Cooking Poultry

When you’ve gone to the effort of buying a beautiful Quality Turkey, you’ll want to cook it to perfection. A delicious roast turkey is not difficult to achieve but - especially at Christmas - there is often so much else going on that it’s easy for the cook to become harassed. The secret is in the cooking times – follow these new, simple guidelines, which have been meticulously tested by the British Turkey industry and you can’t go wrong.
1. Weigh your turkey after stuffing.

2. Cover the breast with strips of bacon or smear with softened butter then cover loosely with foil.

3. Preheat your oven to 190°C (180°C for fan assisted ovens), 375°F, Gas Mark 5.

4. Less than 4kg weight? Cook for 20 minutes per kg then add another 70 minutes cooking time at the end.

5. More than 4kg weight? Cook for 20 minutes per kg and add 90 minutes cooking time at the end.

6. Remove the foil for the last 40 minutes to brown the top.

7. Ovens vary, so always test your turkey to make sure it is thoroughly cooked. Pierce the thickest part – this is usually the leg of a whole turkey - with a skewer or sharp pointed knife. Hold a spoon underneath to catch the juices as they run out. If they are clear the turkey is done. If they are pink it needs further cooking. Min internal temp 82° C in the thickest part of the meat

8. Allow the turkey to stand for 15-20 minutes in a warm place – it won’t go cold and will be easier to carve.

It’s as easy as that! Remember the times also work for turkey breasts and other joints.