James of Shepperton Butchers Recipes Our guide to making the perfect turkey

Our guide to making the perfect turkey

Directions

With the festive season fast approaching, we’ve put together an easy-to-follow guide to help you prepare, cook, and carve the perfect turkey this Christmas.

Preparing your Turkey Crown or Turkey

The preparation is just as important as the cook. Follow our easy steps to best prepare cooking your turkey this Christmas.

  1. Start by pre-heating your oven:
  • Starting temperature: 230oC/375oF/Gas 8.
  • Roasting temperature: 190oC/375oF/Gas 5 (or 170oC for fan ovens).
  •  Place your turkey in a roasting tin, breast side down. (This helps the meat stay succulent whilst the brown meat cooks evenly.)
  • Quarter a peeled onion & half a lemon. Now place it in the body cavity of the turkey.
  • When stuffing your turkey, fill the neck cavity only & recalculate your total cooking time to include the extra weight of the stuffing. Stuffing can also be cooked separately; we do not recommend stuffing the body cavity.
  • Sprinkle salt & pepper over the turkey & cover with foil. That’s it! Cook for the full cooking time and enjoy. Make sure the juices are clear to ensure thorough cook.

    • The cooking process

    Now it’s time for the real challenge, the roasting. Cooking a turkey can be hot or miss in many instances; let’s face it, nobody wants a dry turkey. Follow our easy step-by-step guide to cooking the perfect turkey.

    1. Start by preheating your oven to the starting temperate recommended above.
    2. Start by cooking at this temp for the first 30 mins & then reduce the oven to the recommended roasting temperature (see above) for the rest of the cooking time. (Total cooking time will be approximately 30-35 mins per kg.)
    3. Approximately 30 mins before the full cooking time, remove the foil & turn the bird over carefully, so the turkey goldens but remains moist.

    FYI: Make sure your turkey is cooked through. Using a meat thermometer (or fork), poke through the deepest part of the thigh or breast to check the temperature and the colour of the juices. If the juice is clear, your turkey is done. To ensure the legs don’t burn, cover with foil while cooking.

    Cooking Time (approx.)

    These instructions should be used as a guideline only. Cooking times will vary according to the weight of your turkey, the methods used and your oven type.

    If using a thermometer, the internal cooked temperature will be 165oF/74oC.

    Always check that your turkey is cooked all the way through before serving, even if you’ve cooked it to the exact timings below.

    Weight of Turkey

    Full Cooking Time

    2kg

    1 hr. 15 mins

    3kg

    1 hr. 45 mins

    4kg

    2 hrs. 35 mins

    5kg

    2 hrs. 55 mins

    6kg

    3 hrs. 15 mins

    7kg

    3 hrs. 40 mins

    8kg

    4 hrs.

    9kg

    4 hrs. 25 mins

    10kg

    4 hrs. 45 min

     

    The preparation of a Turkey Breast or Stuffed Breast Roast

    With less to worry about, turkey breast or roast is often a cheaper and more convenient cut for Christmas sinners across the UK. Our easy-to-follow guide below helps you prepare and cook the perfect turkey.

    1. Remove plastic packaging but not string & place the right side up in a baking tray.
    2. Sprinkle with salt & pepper and cover with foil.
    3. Cook for the recommended amount of time, and check juices are clear before carving.

    Cooking

    Now that you’ve prepped your turkey, it’s time to cook. Follow the instructions below for a moist, succulent turkey.

    1. Preheat oven to the Starting temperature (see above).
    2. Cook at this temp for the first 20 mins & then reduce the oven to the Roasting temperature (see above) for the rest of the cooking time.
    3. Approximately 30 mins before the full cooking time, remove the foil so that the breast goldens.

    Cooking time (approx.)

    Please be aware that all cooking times are an estimate; before carving and serving, make sure your juices run clear, and all meat is cooked through. You can test this by also using a meat thermometer to ensure your turkey is hot throughout.

    Weight of Turkey

    Full Cooking Time

    1kg

    45 mins

    2kg

    1 hr. 30 mins

    3kg

    2 hrs. 15 mins

    4kg +

    3 hrs. +

     

    Carving Tips

    So, you’ve cooked the turkey; it’s time to carve. We’ve put our tips below to get the perfect cut every time.

    1. Remove the turkey from the roasting tray & allow it to rest in a warm place for 30 minutes, covered with tin foil.
    2. Sharpen your carving knife.
    3. Cut the breast meat from one side at an angle following the breastbone, repeating on the other side only when required.
    4. Hold the turkey leg by the knuckle & twist it off to expose the dark leg meat. Carve this meat into thick slices & separate the drumstick, taking care to carve around, or remove by hand, the 2 or 3 sharp tapered bones which are parallel to the main leg bone.
    5. Remove the wing by twisting close to the body & cutting between the joint, not through the bones. Cut in half, then carve or pull away the meat from the bone. 6 When you think you’ve finished carving your turkey, remove the remainder of the meat from the bone by hand to store for sandwiches & keep the carcass for soup!

    Browse our range of delicious Christmas meats and treats to help you put together a gourmet feast to enjoy with family and friends during the festive season. Pre-order your turkey well in advance to avoid disappointment.