Ingredients

Step by step

1. Remove the turkey from the fridge and unwrap it about 1 hour before cooking, to let it come to room temperature. Remove the giblets.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. For the stuffing: spread the pecans out on a baking tray and toast in the oven for 6-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and roughly chop the nuts.
3. Melt the butter in a frying pan and add the onion and celery. Use kitchen scissors to snip short pieces of the chipolatas into the pan. Stirring occasionally, fry for about 10 minutes over a medium-high heat, until the ingredients start to colour. Stir in the spices, orange zest and juice; cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
4. In a large bowl, combine the cranberries with the herbs, pecans and sourdough. Tip in the fried ingredients and stir together; add the stock and eggs; season and combine well. Leave to stand for 5 minutes.
5. Place some stuffing under the neck flap of the turkey (don't overfill) and secure with cocktail sticks. Tip the rest of the stuffing into a greased baking dish, cover with buttered foil and chill until ready to cook.
6. Put the turkey in a roasting tin and tuck the onion, lemon and thyme sprigs inside the body cavity. Spread the softened butter all over the turkey, season it, then overlap the bacon rashers across the top of the turkey.
7. Cover the turkey loosely with foil and cook in the oven for 2½-3 hours, basting every 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the maple glaze. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, then add the maple syrup and redcurrant jelly. Whisk over a low heat until melted, then stir in the whisky and set aside.
8. Put the foil-covered dish of stuffing in the oven for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and cook for a further 25 minutes.
9. Take the foil off the turkey and remove the bacon for the last 30 minutes of cooking time to brown the skin. Put the bacon on a small baking sheet and set aside.
10. The turkey is ready to glaze after 20 minutes, or when the juices run clear when you insert a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh. Turn the oven up to 220°C, fan 200°C, gas 6. Brush half of the glaze over the turkey; cook for 5 minutes. Repeat with the rest of the glaze for a further 5 minutes or until the turkey looks sticky and caramelised.
11. Transfer the turkey to a carving dish, cover with foil and leave to rest for at least 30 minutes before carving. At this point, you can return the bacon to the oven for about 10 minutes to crisp up. The turkey will happily stay warm for an hour or so; just drape a clean tea towel over the foil for an extra layer of insulation.
12. For the gravy, sprinkle the flour into the roasting tin and stir into the juices. Put on the hob, add the wine and bubble for a minute before gradually blending in the stock. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 5-10 minutes. Strain into a warmed jug.
13. Carve the turkey and serve with the gravy, stuffing and crispy bacon.