Turkey Roasting Guide

Roasting a Turkey

Preheat the oven to 190c/375f/Gas 5. Season the neck and body cavity with salt and pepper. Stuff the neck cavity only. Spike a couple of lemons all over with a skewer and push these into the body cavity with 3 rosemary sprigs, 4 fresh bay leaves and dome parsley stalks. Keep the bird in a compact shape by pulling the legs close in to the body and tying them together. Now calculate the cooking time. For turkeys weighing over 4kg, allow 20 minutes per kilo plus an extra 90 minutes. For turkeys under 4kg, allow 20 minutes per kilo plus an extra 70 minutes. Pour 300ml of water into a large roasting tin and place a rack in or over the tin. Rest the turkey on the rack, spread some softened butter over the bird and season well.  Cover the turkey and tin with a large sheet of foil and seal it securely under the rim. Place it in the oven and cook for the calculated time, uncover the turkey for the last 15-30 minutes to brown the skin. To check that the turkey is cooked, push a fine skewer into the thickest part of the breast sitting just above the part of the leg. If the juices run clear it’s cooked. If there are still any traces of pink, return it to the oven for 15 minutes or until the juices are clear. Remove the turkey from the tin and lift it onto a carving board. Cover the turkey with foil and leave to rest, somewhere warm, for 20-30 minutes