Allow 20-25 minutes per lb (50-55 minutes
per kg) plus and extra 20 minutes at 180C, 350F, Gas Mark 4 and remember to include
the stuffing weight when calculating the timing. Some
say to start it off breast side down which isn't a bad idea as the
cooking juices flow downwards into the breast helping to keep it moist. If
you are going to use this method, don't smear the breasts with butter at the
start as it will just melt and run into the roasting tin. Use the streaky bacon
method below instead and still cover loosely with foil. It should be noted that
very good results are still achieved just roasting the bird on its back for the
entire cooking time.
Approximate cooking times (make adjustments to suit your
own oven in particular for fan assisted ovens):-
Servings are approximate and sufficient to have
leftovers
|
2.7kg/ 6 lb (serves 4+ ) |
2 hours 50 minutes
(plus 20 minutes resting) |
|
4.5kg/ 10 lb
(serves 6+ ) |
4 hours 30minutes
(plus 20 minutes resting) |
|
5.4kg/ 12 lb
(serves 8+ ) |
5 hours 20 minutes
(plus 20 minutes resting) |
|
6.8kg/ 15 lb
(serves 10+ ) |
6 hours 35 minutes
(plus 20 minutes resting) |
|
8.1kg/ 18 lb (serves 12+ ) |
7 hours 50 minutes
(plus 20 minutes resting) |
|
9.4kg/ 21 lb(serves 14+ ) |
9 hours
(plus 20 minutes resting) |
If using the above method, half way through the cooking time, turn the bird onto its
back, baste well with the cooking juices, then re-cover loosely with foil before
returning it to the oven. If you feel so inclined, you can baste the bird every
1-2 hours, however if you use the foil method, basting 3-4 times during cooking
is sufficient.
About 45 minutes before the end of the cooking time,
remove the foil (and bacon if you prefer), baste with the cooking juices and
continue to roast. This will allow plenty of time for the bird to brown.
Check the meat is cooked by parting
the skin between the leg and breast. If it is still a little
pink then allow an extra 20 minutes on top of your
calculated time. When pierced with a skewer at the
thickest part of the thigh the juices should run clear not pink.
Back to top
Transfer the bird to a large serving platter, making sure
you drain any juices which will have collected inside the cavity. You can
add these juices to the gravy for extra flavour.
Leave the cooked turkey to stand in a
warm place for about 20 minutes before carving. This
may seem a long time but trust us - just cover
it loosely with a foil �tent� to retain its heat. You'll be
surprised how hot it will remain and this resting time makes carving a doddle.
This extra time can be used to finish cooking all the accompaniments.
Back to top
Christmas Dinner Trimmings
and Accompaniments
Traditional accompaniments for a Christmas roast turkey
include gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, bread sauce, bacon rolls,
small sausages, roast potatoes, red cabbage, roast parsnips and
Brussels sprouts. Full timings are given later on in the
Time Plan.
Depending on how much time you'll have on the day, you may
wish to prepare some of the trimmings such as the giblet stock for gravy,
stuffing, and bacon wrapped sausages the day before. Indeed, items such as
brandy butter and cranberry sauce can be prepared 2-3 days ahead.
Our advice is to do as much as possible before the actual
day and refrigerate it so you don't have to spend too much time preparing the
bits and pieces on Christmas morning.
If possible, get a turkey with the giblets so that you can
make a well flavoured gravy.
Unless you are fortunate enough to have a very large or
double oven it's likely that you'll have to do some juggling in order for
accompaniments like roast potatoes, roast parsnips, and bacon rolls to be browned
and crisp without overcooking.
The 20 minutes whilst you are resting the bird as above is
the prime opportunity for you to brown and crisp up all your accompaniments
however, this relatively short time means you'll have to steam or boil potatoes
and parsnips in advance until almost cooked.
20 minutes before you are ready to take the bird out of
the oven to rest, turn the temperature up to very high - at least 220C, 425F,
Gas Mark 7. This will ensure that whatever you put into the oven once the turkey
is removed
will brown and crisp in the 20 minutes you have spare. Keep a watchful eye and
reduce the oven temperature or even turn it off if items are browning too
quickly.
Stuffing The amounts
below are approximate and sufficient to stuff the neck end of the turkey with
some left over for baking separately in a tin or making extra stuffing balls. If
you prefer you can cook the whole amount outside of the turkey in a shallow tin
or made into balls.
|
Number of servings |
Amount of Stuffing |
|
Serves 4 |
480ml/ 16fl.oz. |
|
Serves 6 |
600ml/20fl.oz. |
|
Serves 8 |
900ml/30fl.oz. |
|
Serves 10 |
1L/35fl.oz. |
|
Serves 12 |
1.2L/40fl.oz. |
|
Serves 14 |
1.4L/46fl.oz. |
Other Accompaniments
If you are serving the full compliment of turkey, trimmings and vegetables as
mentioned above you should allow:-
Roast Parsnips - 1 per person
Roast Potatoes - 2 - 3 pieces per person
Brussels Sprouts - 125g/+4oz per person
Red Cabbage - 125g/+4oz per person
Bacon Wrapped Sausages - 2 per person
Gravy - 180ml/6fl.oz. per person
Cranberry Sauce - 30ml/1fl.oz. per person
Bread Sauce - 60ml/2fl.oz. per person
Back to top
Christmas Dinner
Menu
The menu below is our suggestion for a perfect traditional
Christmas dinner with all the trimmings however you can pick and choose which
bits you want and the time plan below makes allowances for cooking the whole
menu or just the turkey and vegetables.
Full recipes are linked to in the time plan where
applicable.
Roast Turkey with Sherry
Stuffing
Gravy
Cranberry Sauce
Bread Sauce
Bacon Wrapped Sausages
Roast Potatoes
Roast Parsnips
Spiced Red Cabbage with Apple
Brussels Sprouts
* * * * *
Christmas Pudding with Cream
Mince Pies with Brandy Butter
* * * * *
Back to top
This time plan is based on the premise that only one oven
is available to use, that the turkey is either fresh or has been thoroughly
defrosted (remember a large bird can take 48 hours to defrost properly) and that
the bird will be roasted breast side up for the whole period.
The most important article is the turkey. Decide what time
you wish to serve the meal then work out how long your sized turkey will take to
cook using the chart above and start at the appropriate time. E.g. You
wish to serve the meal at 1.30pm and your turkey weighs 4.5kg/ 10 lb
which will take 4 hours 30minutes plus 20 minutes resting time, so you need to put it in the oven at
8.40am.
Everything else will follow on very simply, provided you
always keep in mind what time you want to serve the meal. To make things
even more simple for you. the time plan below has a space for you to put in the
exact times to do things (depending on what time you want to serve. Take 30
minutes out the day before to fill in the appropriate times then use the time
plan on the day. You can set your kitchen timer or even your mobile phone to
sound an alarm when the next "thing to do" is due.
Click here for a Print friendly version of this time plan
|
Time |
Basic Roast Turkey Dinner |
The whole works! |
Done |
At least 2 days before
|
Start the
Christmas
Pudding.
It will still
need re-steaming on the day.
|
Start the
Christmas
Pudding.
It will still
need re-steaming on the day.
|
. |
|
At least 1 hour before you start
cooking the turkey
|
Make the
Brandy Butter . Cover with clingfilm
and refrigerate. |
Make the
stuffing up (homemade or packet), allow
to cool if necessary and refrigerate until later.
Make the
Brandy Butter. Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate.
|
. |
|
20 minutes before you start
cooking the turkey (or the day before)
|
Preheat the oven whilst you prepare the turkey. Remove the
giblets from the neck and inside the cavity if they are present and set
aside. Wash the bird thoroughly, both inside and out, preferably under
cold running water. Pat dry with kitchen paper then season the bird all over with salt and pepper and other
seasonings if using e.g. herbs, paprika etc.
Place the turkey, breast side up, in a large roasting tin and either
smear liberally with softened butter or place lots of rashers of streaky
bacon on the breast and legs so that they completely cover the surface
and secure to the bird with wooden toothpicks. Just poke the toothpicks
through the bacon into the turkey.
Cover the whole tin loosely with heavy duty aluminium foil, securing the
ends to the lip of the roasting tin then carefully place in the
pre-heated oven. It will be heavier than you
think so take care.
|
Preheat the oven whilst you prepare the turkey. Remove the
giblets from the neck and inside the cavity if they are present and set
aside. Wash the bird thoroughly, both inside and out, preferably under
cold running water. Pat dry with kitchen paper then season the bird all over with salt and pepper and other
seasonings if using e.g. herbs, paprika etc.
Place half an orange and half an un-skinned onion in the cavity of the
turkey.
If
you wish you can use some of the stuffing to fill the breast/neck cavity
then fold the excess neck skin over to enclose the stuffing and secure
with wooden toothpicks, small wire skewers or sew up with a needle and
thread.
Place the turkey, breast side up, in a large roasting tin
and either smear liberally with softened butter or place lots of rashers of
streaky bacon on the breast and legs so that they completely cover the surface
and secure to the bird with wooden toothpicks. Just poke the toothpicks through
the bacon into the turkey.
Slowly pour at least 120ml/4fl.oz. of sherry all over the
bacon plus a little into the cavity.
Cover the whole tin loosely with heavy duty aluminium foil, securing the
ends to the lip of the roasting tin then carefully place in the
pre-heated oven. It will be heavier than you
think so take care.
|
. |
|
5 minutes later |
. |
If
making gravy with the giblets, start it now. Wash the giblets,
place in a large saucepan with 600ml/20fl.oz. Water, a good splash of
sherry, the remaining half onion (peeled and halved) and orange
(unpeeled and halved), 1 teaspoon of dried mixed herbs or a large bushy
sprig of thyme and a bay leaf, salt, pepper and a teaspoon of
Worcestershire sauce. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to VERY
low, partially cover and leave to simmer very gently.
|
. |
|
5 minutes later |
. |
If
serving extra stuffing separately, form the cold stuffing into
balls about the size of a large walnut then refrigerate until ready to
bake.
|
. |
|
5 minutes later |
Peel the potatoes, cut into even chunks and par-boil in salted
water until just tender. Drain well, cover with cold water and set
aside. |
Peel the potatoes, cut into even chunks and par-boil in salted
water until just tender. Drain well, cover with cold water and set
aside. |
. |
|
5 minutes later |
Peel or scrub the parsnips, cut larger ones in half lengthways
and par-boil in salted water until just tender. Drain well, cover with
cold water and set aside.
|
Peel or scrub the parsnips, cut larger ones in half lengthways
and par-boil in salted water until just tender. Drain well, cover with
cold water and set aside.
|
. |
1 hour later
|
Baste the Turkey
Continue to baste the turkey every 1 hour
|
Baste the Turkey
Continue to baste the turkey every 1 hour
Check the gravy adding more water or sherry if necessary to
top up the level |
. |
|
2 � hours before serving
|
If you used the Christmas Pudding recipe given here you should start to
re-steam it now. Smaller shop-bought puddings will take less time. Check
the instructions now.
|
If you used the Christmas Pudding recipe given here you should start to
re-steam it now. Smaller shop-bought puddings will take less time. Check
the instructions now.
|
. |
|
2 hours before serving
|
Start the
Spiced
Cabbage
|
Start the
Spiced
Cabbage
Prepare the
sausage and bacon rolls, cover with foil and refrigerate.
Make the
Cranberry Sauce.
Set aside to cool.
|
. |
|
1 hour before serving |
Prepare the Brussels sprouts, place in a saucepan without water
and set aside
Check the spiced cabbage and baste the turkey if necessary
Check the water level of the Christmas pudding and top up with extra
boiling water if necessary. |
Prepare the Brussels sprouts, place in a saucepan without water
and set aside
Check the spiced cabbage and baste the turkey if necessary
Check the gravy adding more water or sherry if necessary to
top up the level.
Check the water level of the Christmas pudding and top up with extra
boiling water if necessary. |
. |
|
45 minutes before serving
|
Drain the potatoes and parsnips very well and blotting with kitchen
paper if necessary, then transfer to a large shallow baking tin. Pour
over enough olive oil or melted goose fat and turn to coat on all sides.
Set aside.
Turn the oven up to very hot - at least 220C, 425F, Gas Mark 7 .
Remove the turkey from the oven, remove all of the bacon and very
carefully drain the cooking juices from the cavity of the bird and from
the tin into a saucepan (set aside to make the gravy later).
Baste the turkey with a little more sherry or some of the cooking juices
then return to the oven, uncovered.
|
Drain the potatoes and parsnips very well and blotting with kitchen
paper if necessary, then transfer to a large shallow baking tin. Pour
over enough olive oil or melted goose fat and turn to coat on all sides.
Set aside.
Turn the oven up to 220C, 425F, Gas Mark
Remove the turkey from the oven, remove all of the bacon and very
carefully drain the cooking juices from the cavity of the bird and from
the tin into the saucepan containing the giblet gravy. Continue to let
it simmer.
Baste the turkey with a little more sherry or some of the giblet gravy
then return to the oven, uncovered.
Remove the stuffing balls and bacon rolls from the refrigerator and
place on a lightly oiled foil lined baking sheet.
|
. |
|
25 minutes before serving |
Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer to a large serving platter,
cover loosely with foil and set aside to rest.
Place the prepared potatoes, and parsnips in the very hot oven.
Check the Spiced Cabbage |
Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer to a large serving platter,
cover loosely with foil and set aside to rest.
Place the prepared potatoes, parsnips, bacon rolls and stuffing balls in
the oven
Check the spiced cabbage
|
. |
|
15 minutes before serving
|
Start the Brussels sprouts. Don't be tempted to start them any earlier
unless you like soggy sprouts. Bring the water to the boil then reduce
the heat and SIMMER.
Make the gravy as follows.
Make up the level of the of the reserved cooking juices in the saucepan
with extra water if necessary, add 1 or 2 stock cubes, bring to
simmering point then thicken with a little cornflour mixed with water or
gravy granules. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Keep warm. |
Make the
bread sauce . Keep warm
Start the Brussels sprouts . Don't be tempted to start them any earlier
unless you like soggy sprouts. Bring the water to the boil then reduce
the heat and SIMMER.
Make the gravy as follows.
Strain the giblet stock into a clean saucepan, taste and if necessary
add 1 stock cube and adjust the seasoning. Bring to simmering
point then thicken with a little cornflour mixed with water or gravy
granules. Keep warm.
|
. |
|
10 minutes before serving
|
Check the potatoes and parsnips, and turn or
baste as necessary.
If
you wish to serve hot mince pies, place them on a baking tray ready to
put in the oven later.
Remove the brandy butter from the refrigerator. |
Check the potatoes, parsnips, bacon rolls and stuffing balls and turn or
baste as necessary.
If
you want to serve the cranberry sauce hot, reheat gently.
If
you wish to serve hot mince pies, place them on a baking tray ready to
put in the oven later.
Remove the brandy butter from the refrigerator. |
. |
|
5 minutes before serving |
Turn the oven off.
Uncover the turkey, draining any remaining cooking juices from the
cavity into the gravy and transfer to a large carving platter.
Transfer the gravy to a gravy or sauce boat.
Drain the Brussels sprouts.
Transfer the sprouts, cabbage, potatoes and parsnips to serving dishes.
If
you want to serve hot mince pies, place them in the turned off oven with
the door slightly ajar to warm through whilst you're eating the main
course.
Check the water level of the Christmas pudding and top up with extra
boiling water if necessary.
SERVE THE MAIN COURSE |
Turn the oven off.
Uncover the turkey, draining any remaining cooking juices from the
cavity into the gravy and transfer to a large carving platter.
Transfer the gravy to a jug or sauce boat.
Transfer the bread sauce to a gravy or sauce boat.
Transfer the cranberry sauce to a serving bowl.
Drain the Brussels sprouts.
Transfer the sprouts, cabbage, potatoes, parsnips, bacon rolls and
stuffing balls to serving dishes.
If
you want to serve hot mince pies, place them in the turned off oven with
the door slightly ajar to warm through whilst you're eating the main
course.
Check the water level of the Christmas pudding and top up with extra
boiling water if necessary.
SERVE THE MAIN COURSE
|
. |
|
At your leisure |
Serve the Christmas Pudding and mince pies.
If
you want to flame your pudding, simply heat 3-4 tablespoons of brandy in a
small saucepan or metal ladle, set fire to it then slowly pour over the
pudding.
Don't forget the cream and brandy butter.
|
Serve the Christmas Pudding and mince pies.
If
you want to flame your pudding, simply heat 3 tablespoons of brandy in a
small saucepan or metal ladle, set fire to it then slowly pour over the
pudding.
Don't forget the cream and brandy butter.
|
. |
Back to top
Here are some recipes for leftover turkey.....if you have
any !
Oriental Salad CD
MC 15mins plus cooling
Turkey Hash HT MC
25mins
Turkey & Spinach Bake HT MC British 40mins
Turkey Biryani HT MC
40mins
Turkey, Almond and Cheese Bake
HT MC British 45mins
Turkey and Stuffing Bake HT
MC 50mins
Turkey Cacciatora HT MC
Italian 50mins
Turkey and Ham Crumble HT
MC 55mins
Leftover Turkey Pancakes HT
MC 60mins
Leftovers Turkey Pie HT MC British 65mins
Cranberry, Almond Turkey Flan
HT MC British 75mins
Turkey Soup HT
SP 140mins
|
