Festive turkey

by Ross Dobson

For this treat, Christmastime or not, you will probably have to order a boneless turkey breast roll from your butcher. This will be the real deal: unprocessed and without any added flavourings. The rule of thumb for cooking turkey is 40 minutes for every kilo, plus an extra 20 minutes. As this is not being cooked in the oven, the timing is a bit different. Season the turkey well and don’t overcook. Those are two simple rules to follow for a lovely piece of meat.

Serves 4

You’ll need

  • 1 boneless turkey breast roll, about 1.6 kg (3 lb 8 oz), skin on
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground Black pepper
  • 1 small handful toasted Flaked almonds

Salsa verde

  • 1 bunch flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, chopped
  • 24 basil leaves
  • 2 anchovies, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons salted capers, rinsed and drained
  • ½ cup (125 ml) olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Method

Remove any wrapping the turkey came in. Rub the skin all over with the oil and sit on a chopping board. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Leave for 1 hour prior to cooking. Cover with a clean tea towel if you like.

Your firepit is ready to cook on after about 2 hours of burning, when the timber is charcoal black, has transformed into red hot coals about the size of golf balls, and the smoke has all but subsided. To test for heat, you should not be able to hold the palm of your hand 5–10 cm (2–4 inches) above the grill for more than 2–3 seconds. Replace the grill over the firepit and give it around 10 minutes to heat up. (See page 9.)

Put the turkey on the firepit, skin side down. Cook for 8–10 minutes, until the skin is nicely browned all over. Move the turkey around if the skin is starting to catch and burn. Turn over and cook for a further 10 minutes.

Transfer the turkey to a disposable aluminium baking tray. Put another tray on top and fold the edges together to enclose the turkey. Sit the tray on the side of the firepit grill, where it isn’t too hot, and cook for 1 hour 15 minutes. After 1 hour, have a peek inside and look at the underside of the turkey. If it is starting to catch or brown too much, move the tray to the furthest edge of the firepit, so it retains heat and continues to cook without burning. Transfer to a chopping board and rest for 45 minutes.

Make the salsa verde while the turkey is resting. Put the parsley in a food processor with the basil, anchovies and capers. Process for a few seconds to finely chop. With the motor running, add the olive oil until well combined. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the lemon juice. Taste for seasoning.

Carve the turkey and arrange on a serving plate. Spoon salsa verde over the top and scatter with almonds to serve. 

Images and text from Firepit Barbecue by Ross Dobson, photography by Alan Benson, Murdoch Books RRP $35.00.’