First of all, you need to know what type of turkey joint you're tackling. You've either got a turkey crown, a turkey butterfly, or a whole turkey. If it's the latter (i.e. if it's got the legs and wings still on), then you're good to go, collect £200 (not really) and skip to the cooking information below.
If you're only tackling a boneless turkey breast joint (i.e. no legs, no wings, no bones at all), you need to check out our How To Cook Turkey Butterfly guide.
If you've got a turkey breast joint that's been left on-the-bone, then skip over to our How To Cook Turkey Crown guide.
How to Cook a Whole Turkey
A whole turkey is perfect for those cooking for a big party, or those who like plenty of leftovers for that turkey curry, or cold turkey and chips on boxing day. A whole turkey also looks wonderful at the centre of the table.
| Weight | Cooking | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 4KG | Oven Roast | Gas mark 5 / 190C / 170C fan / 375F | 20 minutes per KG + 70 minutes. |
| 4KG and over | Oven Roast | Gas mark 5 / 190C / 170C fan / 375F | 20 minutes per KG + 90 minutes. |
Test your turkey is cooked by pushing a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh, if the juices run clear, it's cooked, otherwise return it to the oven for another 15 minutes and then test again. The minimum internal temperature for cooking poultry is 75C.
Tips
You might want to cook your turkey on a bed of stuffing, push butter under the skin, or cover in strips of bacon (we usually make a lattice of Dry Cured Streaky Bacon to place on top). Whatever you do please make sure to rest your turkey for at least 15 minutes before carving (it will make is so much easier to carve).
If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask!
