Since we have our festive season in a glorious amount of sunshine, it makes sense to do the traditional thing but with a twist: cook a turkey ...on the braai! Alright, not just any old braai, it must be a kettle braai, and with open flames, charcoal and wood, we're still talking a decent braai that will translate into a flavourful and smoky meat.

And what's more, the enclosed kettle braai acts as an oven, cooking the bird from all sides to ensure you have an even roast. Aside from getting some of the cooking out of the kitchen and underneath the summer sun, cooking the turkey outside also eliminates that horrible oven clean up.

Getting started

Make sure you buy the perfect bird to begin with. A 5kg turkey is ideal for 8 hungry people (it's still likely that you'll have leftovers). Make sure you choose a self-basting turkey as this will ensure it moistens itself while cooking.

If you buy it frozen, then defrost it in your fridge for 2 to 3 days

Light the fire

The kettle braai should be cleaned and set up for indirect cooking. This means coals setting coals against opposite sides of the braai, leaving a space in the middle for a drip tray. The drip tray is essential as it aids the cooking by moistening the bird with its own juices that drip off.

Make sure you have a good amount of coals as the bird needs to cook for over 2 hours.

Place a clean grid on top and go and prepare the bird.

Clean and dry

You'll need to wash the turkey before you begin seasoning it, so remove the bag of giblets from the cavity and open up the wings and legs for more seasoning surface.

Rinse the bird thoroughly and pat dry

 

  • Whisk together:

     

    100 ml sunflower oil 80 ml fresh orange juice 1 T sweet chilli sauce 1 t dried mixed herbs Salt and pepper to taste

     

  • Stuff turkey with: 2 oranges quartered (gently squeeze the quarters as you stuff them in) 1 T fresh crushed garlic 3 to 4 T of sweet chilli sauce Fresh parsley and thyme

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    For a personal touch, add a few whole slices of orange to the top of the turkey for decoration.

     

  • Baste the turkey:

     

    Cover the stuffed turkey with the sauce, making sure it is properly smothered. Now that the turkey is moist, season the skin with salt and pepper and a little paprika for added flavour and colour. Tuck the wings and legs back into the turkey (as it came out of the bag), and set aside.

     

  • The tin cup:

     

    Use a sheet of foil (30 x 30) and mould it into a cup (its best to use a beer glass as a mould). Make sure your cup can hold a glass (200 ? 250 ml) of orange juice.

     

  • On the fire:

     

    Once the coals are all glowing beautifully take your turkey and tin cup out to the fire. Place the bird over the drip tray and pour the sauce that is left in the tray over the bird ? allow some to fall into the drip tray.

    The magic ingredient

    Now place the cup of orange juice just next to the bird ? this cup of orange juice is the magic step in this recipe. The bird will stay beautifully moist and the gorgeous perfume from the orange will linger in the meat of the turkey, enhancing the taste.

    Put the lid on the braai and make sure all the vents are opened completely.

    Cook your bird for about 2 and a quarter hours.

    Hint: Don't keep lifting the lid of the braai as you will lose precious heat this way. It would be a tragedy if all your hard work of preparing the turkey went to waste with a dead fire. Rather, go off to enjoy a glass or two of bubbly.