Christmas Turkey Roasting Guide
If you’re taking on the traditional Christmas turkey this year, we’ve put together a one stop roasting guide to help you reach perfection.
How to prepare your turkey
If your turkey is fresh and not frozen, you should remove it from the fridge around an hour before cooking. As you do this, remove any giblets and pat dry with kitchen paper both outside and in. For the hour, make sure the room is cool and the turkey is covered with a clean tea towel, kitchen paper or foil.
How to remove the wishbone
If you buy your turkey from the butchers, they can do this part for you. But if you’d prefer to do it yourself then follow these instructions:
- Pull back the skin on the neck and locate the wishbone
- Use a small sharp knife to cut through the flesh under the contour of the bone on both sides. These cuts shouldn’t go too deep, just enough to free the bone.
- Ease the wishbone out, cutting it free at the tips.
Removing the wishbone will make your turkey easier to carve when cooked and allow for neater slices.
How to cook a turkey
What you’ll need:
- 1 turkey
- 50g butter
- Seasoning
Method:
- Preheat your oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4
- Use the back of a dessert spoon to warm up the butter, add seasoning and then smear it over the turkey, massaging it into the skin.
- Place the turkey into a roasting tin, with the breast facing up.
- Roast for 40 mins per kilo for the first 4 kilos, then 45 mins for every kilo thereafter. The internal temperature should rise to 65-70C.
- Once cooked remove turkey from the cover and leave to rest for 45 minutes, this will preserve the juices and keep the meat moist.
- To check it is cooked, pierce the thigh with a knife or form where it meets the body. If the juices run clear, then it is cooked.