Nothing says Christmas quite like a turkey dinner served up while a tree full of fairy lights twinkles in the corner. Cooking the festive turkey to perfection is an art though, and there are several steps involved. Here is a guide to getting it just right.
Christmas Eve prep
The work starts on Christmas Eve, as you need to take the giblets out of your turkey. These are the gizzard, liver and heart, and you can either use them in making your gravy or you can throw them away. Next, you should dry the turkey with kitchen roll, to ensure the skin gets crispy when cooked. Add some seasoning and leave it uncovered in your fridge.
Christmas Day prep
Remove your turkey from the fridge around two hours before it goes in the oven. This will help it to cook more quickly and evenly. When it comes to stuffing, you can either put it in the cavity or do it separately. Make your stuffing from onion, garlic cloves and herbs.
The next step will be to cover the turkey breast in either butter or cooking oil. Make sure the outside is thoroughly coated in whichever you prefer. Buttering helps with crispiness.
Cooking your turkey
How long the turkey needs to be in the oven will depend on the size. The rule is that turkeys below 4kg in size need 20 minutes per kg and then another 90. If it is over 4kg, give it 20 minutes per kg and another 70.
Follow this guide for a perfect Christmas turkey.
