Turkey is a key part of the Christmas dinner for many families, but this festive bird – let’s face it, most of us only eat turkey in December – is a logistical challenge when it comes to cooking. How do you make sure the turkey – and the all-important stuffing – is fully cooked? How can you prevent it from becoming too dry? And what are you supposed to do with all the leftovers?
Here are 12 turkey tips to help you make the most of this year’s festive bird.
Be fridge-ready
Get your fridge ready for the festive season by giving it a good clean with warm soapy water, rearranging the shelves to make room for your turkey, storing your turkey in a covered dish on the bottom shelf so drips will not land, and possibly spread germs, on other foods. Throw away any food past its use-by date, and for extra fridge space, store vegetables and drinks (except milk and fruit juices ) in a cool place.
Buy the right turkey
When deciding on the size of your turkey, think of how many people you are cooking for and whether you want any leftovers. Remember, children eat less than adults. Based on the number of people you are feeding, you can calculate the size of the turkey you need. If you are unsure, ask your butcher.
Defrosting time
Give yourself enough time to defrost your turkey. Allow 24 hours for every 4-5lb/2-2.5kg. If you have a 7.5kg/15lb turkey, it will take up to three days to defrost, so you should start defrosting on December 22. The best way to defrost it is to place it on a dish or tray on the bottom shelf of your fridge.
You know it is completely defrosted when the body is soft, the legs can be moved, and there are no ice crystals inside the cavity.
Never wash the bird
Do not wash your turkey as this splashes bacteria from the raw meat around your kitchen through drips, drops, and splashes, and could potentially cause food poisoning. If you do need to clean the turkey, wipe it with a disposable paper towel, discarding the used paper towel and any packaging directly into the bin. Handle your turkey as little as possible and always wash your hands and surfaces thoroughly with warm, soapy water.
Cooking your turkey
The turkey should be cooked thoroughly to prevent food poisoning.
Get stuffed
Only stuff the turkey if you are cooking it in a fan oven. For other types of ovens, cook your stuffing in a separate dish. Research shows that when a turkey is stuffed, the centre of the stuffing is slowest to cook. So with stuffed turkeys, it is essential you check that the stuffing itself is piping hot all the way through. Try not to overstuff the turkey; use a maximum of 10 per cent of the weight of the bird in stuffing – for example, no more than 500g of stuffing for a 5kg turkey.
Let the turkey rest
Don’t rush to carve a stuffed turkey. A way to make sure the stuffing is properly cooked, without risking overcooking the meat, is to remove the turkey from the oven when the meat is fully cooked and leave it to rest, loosely covered in tinfoil, for 30 minutes.
Is it cooked?
Using a clean fork or skewer, pierce the thickest part of the breast and thigh. You will know it is fully cooked when the turkey is piping hot throughout, its juices run clear, there is no pink meat left, and any stuffing is piping hot throughout.
What to do with leftovers
Cover your leftovers and put them in the fridge within two hours of cooking. Make sure the meat is cooled as quickly as possible – cutting it into pieces will help with this. Once in the fridge, any leftovers should be eaten within three days.
Freezing your leftovers
If freezing leftover meat or poultry, make sure it is stored in a suitable container for freezing. Freeze cooked meat for no more than six months – this is for quality rather than safety.
Only reheat once
When re-heating food, ensure it is piping hot all the way through. Make sure food is only reheated once.
Healthier options
If you are looking for healthier options at Christmas, you can also trim the skin from your turkey or the fat from your ham, try a breadcrumb, nut, and seed stuffing instead of sausage, roast potatoes in a little vegetable oil as a healthy alternative to butter, and steam vegetables instead of boiling or roasting them.
