Before you even go out to buy your Christmas turkey remember this! Christmas is a time for over indulgence so get the biggest bird you can afford (or fit in your oven), even if you can’t get through it all on the day there’s the potential for great sandwiches and meals from the leftovers. Also if you’re getting your bird from a local butcher get your order in early so that you will get the bird you want, there’s nothing worse than being stuck with a bird that’s too small or that nobody else wants. Remove the giblets as soon as you get the bird and keep them if you want to use them in your stock.

Defrosting:

If your turkey is of the frozen variety you need to leave plenty of time for it to defrost as a guide you should follow the times below but always check that it is fully defrosted and that there are no ice crystals with a thermometer before cooking the bird. Using a meat thermometer check that the temperature is at least 4°C at the thickest part of the bird and that there are no ice crystals still in the meat. If the turkey is too cold or there are any ice crystals it won’t cook properly and may result in food poisoning.

Stuffing:

Stuffing your turkey will make it harder to gauge when it is cooked and it will also increase the time it will take to cook. We recommend cooking your stuffing separately and adding some of the juices from the cooked bird for flavoring. If you are going to stuff the turkey make sure that you leave space inside the cavity and don’t pack it too tightly. Also make sure that the stuffing is properly cooked before removing it from the oven, it should be at least 75°C.

Cooking:

Cooking times vary depending on your oven and the weight of the bird (don’t forget the weight of any stuffing when calculating the cooking time), pre heat your oven to around 180°C (Gas mark 4) and place the turkey in a large roasting tin and rub with butter before seasoning with salt and pepper. Next take plenty of tin foil and create a loose fitting cover over the turkey (make sure it’s not too tight as you will be removing it regularly during cooking).

Once the oven is up to temperature put the bird in and leave it, after about half of the time has passed its time to baste the turkey for the first time, gently remove the foil covering the bird and using a large spoon baste it in its own juices, re-cover it and set it away cooking again. Do this from now on around once every 20 minutes increasing the frequency to around once every 10 minutes in the last half hour or so. If you want the skin to go nice and brown remove the foil for the last 15 to 20 minutes of cooking.

As a guide you should cook your turkey according the times below (Don’t forget to take the stuffing into account):

To check that the turkey is properly cooked use a meat thermometer and take a temperature at the thickest parts of the thigh and breast, also if it is stuffed take the stuffing temperature too. All temperatures should read at least 75-80°C and the juices should run clear and not pink. If the turkey is too cold or the juices are not clear return it to the oven for another half an hour and check again. If you are in any doubt as to whether your turkey is cooked properly return it to the oven for another half an hour and check it again.

Leftovers:

Leftovers from Christmas dinners are perfect for easy sandwiches and meals days after Christmas, just remember to refrigerate your turkey as soon as possible and never leave it out of the fridge for more than 30 minutes while serving. If you are going to reheat it then make sure that is it steaming hot throughout and never reheat more than once. You should also try to eat all leftover within 48 hours.