Brined and roasted turkey with cornbread stuffing

Method

For the brining

Carefully slide your hands between the flesh and skin of the turkey, without tearing the skin. Place breast side down in a large container.

Combine the sugar, salt and apple juice in a saucepan, bring to the boil then simmer, stirring until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Cool.

Combine the apple juice mixture, bay leaves, chillies, onions, garlic, thyme, cloves and allspice, and pour over the turkey, adding enough cold water to completely cover. Refrigerate for 18-24 hours.

After brining, rinse the turkey thoroughly before stuffing to wash off excess salt; some will still flavour the stuffing and pan juices so there is no need to add extra. I boil the neck and giblets to make stock to thin the gravy made from the pan juices.

Cornbread

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Coat the bottom and sides of a 22cm cast iron skillet or heavy-based ovenproof pan well with the oil. Place in the oven to heat for at least 5 minutes.

Combine the cornmeal, polenta, flour and baking powder in a bowl. Beat together the egg, buttermilk and milk then carefully fold into the corn mixture along with the thyme, chilli and corn. Remove the baking dish from the oven and pour in the batter. Bake for 20 minutes until set. Cool on a wire rack.

To roast

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse out the neck and body cavities very well and pat the bird dry. Tear the cornbread into pieces and stuff into the cavities then secure the neck cavity with a skewer if necessary.

Cut the butter into thin slices and push under the skin over the breast and legs. Roast for 35 minutes per kg plus an extra 30 minutes, basting with the pan juices every half-hour. Cover the breast with foil when the turkey is golden.

To serve

Go all out with accompaniments - lots of roast potatoes, pumpkin, zucchini and capsicums or match with a more casual potato salad, iceberg salad and fresh corn.