How to Cook Turkey
What Size Turkey Do I Need?
It's important to get the right size turkey for your family. You don't want anyone to go short, but on the other hand, you don't want to be eating cold turkey sandwiches until New Year's Eve.
If you do end up with too much, don't worry. Our recipe for leftover chicken works just as well with turkey and is a great way to avoid waste in the kitchen.
6 / 7 people - 3kg turkey
8 / 10 people - 4kg turkey
10 / 12 people - 5kg turkey
How to Prepare a Turkey
You should remove your turkey from the fridge about 30 minutes before you start cooking it. This will also give your oven plenty of time to pre-heat. You don’t need to wash your turkey as any bacteria will be killed off during cooking. Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4
How to Cook Your Turkey
Give it a rest. When calculating your cooking time, remember you need to leave your turkey to rest once it comes out of the oven. Turkeys between 4 and 6kg should be rested for 1½ hours, and 6 to 10kg turkeys can rest for two hours.
- 4 to 5kg – cook 2¼ to 2½ hours
- 5 to 6kg – cook 2½ to 3 hours
- 6 to 7kg – cook 3 hours to 3½ hours
Roast your turkey for the correct time, or until the juices run clear from the thickest part of the thigh when pierced with a knife or a skewer.
Christmas Recipes
From the traditional turkey centrepiece to smoked salmon starters, to the pigs in blankets, RSPCA Assured labelled products are available in supermarkets across the country.
