Let the turkey rest
This is a crucial part of the cooking time, so never, ever carve a turkey straight out of the oven. It takes at least half an hour, and up to an hour and a half, covered with aluminum foil and sitting next to it in the kitchen (precious time to make the sauce and finish the vegetables). The turkey will continue to cook and the internal temperature will continue to rise, a good 10°C.
Take the turkey out of the refrigerator one hour before cooking, to bring it to room temperature. Weigh it to find out how long it will take in the oven – otherwise you’ll spend all of Boxing Day and beyond with a dicky belly.
Dive into the back of the bird and find the triangle. This will be the first visible piece of bone, forming an arch between the two breasts. Some people cook the turkey with the triangle intact, but it’s easier to carve the breast if you take it out before cooking (this also prevents any choking accidents). Take your knife and slide it along the edge of the bone, before ripping it off.
Take out the giblets if you haven’t already (they’re usually in a plastic bag) and start stuffing the turkey. Only stuff the turkey from the neck down. You don’t want to stuff it from the main cavity (the back of the turkey) because keeping it empty improves air circulation in and around the bird, allowing it to cook faster and more evenly. If you do things from behind, the inside may not get hot enough to kill the bacteria present, which can lead to food poisoning.
Go easy when filling the skin – you don’t want it to tear. Secure the stuffing with a skewer, brush the poultry with pieces of butter (this will prevent the meat from drying out), and pour a large glass of white wine and another of water into the bottom of the baking dish. to roast. This will mix with the cooking juices and prevent them from evaporating – important, as you want plenty of juice for your sauce later.
Leave to rest between 30 minutes and an hour so that it is as tender as possible when cutting.
When carving the turkey, start with one side of the breast and cut diagonally down the center, then repeat on the other side. Most people these days just cut the middle of the turkey and carve each breast as a whole, but that only leaves you with the turkey carcass at the end of the carving (if you spent that much time carving cook, you feel like it to be as pretty as possible for as long as possible).
To remove the turkey leg, cut the meat to the point where you can feel a seam in the middle. Put your thumb in the space you just created and remove the meat, pushing the seal out.
Turkey cooking time
Preheat the oven to 200C/220C convection heat/thermostat 6. Put the turkey in the oven and cook for 15 minutes then lower the oven to 180C/160C convection heat/thermostat 4 and cook again:
- 3kg (6.6lb) – 1¾ hours
- 4 kg (8.8 lbs) – 2 hours
- 5kg (11lb) – 2¼ hours
- 6 kg (13.2 lb) – 2.5 hours
- 7-8kg (15.5lb – 17.7lb) – 3 hours
- 9-11kg (19.8lb – 24.2lb) – 3¼ hours
Please note that weights include stuffing and cooking times are approximate only.
Tips for choosing a turkey
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Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-12-24 09:39:12
