Turkey with Roast Potatoes
A turkey breast joint and a tin of golden roast potatoes make a Sunday dinner for four without the effort of a whole bird. Turkey with roast potatoes cooks in a single roasting tin: the potatoes are parboiled and roughed up so the edges crisp in hot oil, while the joint roasts alongside until it reaches 75°C inside. Allow about 1 hour 40 minutes in total, including a 10-minute rest.
- Total
- 1 h 40 min
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 h 10 min
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 565kcal
Buying and preparing turkey with roast potatoes
A boneless breast joint of about 800g feeds four with a little left over for sandwiches. Choose one with the skin on, as the skin protects the meat from drying out and gives you something golden to carve. Leave the joint in its string or net, and take it out of the fridge only when you start the potatoes.
Floury potatoes make the best roasties. Cut them into pieces of about the same size, so they cook at the same speed. For extra flavour, swap the vegetable oil for goose fat. Do not rinse the raw turkey, as that only splashes germs around the sink: pat it dry with kitchen paper and wash your hands and the board afterwards.
Method for turkey with roast potatoes
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Parboil the potatoes Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan), gas 6. Peel the potatoes and cut them into chunks about 5cm across. Put them in a large saucepan, cover with cold water, add ½ tsp of the salt and bring to the boil. Simmer for , until the edges are soft but the centres are still firm.
- Roughen the edges Drain well in a colander and leave to steam dry for . Shake the colander firmly a few times to rough up the surfaces, as those rough edges are what turn crisp.
- Season the turkey Pat the turkey dry with kitchen paper. Rub it with 1 tbsp of the oil, the rosemary, ¼ tsp of the salt and a little pepper. Tie it with string in two or three places if it is not netted.
- Heat the tin Pour the remaining 2 tbsp of oil into the roasting tin and put it in the oven for until very hot. Carefully tip in the potatoes, turn them to coat and sprinkle over the remaining salt and pepper. Set the turkey in the middle, skin side up.
- Roast Roast for , then turn the potatoes over. Roast for another , until the potatoes are golden and a thermometer pushed into the thickest part of the turkey reads 75°C. If the skin browns too quickly, cover the joint loosely with foil.
- Rest and carve Lift the turkey onto a board, cover with foil and rest for . Leave the potatoes in the oven meanwhile so they stay crisp. Slice the turkey and serve it with the potatoes and hot gravy.
What to serve with it
Add buttered carrots, sprouts or green beans, a spoonful of cranberry sauce and plenty of gravy for a proper roast dinner. For a different take on the same pairing, try turkey with smashed potatoes. The cold turkey makes a good turkey salad the next day.
Common problems and fixes for turkey with Roast Potatoes
- The potatoes are soft instead of crisp.
- They were wet, crowded or put into cool fat. Steam them dry for the full 5 minutes, make sure the oil is hot before they go in, and keep them in one layer. If they do not fit around the turkey, roast them in a second tin.
- The turkey is dry.
- It went past 75°C or was sliced straight away. Check the temperature from 55 minutes, keep the skin on, and rest the joint under foil before carving.
- The potatoes fall apart or stick to the tin.
- They were parboiled for too long or turned too early. Stop at 8–10 minutes, handle them gently and leave them alone for the first 30 minutes so a crust can form.
Frequently asked questions about turkey with Roast Potatoes
How long does turkey with roast potatoes take?
About 1 hour 40 minutes in total: 20 minutes of preparation, 10 minutes to parboil the potatoes, 60 minutes in the oven and 10 minutes of resting. The turkey is ready when it reads 75°C in the thickest part.
Can I prepare it ahead of time?
You can parboil, drain and steam dry the potatoes the day before. Cool them, cover and keep them in the fridge, then roast as in the recipe. Cook the turkey on the day.
Which potatoes roast best?
Floury varieties such as Maris Piper or King Edward. They fluff up inside and crisp outside. Waxy potatoes roast well too but stay denser.
How long do leftovers keep?
Up to 2 days in the fridge, cooled quickly and covered. Reheat the turkey until steaming hot all the way through, and crisp the potatoes in a hot oven for 10–15 minutes.
How did you like the recipe?
4.7 / 5 · 70 ratings
