Cooking the perfect turkey

A turkey from Nosh. Photo / Supplied

The dark meat can be cooked, confit style, up to four days in advance, which will reduce cooking time on the day considerably. Only cook the breast medium-well, then cover with foil and leave to stand for 15-20 minutes to ensure all the turkey stays lovely and moist. Stuffings can be baked separately.

1 turkey
600ml to 1 litre duck fat (or rice bran oil)
1 bulb garlic, cut in half
15-20 peppercorns
2 fresh bay leaves!!
4 sprigs fresh thyme
15-20 rashers dry-cured streaky bacon
Salt and pepper
Toothpicks

A day or more before: Preheat oven to 120C. Remove the legs from the turkey at the top of the thigh and place them in a tight-fitting, deep ovenproof dish. Add the garlic, bay leaves, thyme and peppercorns. Salt well, then cover with melted duck fat or oil. Heat on the stove top for five minutes, cover with a lid or foil and place in the oven. Cook for 5 to 7 hours. When it feels like you could push your finger through the joints, they're ready. Allow to cool, remove from the fat, drain and refrigerate.

On the day: Preheat oven to 180C. Using a heavy knife, cut through the backbone of the turkey where the ribs finish (the carcass will make an excellent stock for gravy). Season the breast well and cover with the streaky bacon, pinning in place with the toothpicks. Cook for 2 to 3 hours until medium-well done. Cover and rest.

To reheat the legs, place them in a frying pan skin side down, colour lightly then place in the oven for 15-20 minutes.