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1
Preheat the oven to gas 6 / 200C / 400F
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2
Mix the juice of 1 of the lemons with 3/4 of the butter, melted.
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3
Set aside the squeezed lemon halves, we'll use them in a minute
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4
Fry the onion quarters in the rest of the butter on a low heat for 5 minutes then set aside to cool
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5
Making sure the giblets have been removed first, fill the turkey/chicken cavity with the onions, the squeezed and unsqueezed lemon shells and the thyme sprigs.
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6
Close and secure with a cocktail stick
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7
Slid your fingers under the skin around the neck, over the breast meat and spoon some of the lemon butter into the pockets you've made.
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8
Rub the rest over the skin, not forgetting the legs and wings
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9
Slice the bacon in half lengthwise if it's wide and arrange over the breast in a lattice pattern.
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10
It will shrink back a bit during cooking.
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11
Cover loosely with foil if you don't have a roasting pot with a lid
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12
For turkeys/chicken over 4kg/9lbs, allow 20 minutes per kg (first 20 minutes at a higher temp), plus 90 minutes with the oven slightly lower.
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13
For birds under 4kg/9lbs the time is still 20 minutes per kilo but then only 70 minutes to finish
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14
So based on my 6kg roaster chicken shown, cook it for 20 minutes at the preheated temp, then reduce the oven down to gas 4 / 180C / 350F and cook for another 4 hours (last half hour step below)
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15
Mix the maple syrup with the cinnamon and 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, remove the lid / foil and brush the syrup mixture over the bird.
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16
Return to the oven uncovered for the final 30 minutes
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17
To test if its ready, pierce the thickest part of the thigh with a skewer.
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18
If the juices are clear, its cooked.
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19
If they are pink, return it to the oven for another 15 minutes and keep checking until cooked.
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20
Once cooked, tilt the tray gently so any juices run out into the corner
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21
Transfer the roast to a platter and cover in foil.
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22
Put a tea towel on top to keep it warm and leave to rest for 20 minutes while you get on with the gravy.
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23
A roast bird covered this way will keep it's temp for almost a whole hour, so you've plenty of time to do sides even if your oven is small
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24
To make the gravy, skim the fat from the juices in the roasting tin and discard, then stir in the flour.
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25
There will be quite a lot of fat because of the butter.
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26
Cook on the stove top for 4 minutes, stirring, then gradually stir in the stock until thickened.
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27
Heat until simmering, stir, then serve
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28
This size of bird will feed a good 12 - 14 adults.
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29
Try my cornbread stuffing side dish with it!
