Name: Spicy Chutney Butter Turkey
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 285 min
Ingredients: 1 whole turkey (7kg, dry-brined); 1 ½ cups butter (softened); 1 cup cilantro leaves and stems (finely chopped); 1 cup mint leaves (finely chopped); 3 green chillies (finely chopped); 2 tbsp garlic (finely chopped); 2 tbsp ginger (finely chopped); ½ tbsp cumin power; 1 ½ tsp salt; 1 orange (large, quartered); 1 lemon (quartered); 2 limes (quartered); 5 hot peppers (optional: cut lenthwise for more heat); 1 ½ cups low-sodium stock (for the roasting pan, add more as needed, can use water instead)

Prep the chutney butter: Mix butter, cilantro and mint leaves, green chilies, ginger, garlic, cumin powder and salt. Taste and adjust seasoning as you wish. Store in the fridge until ready to use.

Fill the cavity: Loosely fill the cavity with orange, lemon, and lime wedges plus the whole/slit chilies. Don’t pack the cavity too tightly; you want space for steam to circulate.

Butter the turkey: Gently separate the skin from the breast meat with your fingers, starting at the neck end, creating a pocket over each breast. Push about half of the chutney butter under the skin, smoothing it over the breasts and as far down the thighs as you can reach. Rub most of the remaining butter all over the outside of the turkey (breast, legs, thighs). Reserve a few tablespoons for basting later.

Cook the turkey: Make sure the turkey has reached room temperature before cooking. Then tent it with foil and cook at 430°F for 30 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 325°F for about 2 ½ hours. Finish uncovered: keep at 325°F, basting every 25–30 minutes until the thickest part of the thigh and breast reach 165°F.

Timing: A 7kg turkey generally needs around 4–4½ hours at 320–340°F, but always rely on internal temperature: 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh and breast.