Christmas Recipes

Whole Turkey with Apricot, Chestnut and Pancetta Stuffing

Whole Turkey with Apricot, Chestnut and Pancetta Stuffing

Serves:

6

Preparation Time:

30 mins

Cooking Time:

3 1/2 hours

Recipe Categories:

Turkey
Christmas Recipes

Ingredients :

  • 40g butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large brown onion, finely chopped
  • 120g mild pancetta, roughly chopped (approx. 9 slices)  
  • 5 cups fresh white breadcrumbs (approx. 10 slices bread)
  • 8 fresh apricots, roughly chopped
  • 440g can whole chestnuts, drained, roughly chopped
  • 1 egg
  • 3 teaspoons dried sage
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1x no.5 Ingham whole turkey
  • extra 60g butter, melted and cooled
  • 400 mls apricot nectar
  • 1/3 cup plain flour
  • 2 cups chicken stock 

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Melt butter and oil in a non stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add onion and pancetta. Cook for 5 minutes or until onion is soft. Cool. Transfer to a large bowl.  Add breadcrumbs, apricots, chestnuts, egg, sage, salt and pepper. Stir until well combined.
  2. Rinse cavity of turkey and pat dry. Fill back and front cavities with stuffing. Secure legs with kitchen twine. Place a rack in a large roasting pan. Put turkey onto rack. Pour 1/2 cup of water into pan. Place in oven and bake for 1 hour. 
  3. Add extra butter and 1 cup apricot nectar. Pour half the nectar mixture over turkey. Bake for a further 2 hours. Pour remaining nectar mixture over turkey. Bake for a further 30 minutes - 1 hour or until cooked through.
  4. Transfer turkey to a platter and cover to keep warm. Drain pan juices leaving 2 tablespoons of liquid. Place roasting pan over a medium heat. Add flour and stir into pan juices. Slowly add remaining nectar and stock. Stir until well combined and mixture comes to the boil. Simmer for 2-3 minutes or until mixture thickens. Strain gravy through a fine sieve.
  5. Serve turkey with apricot nectar gravy and vegetables of choice.

This recipe was submitted by Inghams Turkey to Your Kids.