- 250g/9oz salt
- 250g/9oz brown sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 5 cloves
- 1 bunch thyme
- 4 bay leaves
- 2–3 heads garlic
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 3 clementines, cut in half to squeeze
- 2 white onions, chopped
- few whole star anise
- 1 x 5kg/11lb good-quality free-range turkey
- dash olive oil
- 50g/1¾oz butter, softened
- few rashers streaky bacon
- For the brine, combine all the ingredients in a large pan with 6 litres/10½ pints water. Slowly bring to the boil, stirring, to dissolve the sugar and salt. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.
- Pour the brine into a large, sterilised bucket. Add the turkey and leave for two days in the fridge or a very cold room. The turkey must be completely submerged under the brine. Use weights to keep it from floating up (plastic bottles of water work well).
- Preheat the oven to 170C/150C Fan/Gas 3. Remove the turkey from the brine and pat dry.
- Rub the turkey with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread with the butter and the cover with streaky bacon. Cook for about three hours, or until the juices run clear when the meat is pierced in the thickest part. Leave to rest for at least fifteen minutes and serve in slices.