It’s the most important component of Christmas dinner, but year after year people end up in a blind panic because they have messed it up. The Turkey is the centrepiece to lunch, and it’s simple to avoid the major pitfalls.
But to know exactly how long it will take, you’ll need to know how big it is. We all know of the stories of the turkey sitting half eaten in the garage or utility room until well after the New Year's Resolutions have evaporated, so think about how many people will be eating, and how many leftovers you want.
One of the smaller birds, about three kilograms, will feed a couple of people on the day, but you’re not going to get many sandwiches out if it afterwards, and you can buy from a range right up to 11 kilos – which will feed between 15 and 20!
The bigger the bird, the longer the cooking time, so plan carefully.
Buy fresh!
There are plenty of local butchers and farm shops who are offering fresh turkey, often delivered direct to your door. Shop around to find what you want, and help support local business – and get rid of the whole defrosting daftness at all.
And a good butcher's will be able to advise on size and cooking, to boot.
Choose frozen
Alternatively, you could pick up a frozen turkey in the supermarket, but it’s absolutely vital that you remember to defrost it well. Getting this wrong could make you very ill.
So before you resort to using the hairdryer, or putting it in a hot bath, remember that it can need up to 12 hours per kilo if you are defrosting it in the fridge, and even in a cool room you’re going to need to let it sit for three to four hours per kilo. Make sure it’s covered as you don’t want any pets or curious children getting at it. And don’t forget to add at least 45 minutes per kilo for cooking!
And if you’re still worried that by the time Christmas Eve comes around you’ll have forgotten to move the thing from the freezer, you could perhaps buy some ready-to-roast turkey joints as a back-up.
