Classic Christmas Roast Turkey Dinner by Bob Dickinson

Ingredients

• 5 kg (11 lb) whole turkey
• 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 12 pigs in blankets (sausages wrapped in bacon)
• 300g (10 oz) fresh or frozen cranberries
• 100g (1/2 cup) brown sugar
• 120ml (1/2 cup) orange juice
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour (for gravy)
• 500ml (2 cup) vegetable cooking water (for gravy)
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil or fat (for potatoes)

Instructions

1. Roast the turkey in a preheated oven at 190°C (375°F) until cooked through, covering with foil once golden to prevent burning.
2. Boil the potato chunks in salted water for 10-15 minutes until softened on the outside but still firm in the center.
3. Drain the potatoes, shake them vigorously in the pot to roughen the edges, then toss with hot oil.
4. Roast the potatoes at 200°C (400°F) for 45-60 minutes, turning occasionally until golden and crispy.
5. Simmer the cranberries, brown sugar, and orange juice in a small saucepan over medium heat until the berries soften, about 8-10 minutes.
6. Cook the pigs in blankets in the oven for 20-25 minutes until browned and cooked through.
7. Rest the turkey for at least 30 minutes after roasting, covering tightly with foil to retain heat.
8. Whisk flour into the reserved turkey pan juices to create a paste, then gradually whisk in the hot vegetable cooking water until thickened into a gravy.