Fields Farm Fresh Christmas Turkeys

Cooking

As the centre piece of your Christmas celebration, its really important that your

turkey is cooked really well. This can be quite daunting for many people, but with

a bit of planning, it can all go very smoothly.

Storage

DO NOT freeze the turkey you get from us as there will not be time enough before Christmas Day to thaw it again. However if you are looking to eat your turkey on Boxing Day, we advise freezing your turkey as soon as possible, making sure that you leave plenty of time to defrost before you need it.
Keep the turkey in the fridge until you are ready to prepare it for cooking. DO NOT store at ‘room temperature’.
Remove the giblets and keep them in a separate bowl in the fridge. Wash them in salt water. You can use the giblets to make a tasty stock or soup.

Preparation

Make sure the giblet bag has been removed from the turkey cavity.
If you wish to add stuffing to the inside of the bird, the best place to put it is in the neck cavity. Some people however, prefer to cook stuffing separately.
For varying flavours try placing a large peeled onion or an orange in the body.
Alternatively, rub the outer skin with butter, lemon juice or herbs or cover with rashers of bacon.

Fancy something different?

There’s loads of recipes online. Just a few can be found here http://www.britishturkey.co.uk/category/all-recipes.html

Roasting Method

Weigh the turkey, including the stuffing. It can be cooked with or without foil wrapping. When using foil, remove it for the last hour to crisp the skin.
Place turkey in roasting tin, (some people suggest) breast-side down. The only fat deposits are in the back which will gradually filter down to the breast during cooking. This makes the meat moist and succulent.
Turn the turkey over for the last 30-60 minutes of cooking and remove foil wrapping.

Roasting Times

See the table below for roasting time. You can test if your turkey is cooked by inserting a skewer into the inside of the thigh and thick parts of the meat. If there is a trace of pink in the juice, return the turkey to the oven and cook for a little longer, then check again. Use the juices to make a tasty gravy.
REMEMBER: If the turkey is stuffed inside, calculate the cooking time based on the total weight of bird and stuffing. Weigh the stuffing separately, as few domestic scales or balances can cope with huge weights.

*Cooking times are approximate only and are based on a pre-heated oven of 180 degrees C

Resting the turkey

Never underestimate the importance of resting your turkey once it has finished cooking. Bear this in mind when planning your cooking time, Turkeys between 4-6kg should be rested for 1½ hours, and ones from 6-10kg can rest for two hours. In addition to adding to the delicious taste of your turkey, it also enables you to use the oven for your roasties, vegetables & other accompaniments.

Carving

It’s easier than you think, here's some tips to enable you to get the most out of your bird.

Hold the leg by the end knuckle. Cut the skin close to the body and twist off
The dark meat from the leg and thigh can be carved if you wish.
Similarly, remove the wing and cut in half if too large.
Slice the breast meat from one half of the turkey. Repeat the sequence for the other half of the turkey.