Cooking the perfect roast turkey is actually quite simple. You can prepare the turkey ahead so it’s ready for the oven on Christmas Day – all you have to do is bring it to room temperature first.
If you are stuffing the turkey cavity, make sure the stuffing is completely cooled before using it. This, I’m afraid, will have to be done on the day – another good reason to cook it separately, as it can be completely prepared the day before.
First things first…..
Make sure that the turkey will fit in your oven.
Before you go shopping, measure the space from the bottom shelf to the top of the oven, and also your baking dish, and take these measurements and your tape measure with you when ordering your turkey. Disposable aluminium baking trays are ideal for oven and BBQ cooking at Christmas – there’s no washing up!
INVEST IN A DIGITAL INSTANT-READ THERMOMETER – it takes all the guesswork out of knowing when the turkey is cooked.
For best results buy a fresh turkey, they are readily available from most butchers and poultry suppliers. You then don’t have to go through all the correct motions of defrosting, which means taking up valuable fridge space for a couple of days.
To calculate the size turkey you will need, allow 300g per person and up to 500g if you want leftovers.
If you need to feed a crowd, and therefore need a big bird, I’ve always found it better to buy two smaller birds, they will take less time to cook and won’t dry out with such a long cook.
It is essential to bring the turkey to room temperature before cooking, or cooking times will be altered – this means at least an hour or so depending on it’s size and the weather conditions on the day.
To roast the turkey
Pre-heat the oven to it’s maximum temperature. The oven temperature will drop anyway when you open the door to put the turkey in.
Rinse the bird inside and out and dry very well with kitchen paper.
If you are cooking the stuffing separately, which I recommend, place 2 lemon halves, bay leaves, fresh thyme and plenty of seasoning into the cavity. Not having stuffing inside, allows the bird to cook in a shorter time.
Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wings under.
Now have lots of butter ready, about 250g, this is not the day for watching the calories, and you do want a moist turkey!
Rub the turkey all over with soft butter, about 125g and olive oil, about 50ml, and season generously with salt and pepper and fresh finely chopped herbs if you wish. It’s a good idea to stuff some extra butter mix under the skin of the breast too.
Wet and wring out, about ½ metre of muslin or cheesecloth, then dip it in melted, seasoned butter ( melt butter with plenty of lemon zest, salt pepper and thyme), fold it in half so there are two layers, and wrap the turkey in it.
Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in the baking dish. You can put some baking paper between the rack and the turkey to stop it from sticking. Alternatively, create a rack with with a layer of vegetables, onions, carrots, celery – this will flavour the cooking juices, great for the gravy. Lifting the turkey off the base of the dish allows the hot air to circulate well.
Now add some chicken stock or water to the baking dish, enough to cover the base, about 2.5cm deep. The steam created will help keep the turkey moist. Check this from time to time as it will evaporate.
To calculate cooking times:
As a general guide, an unstuffed turkey will need 35 – 40 minutes per kilo at 170C; plus, add 15 minutes to the total. If you are stuffing the turkey, don’t forget to add the weight of the stuffing into your calculations. Here are the times:
- 3kg needs 1 3/4 hours
- 4kg needs 2 hours
- 5kg needs 2 1/4 hours
- 6kg needs 2 1/2 hours
- 7-8kg needs 3 hours
- 9-11kg needs 3 1/4 hours.
Roast for 5-7 minutes at full heat, then turn down to the optimum cooking temperature, 170C fan-forced.
Roast for 1 hour, then baste the muslin with extra melted butter. Cover the breast loosely with foil ( to stop it cooking too quickly), roast again, basting with butter every 40 minutes or so, remembering that every time you open the oven door you are loosing heat, so make it snappy !
Remove the foil and the muslin for the last 30-45 minutes. Baste the breast again with butter so that it will brown up nicely.
If the muslin is sticking to the turkey skin baste it well with pan juices to loosen it, before carefully removing it.
To check for doneness insert an instant-read digital thermometer in the thickest part of the turkey, around the thigh, for several seconds, avoiding the bone. At 80C, it’s done.
Give it a rest. It’s really important to let the turkey relax after roasting and before you carve it. To lock in the juices, take the turkey out of the oven and double tent it with foil, and then cover with a bath towel. Let it rest for at least 20 minutes, or up to 1 hour before carving. The turkey will continue to cook as it rests, so the temperature should rise another 10 degrees or so out of the oven.
Now you can use the oven space for roasting vegetables.
The Stuffing
Use your favourite recipe or the one here. I prefer to cook the stuffing separately.
Pork Sage and Pistachio Stuffing
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 large brown onion, finely chopped
- 3 cups fresh breadcrumbs
- 400g pork mince or pork and veal mince
- 110g pistachio kernels
- 2 tbs coarsely chopped fresh sage
- 20g butter
- 1 egg, lightly whisked
- salt and pepper
Pre heat oven to 180C. Place a 30x40cm piece of foil on work surface. Brush generously with butter to grease.
Heat oil and butter in frypan and sauté onion until soft. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until aromatic. Transfer to bowl and set aside to cool slightly.
Add the pork, breadcrumbs, pistachios, egg and sage to the onion mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
Place pork mixture on the buttered foil. Use your hands to shape into a log. Roll up the foil to enclose stuffing in a sausage shape and twist the ends to seal.
Place on baking tray, and bake in oven for 40 minutes or until cooked through.
Set aside for 5 minutes. Remove foil, and again set aside for 10 –15 minutes rest. Cut into slices to serve with the turkey.
This stuffing can be made a day ahead, cooled, wrapped in cling wrap and refrigerated.
To reheat, remove cling wrap, slice while cold, then reheat in microwave.
Cranberry Gravy
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup Port
- 2 tbs plain flour
- ¼ cup redcurrant jelly
- 1 litre chicken stock
Soak cranberries in Port.
Reduce the chicken stock to 500 mls and add the redcurrant jelly to melt.
This can be done the day before.
Skim any excess fat from baking dish in which the turkey was cooked and discard. Reserve any pan juices. Deglaze the baking dish with some of the port and place in saucepan over medium heat.
Add jelly and chicken stock, cranberry mixture and bring to boil. Reduce heat, season with salt and pepper. The sauce can be strained at this point if desired. To thicken, whisk in potato flour which has been dissolved in a little water.
IF YOU DON’T NEED TO COOK A WHOLE TURKEY
A TURKEY BREAST FILLET IS PERFECT click here to watch the how-to video from The Cooks Room
