Name: How to Cook the Perfect Christmas Turkey
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h 30 min
Cuisine: English

Preparation

With the phrase “you should cook your turkey on Christmas Eve” often suggested, we’re here to tell you that you should cook your whole turkey (or crown) on the day itself – where possible of course! The extra ingredients are so simple, you’re sure to have them already in your kitchen cupboards.

Take your whole turkey out of the fridge and unwrap it at least an hour before you’re ready to cook it, so it comes up to room temperature before roasting.
Pre-heat the oven to 230C/220C Fan/Gas 8
Drizzle some olive oil over the turkey, sprinkle some salt and pepper and rub in thoroughly – this helps crisp the skin up. Be sure to flip the turkey over so you get the underside.
Place the bird in a large roasting tin with the breast side up. Cut an onion into 6-8 large pieces, slice either an orange or clementine in half, tare off a few sprigs of rosemary, thyme and 1 or 2 cloves of garlic – place these inside the cavity of the turkey.
With the turkey in the roasting tin, place 4-6 large pieces of onion, some more rosemary and an optional nob of butter so that these surround the turkey.

Cooking

This is the part that can make your Christmas turkey either dry or succulent and juicy. Follow these tips so that you can keep your turkey moist for the all-important festive feast!

Once pre-heated to the temperature of 230C/220C Fan/Gas 8, place the turkey into the oven for 25-30 minutes. Leave the turkey uncovered as this will help bronze the skin.
After this time is up, turn the oven down to 170C/160C Fan/Gas 3 and cook for about 30 – 35 minutes per kilo.
Use this as rough guidance: 4kg – 2 hours • 5kg – 2½ hours • 6kg – 3 hours • 7kg – 3 ½ hours • 8kg – 4 hours • 9kg – 4 ½ hours
Every 30 minutes or so, check on your turkey – keep it from drying out by basting it with the natural juices at the bottom of the roasting tin.
After the time is up (use your judgement whether it looks cooked or not), pierce the fattest part of the large with the tip of a sharp knife and if the juices run clear and the meat pulls apart easily, it’s ready.
Take the turkey out of the oven and leave to rest for at least 1 hour.
Either carve the turkey at the kitchen worktop and serve, or place the whole bird at the dinner table and let people take what they want!

Top Tips

Buying the best quality ingredients you can afford is a way to make your turkey mouth-wateringly tasty this Christmas – you can see our collection of turkey here.
Resting the bird once you’ve cooked it, will help your turkey moist and juicy – a minimum of 1 hour.
Turkey may not be the traditional meat for some people, which is why we’ve put together a list of alternative options for this years Christmas dinner. Cooking these will differ from turkey, but will be equally as delicious!
If you have a busy festive period, why not have turkey AND other delicious meats? Our Christmas collection boxes are perfect for those with big plans this year.

Cooking a Christmas Turkey

There you have it! When looking for the best way to cook a turkey this Christmas, this should be seen as your ultimate guide/recipe. If you’re looking to buy a whole turkey to cook, we have a range of whole turkeys which you can find right here…