Choosing a turkey for Christmas is a fine art – no one wants to end up with something that’s too big to fit into the oven or too small for your party!
Whether you’re after a traditional roast turkey or looking to try something new, we’ve got you covered. From minimal-prep solutions right through to the full works (as well as interesting alternatives you might not have even thought of), make choosing the right option for you easy with this handy run-down of Jamie’s best turkey recipes.
How to choose a turkey
Whether you’re ordering your turkey online, heading to the butcher’s or opting for a supermarket bird, there are a number of things to take into account when you’re splashing the cash on your Christmas centrepiece.
First and foremost, it’s important to understand where your turkey has come from, and familiarise yourself with the welfare terminology. Daniel Nowland, Jamie’s in-house expert on all things food and farming related, has put together a great go-to guide that clearly spells out the differences between turkey farming categories. As a rule of thumb, organic and free-range birds are the best.
If you’re considering taking the stress out of the Christmas food shop and doing it all online, Paul Kelly’s multi award-winning Bronze traditional turkeys come highly recommended by Jamie's food team. These gorgeous free-range birds are ridiculously flavoursome, succulent and moist, and they can be delivered to your door in time for Christmas. Good butchers will be able to point you in the right direction to make sure you buy the right sized bird for your dinner. But if you’re going solo and heading to the supermarket, use this rough guide and you’ll have plenty for the main event, along with a little extra for leftovers.
3kg serves 6 to 7
4kg serves 8 to 10
5kg serves 10 to 12
6kg serves 12 to 14
7kg serves 14 to 16
8kg serves 16 to 18
9kg serves 18 to 20
When you’re picking your turkey, keep an eye out for those with a dry appearance, as they’re usually better than those with a wet sheen to the flesh. A dry bird will have been hung and dry-plucked, which tends to result in better quality meat and superb flavour. Bear in mind that a good turkey may not look perfect: one that's free of blemishes probably hasn’t had an active life and will lack flavour.
If you’ve left it late and there are no fresh turkeys available, or you’re going away and you won’t have time to shop for one, a good free-range frozen turkey is nothing to be afraid of! Remember to carefully check the packet instructions for thawing times, though, as it’s really important to follow these properly.
How to prepare a turkey
Take your turkey out of the fridge 1 hour before you intend to put it in the oven. This way, your oven will have plenty of time to preheat, and you’ll get less shrinkage.
Remember, there’s no need to wash a turkey – any bacteria will be killed during cooking.
Before you pop it in the oven, check for giblets (the gizzard, heart, liver or other small organs). They’re usually supplied in an oven-safe plastic bag and are sometimes in the cavity of the bird, so remember to remove them before cooking. They might look a bit weird, but don’t throw them away – they’ll add great flavour to your gravy!
How to cook a turkey
Make a note of the weight of your turkey and the suggested cooking time if you buy your bird online or from a butcher. Supermarket turkeys should be clearly labelled to make this easy.
Calculate your turkey cooking time using the weight as a guide, and don’t forget: your turkey will need to come out of the oven before carving to rest and get lovely and flavoursome. Turkeys between 4-6kg should be rested for 1½ hours, and ones from 6-10kg can rest for two hours.
Heat your oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
4-5kg – cook 2¼ to 2½ hours
5-6kg – cook 2½ to 3 hours
6-7kg – cook 3 hours to 3½ hours
7-8kg – cook 3½ to 4 hours
8-9kg – cook 4 to 4¼ hours
9-10kg – cook 4¼ to 4½ hours
Roast the turkey for the required time, or until the juices run clear from the thickest part of the thigh if you pierce it with a knife or a skewer.
Using a thermometer, check the internal temperature of the turkey. A supermarket high-welfare bird should be cooker to at least 70ºC. If you have a dry-plucked, dry-aged, excellent quality bird, you can cook it to 65ºC.
Then leave to rest, carve, and enjoy the best Christmas turkey ever! For a real show-stopping bird, try out Jamie’s best ever roast turkey recipe.
Help! Which Christmas turkey recipe should I choose?
Feeling overwhelmed by all the Christmas turkey recipes out there? Fear not! We have something for everyone...
The 5-ingredient favourite... If you’re short on time or cooking your first turkey, this quick-to-prep cranberry-spiked number boasts big flavour without complicated steps or a long shopping list. Creating a pocket under the skin for the flavoured butter to sit in ensures the turkey stays well basted during roasting for super-juicy results. Plus, you’re left with a cracker of flavoured butter to enjoy on various veggies throughout the festive season. Double win!
The old faithful... Stuffed with a whole array of festive flavours, this easy roast turkey is your go-to recipe if you want an absolute classic. With clementine and herbs hidden inside, you’ll get that beautiful bonus flavour steaming up through the turkey as it cooks. Tick the pork, sage & onion stuffing off your list nice and early to make the final preparations a doddle.
The new favourite... Fancy taking a different approach this year? Why not opt for a crown with stuffed legs? It might sound tricky, but you can ask your butcher to debone the legs for you, or follow our simple guide if you want to give it a go. With an apricot and sausagemeat stuffing that can be made and stuffed into the legs and crown on Christmas Eve, you can feel smug that all you’ve got to do is whack it in the oven on Christmas morning.
The budget-friendly... Choosing a turkey crown is usually a thriftier option than buying a whole bird. Cooked gently in wine and spiced stock, with herby butter under the skin, this turkey recipe will give you tender, juicy meat and a delicious gravy for very little effort. For next-level turkey crackling, remove the skin and crisp it up under a hot grill then crumble it over the top before serving. Yum!
The crowd pleaser... If you’re cooking for a large number and feeling the pressure, set yourself up for success with a simple, reliable recipe that’ll give you a head-start on big-flavour gravy with a tasty trivet. When cooking a bigger bird, things like letting your turkey come up to room temperature before cooking and remembering that the residual heat will keep cooking it after you take it out of the oven are really important. Use this failsafe recipe as your guide and you can’t go wrong.
The unconventional... Branch out with this impressive recipe – it’s a real show stopper, and a nice change from the usual festive offering. Encasing the turkey breast in mushrooms helps lock in moisture for beautifully juicy results. It’s also a great one to make the day before you need it, leaving just a simple eggwash and the oven cooking for the big day itself.
Need guidance on how to carve a turkey? Check out our top tips. And, if you’ve got lovely leftovers, there’s a whole world of wonderful things you can do with them, including making this incredible sarnie. Enjoy!
