Christmas turkey cooking advice

Defrosting your turkey

If you buy a frozen turkey, make sure that the turkey is properly defrosted before cooking it. If it's still partially frozen, it may not cook evenly, which means that harmful bacteria could survive the cooking process.

Defrosting checklist

work out the defrosting time in advance, so that you know how much time to allow – it can take a couple of days for a large turkey to thaw
when you start defrosting, take the turkey out of its packaging, put it on a large dish and cover - the dish will hold the liquid that comes out of the thawing turkey
remove the giblets and the neck as soon as possible to speed up the thawing process
wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw turkey, giblets or any other raw meat
before cooking, make sure there are no ice crystals in the cavity - test the thicker parts of the turkey with a fork to make sure it is completely defrosted
turkey (and any other poultry) is best defrosted in a covered dish at the bottom of the fridge, but you must ensure that it will not touch or drip onto other food (it is best to defrost overnight within a cool part of the kitchen; then cook in the morning or refrigerate and then use within 24 hours - always follow the instructions on the packaging)
pour away the liquid that comes out of the defrosting turkey regularly to stop it overflowing and spreading bacteria - make sure you dont splash the liquid onto worktops, dishes, cloths or other food
if the bird is too big for the fridge, put it somewhere out of reach from animals and children, and where it won't touch other foods (such as a cool room, shed or garage)
if you’re not using the fridge, watch out for sudden changes in room temperature as they could prevent the turkey from thawing evenly

Defrosting times

To work out the defrosting time for your turkey, check the packaging for any guidance first. If there aren't any defrosting instructions, use the following times to work out roughly how long it will take to thaw your turkey.

in a fridge at 4ºC (39ºF), allow about 10 to 12 hours per kg, but remember that not all fridges will be this temperature
in a cool room (below 17.5ºC, 64ºF), allow approximately three to four hours per kg, or longer if the room is particularly cold
at room temperature (about 20ºC, 68ºF) allow approximately two hours per kg

When your turkey is fully defrosted, put it in the fridge until you're ready to cook it. If this isn't possible, make sure you cook it immediately.

Preparing the turkey

Keep the uncooked turkey away from food which is ready to eat. If raw poultry, or other raw meat, touches or drips onto these foods, bacteria will spread and may cause food poisoning.

Bacteria can spread from raw meat and poultry to worktops, chopping boards, dishes and utensils. To keep your Christmas food safe, remember the following:

after touching raw poultry or other raw meat always wash your hands with warm water and soap, and dry them thoroughly
don't wash your turkey before your cook it - if you do, bacteria from raw poultry can splash onto worktops, dishes and other foods - proper cooking will kill any bacteria
always clean worktops, chopping boards, dishes and utensils thoroughly after they have touched raw poultry or meat
never use the same chopping board for raw poultry or meat, and ready-to-eat food without washing it thoroughly in warm soapy water - if possible, use a separate chopping board just for raw meat and poultry

Cooking the turkey

Plan your cooking time in advance, to make sure you get the bird in the oven early enough to cook it thoroughly. A large turkey can take several hours to cook properly. Eating undercooked turkey (or other poultry) could cause food poisoning.

You can tell when the turkey is cooked by making sure the meat is steaming hot all the way through, and when you cut into the thickest part of the meat, none of the meat should be pink. Also; the juices that flow out when you pierce the turkey or when you press the thigh, should be clear.

If you’re using a temperature probe or food thermometer, ensure that the thickest part of the bird (between the breast and the thigh) reaches at least 70°C for two minutes.

Cooking times

The cooking times below are based on an unstuffed bird. It's better to cook your stuffing in a separate roasting tin, rather than inside the bird so that it will cook more easily and the cooking guidelines will be more accurate.

If you cook your bird with the stuffing inside, you need to allow extra time for the stuffing and for the fact that it cooks more slowly.

Some ovens, such as fan-assisted ovens, might cook the bird more quickly – check the guidance on the packaging and the manufacturer's handbook for your oven if you can.

As a general guide, in an oven preheated to 180ºC (350ºF, Gas Mark 4):

allow 45 minutes per kg plus 20 minutes for a turkey under 4.5kg
allow 40 minutes per kg for a turkey that's between 4.5kg and 6.5kg
allow 35 minutes per kg for a turkey of more than 6.5kg

Cover your turkey with foil during cooking and uncover for the last 30 minutes to brown the skin. To stop the meat drying out, baste it every hour during cooking.

Cooking times for other birds

Other birds, such as goose and duck, need different cooking times and temperatures. The oven should always be hotter for duck and goose in order to melt the fat under the skin.

goose should be cooked in a preheated oven at 200ºC/425ºF/Gas Mark 7 for 35 minutes per kg
duck should be cooked in a preheated oven for 45 minutes per kg at 200ºC/400ºF/Gas Mark 6
chicken should be cooked in a preheated oven at 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4 for 45 minutes per kg, plus 20 minutes

Storing leftovers

Keep cooked meat and poultry in the fridge at 8ºC or below. If they are left out at room temperature, food poisoning bacteria can grow and multiply.

Once you have finished with the turkey, cool any leftovers as quickly as possible (within one or two hours), cover them and put them in the fridge. Ideally, try to use up leftovers within 48 hours.

When serving cold turkey, take out only as much as you need, and put the rest back in the fridge. Don't leave a plate of turkey or cold meats out all day, for example, on a buffet.

When reheating leftover turkey or other food, always make sure it's steaming hot all the way through before you eat it. Don't reheat more than once. Ideally, use leftovers within 48 hours.