4 cloves
2 tablespoons allspice berries
4 star anise
2 tablespoons white mustard seeds
200 grams sugar
2 onions (unpeeled and quartered)
1 x 6 cm piece of fresh root ginger (unpeeled and cut into 6 slices)
4 tablespoons maple syrup
4 tablespoons runny honey
stalks from 1 bunch fresh parsley
1 x 5.5 kilograms turkey
For the basting glaze
75 grams goose fat (or butter)
3 tablespoons maple syrup
Method
1. Put the water into your largest cooking pot or a bucket or plastic
bin. Squeeze the juice from the orange quarters into the water
before you chuck the husks in, and then add all the other
ingredients, stirring to combine the salt, sugar, syrup and runny
honey.
2. Remove any string or trussing from the turkey, shake it free,
remove the giblets, if not already done, and put them in the fridge
(or straightaway set about making the stock for the gravy), then
add the bird to the liquid, topping up with more water if it is not
completely submerged.
3. Keep covered in a cold place, even outside overnight or for up to a
day or two before you cook it, remembering to take it out of its
liquid (and wipe it dry with kitchen paper) 1-2 hours before it has
to go into the oven.
JOY FEELINGS | DECEMBER ISSUE
14