Ingredients

• 5kg whole turkey
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 tsp dried sage
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 1/2 onions, halved
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 160 degrees.
2. In a bowl, combine the salt, thyme, sage paprika, pepper and mustard powder.
3. Use some paper towel to dry off the skin of the turkey and inside the cavity.
4. Lift the skin over the turkey (on the side closest to the legs) and slide your hand under the skin, separating it from the breast meat. Do this on both sides of the breast.
5. Insert three tbsp of butter under the skin on one side of the turkey breast, spreading them around evenly. Repeat on the other side.
6. Sprinkle the dry rub all over the turkey – breast, legs, wings, anything you can see. Using your hands, press the rub into the skin a little. If you have any extra rub, sprinkle it inside the cavity.
7. Place the onion halves and garlic cloves inside the turkey’s cavity.
8. Transfer the turkey to your roasting pan. If you have one, use the pan’s wire rack to keep the bottom of the turkey from getting soggy.
9. Take a good sized piece of foil and place it over the turkey breast. Ensure the the foil piece is big enough to fit over the whole breast. Press down and mould the foil to the breast. Let the ends stick out if the foil’s a bit big.
10. Place the turkey in the oven and roast for 2 hours. Carefully remove the foil from the turkey.
11. Increase oven temperature to 200 degrees and cook the turkey for another hour, or until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 75 degrees and the skin is golden and crispy.

Note: The cooking time in this recipe is for up to a 5.5kg turkey. Add 30 minutes of cook time at 160 degrees for each additional kilo.