisu on Pinterest. Simple grain free and low carb sponge, soaked in coffee, cream and chocolate. Divine! | ditchthecarbs.com
Seriously luxurious!!! This is an incredibly easy recipe for mocha ice bombs that are not only low carb they are sugar free too. | ditchthecarbs.com
A super recipe for sugar free lemon bars. Low carb and gluten free. Definitely one to pin for later. | ditchthecarbs.com

Take look at these easy sugar free and low carb lemon meringue pies. Adapted from I Quit Sugar to low carb with ease. Pin for later. | ditchthecarbs.com
You must try this amazing and simple recipe for sugar free and low carb walnut brandy truffles. Not only are they sugar free, they're low carb and gluten free. #lowcarb #sugarfree #glutenfree | ditchthecarbs.com
Low Carb Chocolate Mint Truffle | ditchthecarbs.com

How to cook easy roast turkey, complete with a cooking calculation guide. And do you know the secret tip to keeping turkey moist? | ditchthecarbs.com

Wishing you all a very happy Thanksgiving, Christmas, and healthy new year.

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Comments

  1. Sonja says

    December 20, 2017 at 4:03 pm

    Can you please tell me if the temperatures you suggest are in a fan forced oven, or should I reduce the temp a bit so as not to overcook?

    Reply
  2. Jenny says

    November 13, 2016 at 7:04 am

    Hi Libby, the turkey looks fantastic. Where do you get your sausage meat and sausages from? I find most of them have so many additives in them, I would love to find a source in Whangarei.

    Reply
    • Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com says

      November 14, 2016 at 10:30 am

      I tend to buy Henderson’s bacon, and you can buy that in New World, Countdown etc. I choose sausages that are 85% or above meat. Check the carb content. If it is above 1-2% it indicates there are a lot of fillers in there such as wheat, rice flour etc so avoid those. Turkey is all free range here in NZ so that’s an easy one.

      Reply
  3. Julia says

    November 11, 2016 at 11:02 am

    I’ve just come across this as it’s the first year holding Christmas at ours, so I’ll be cooking the turkey for a change! This recipe looks fab, however I can’t put bacon on the turkey as I have family members who can’t have it. Would the recipe work without bacon, and with sage and onion stuffing instead? I want to keep the turkey moist. Thanks, Julia

    Reply
    • Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com says

      November 11, 2016 at 1:34 pm

      Yes, it would work without the bacon. I simply use bacon to flavour the skin and to keep the turkey moist. Just ensure the turkey is wrapped in the aluminium foil well and the edges are crimped together so the turkey doesn’t dry put. Enjoy 🙂

      Reply
      • Julia says

        November 11, 2016 at 7:45 pm

        Super, thank you Libby! 🙂

        Reply
  4. sjwnana1 says

    December 22, 2015 at 12:55 pm

    thanks libby,,,, for all u do
    I agree once you do this for a long time it is just…WHAT U DO.. I have been baking for my cancer group bake sale.. sooo.I will finish up tomorrow and deliver them wed.. collect and they can enjoy all my old favorites…and nope I did not even lick the beaters… thank god,,, it just does not tempt me anymore……I have come down a long,, long,, way on my weight and want to keep it that way also… ..and you have helped me a lot… thanks again
    merry christmas dear lady
    sheila in ga

    Reply
    • Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com says

      December 24, 2015 at 9:59 am

      Wow Sheila, you are incredible and such kind lovely words. It truly does become a part of life doesn’t it. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas, Libby (way down in NZ) x

      Reply
  5. Julie Hawkes says

    November 30, 2015 at 9:22 am

    Wow! I’ve just read through your Christmas recipe ideas and your easy turkey recipe, you make cooking so easy with pictures and detailed instructions. I’m so looking forward to a feast of tasty food without feeling like I’ve missed out on all the sugary and high carb foods that I normally pig out on! Thank you for making this so simple for us to manage. I live in the UK and I’m sharing your website with anyone who’s interested and those who aren’t!!! I’m feeling better about Christmas now and know that I can do a LCHF end to the year without feeling bad about myself and going on a stupid diet in the new year.

    Reply
    • Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com says

      November 30, 2015 at 10:43 am

      Julie I am so glad my instructions are clear and easy to understand. Once you have been doing something for years, it is hard sometimes to put it in words for others to understand. I like to have a checklist then I can hit the wine and not worry 😉 And yes, isn’t it great knowing we won’t be starting the new year trying to lose the weight we usually put on over christmas. My weight remains pretty much stable year on year now, and I continue to eat all the recipes you see here, real food, healthy fats and not a low fat item in sight. Have a fantastic Christmas. Libby x

      Reply

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