Simply Perfect Roast Turkey

Preheat oven to 170 C / Gas mark 3. Place rack in the lowest position of the oven.

Remove the turkey neck and giblets, rinse the turkey and pat dry with kitchen roll. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in the roasting tin. Loosely fill the body cavity with stuffing. Rub the skin with the softened butter, and season with salt and pepper. Position an aluminium foil tent over the turkey.

Place turkey in the oven, and pour 1/3 of the turkey stock into the bottom of the roasting tin. Baste all over every 30 minutes with the juices on the bottom of the tin. Whenever the dripping evaporates, add stock to moisten, about 250ml to 500ml at a time. Remove aluminium foil after 2 1/2 hours. Roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the meaty part of the thigh reads 74 degrees C, about 3.5-4 hours.

Transfer the turkey to a large serving platter, and let it stand for at least 20 to 30 minutes before carving.