Here’s your opportunity to make the best Christmas Turkey of your life. It may seem like so much work, but really it’s extremely simple and most of the time you’re just waiting for the turkey to brine, then dry out then roast. Giving you plenty of time to get all that other Christmas Feast prep done.
Why brined? Because once you try it, there’s no going back. Brining delivers the juiciest, most flavour-packed turkey you’ll ever taste - tender, succulent and impossible to dry out.
Why dried? Brining makes the meat juicy and delicious, but soggy skin? Not so much. Let the turkey air-dry so the skin crisps up to a golden and irresistible crunch that everyone will fight over!
Why Spatchcocked? Because it almost halves the cooking time and ensures every part of the bird cooks evenly. Say goodbye to overcooked legs and underdone breasts.
Fresh fennel, vibrant oranges, and a whole lot of love come together to create a Christmas turkey that’s truly unforgettable. And our Ironclad Grande Pan is the ideal vessel for the job - beautiful, sturdy, and built to last.
Finish your masterpiece with a drizzle of fragrant gravy and a scattering of pomegranate seeds. It’s a festive showstopper destined to become a family tradition - one you can pass down along with the pan and the recipe.
Turkey Brine
Prep time:5 mins
Brine time: 24-36 hours
Dry time: 3 hours.
Roasted Turkey
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 1¾ hours
Gravy
Prep time: 5 minutes.
Serves: 8 - 10
INGREDIENTS
THE BRINE
3.5kg free range Turkey
4L water
320g fine salt
200g sugar
3 tbsp black peppercorns
4 bay leaves
3 oranges, quartered
2 tbsp toasted, ground fennel seeds
2 large white onions, unpeeled and quartered
THE ROAST
3 tbsp olive oil
2 fennel bulbs, sliced lengthwise into 8 wedges each
1 large white onion, unpeeled and cut into thick rounds
8 bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 oranges, thickly sliced
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
1 bulb garlic, roughly chopped
2 tbsp fennel seeds
250ml boiling water
THE GRAVY
2 tsp smoked paprika
250ml white wine
350ml chicken stock
4 tbsp tomato sauce (trust me here)
Salt and pepper
METHOD
To make the brine, boil half the water with the remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the rest of the water and allow it to cool completely. Using a very sharp knife or kitchen shears, cut the backbone out of the turkey—save it!
In a large pot, or even the veggie drawer of your fridge, pour the cooled brine over the turkey, breast-side down. Cover and refrigerate for 24–36 hours, making sure the brine covers the entire bird. If your vessel is slightly too big, turn the turkey halfway through.
About six hours before serving, remove the turkey from the brine, pat it dry with paper towels, and leave it on a rack in the open air in a cool place to dry out.
Heat the oven to 180°C.
Arrange the remaining ingredients and the turkey spine evenly in the bottom of your Ironclad Grande Pan and season generously with salt and pepper. Place the turkey on top, tucking in the legs so they don’t hang over the side. Rub olive oil into the skin, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes. To check doneness, pierce the mid-thigh with a fork—if the juices run clear, it’s done. The leg should move easily, and the meat should be tender.
Remove the turkey from the oven and rest it under tinfoil for 30–45 minutes. It will continue to cook and become even juicier.
While the turkey rests, make the gravy. Place your Grande Legacy Pan over medium heat on the stove, add the smoked paprika and scrape up all the good bits up from the bottom.
Add the wine, and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the stock and simmer for another 10 – 15 minutes. This is not a traditional thick gravy, it’s more of jus.
Remove the turkey spine then sieve the remaining ingredients. Press down hard to extract all the flavour. Return the gravy liquid to a smaller pot and bring back to a simmer.
Stir in the tomato sauce, taste, and adjust seasoning if needed., but if you prefer it thicker, mix 2 tablespoons of flour with ½ cup cold water, pour into the gravy and simmer for 3 minutes stirring frequently.
Don’t completely clean the Grande pan—you’ll serve the carved turkey in it. Carve the turkey breast, cut the thighs and legs in half.
Pour half a cup of gravy plus ¼ c hot chicken stock into the bottom of the pan and arrange the turkey on top. Place the pan on the stovetop and gently heat the meat by bringing that pan full of a goodness to a gentle simmer for 2 minutes.
Remove from heat, drizzle with a little more hot gravy and dress with extra fennel fronds and pomegranate jewels.
Pour the remaining gravy into a jug that has been heated with boiling water and serve it steaming to the table.
Then sit back and wait for the accolades.
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