The chef's secrets to tender Christmas turkey

For some, the idea of going to a restaurant to eat Christmas lunch is heaven – someone else does all the hard work, and there’s no washing up. But for Gavin McDonagh, chef patron at Brioche in Ranelagh, Christmas day in the restaurant is like any other: there’s lots of prep, cooking and cleaning to be done, and on top of that he’s faced with a particularly demanding bunch of customers – his family.

“We have Christmas morning in our own house, and then I bring all my family into Brioche and we spend Christmas day there – my wife and two children, my parents, my wife’s parents and all our brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews. There’s usually about 25 of us in total. It’s great to get everyone together in the one room,” McDonagh says.

“I go into Brioche about noon to get the turkey in the oven. I try to get most of the prep done the day before, on Christmas Eve, so I’m able to relax and enjoy Christmas day more, and then everyone arrives at about 3pm, and we’re there until late.”

Traditional turkey – cooked in the manner described on these pages, and served alongside honey and mustard baked ham – is on the menu.

Is it always turkey, or does the chef ever deviate and give his culinary imagination free rein? “Good god no. I’d be shot, or divorced.”

McDonagh sources his turkey from The Market Butchers (M&K Meats), who have retail premises in Prussia Street, and in Newbridge and Rathcoole, as well as supplying restaurants. “I’ve been dealing with Michael for many years and we share the same values when it comes to sourcing good quality produce.”

McDonagh’s top tips for keeping turkey from drying out are: “Start the bird in a hot oven and then reduce the heat, and remember to baste regularly as this will help lock in the moisture. Separating the legs from the turkey and stuffing them with the sausage stuffing and apricots will help keep them moist. The herb butter in the recipe also helps to keep the turkey really moist.”

So, once you’ve pulled your bronzed and juicy turkey from the oven, any tips for carving it ? “Always use a sharp knife, but more importantly, ask your butcher to remove the wish bone as it will make the job easier and you will have less waste. Always carve from the top of the crown downwards.”

McDonagh will be enlisting his brother-in-law Mark as his sous chef, and washing up will be a group effort. “Last year I made the mistake of saying, leave it and I’ll do it the next day. That won’t be happening this year, they will all have to earn their dinner, kids included.”

The McDonagh family’s Christmas sounds hassle-free and delicious, but if you thought having chef in the family meant you’d be guaranteed a flawless lunch, think again. “Never go visiting and leave the turkey in the oven. I did that once, thinking ‘It’ll be grand’,” says McDonagh. “I returned home to a smoke-filled kitchen. I still get stick from the kids about that.”