The most important thing you should know about Turkeys

julieq

Was going to mention this on the Nigella thread, then nearly put it into the Christmas cooking thread, but it's so important for people who don't know it that it's worthy of its own brief existence (before being merged with something else). I realise I'll be teaching a lot of people to suck eggs, but there will be others who don't know this.

The most important thing you can know about turkeys (and in fact other meat, but turkey in particular) is that turkeys will stay hot if you rest them for 30-45 minutes after cooking (obviously kept in a reasonably warm place, with foil covering them). They will also be better for having rested. Even turkey crowns and so on will be fine for 20 mins or so (I usually rest small joints of meat for 30 minutes or so, but I like to live life on the edge).

30-45 minutes is also all the time you need to roast potatoes, cook veg, make gravy, and everything else. This massively reduces the pressure you feel under getting things all ready at the same time because you can work on the veg safe in the knowledge the bird is ready.

It's a bit of a leap of faith the first time you do it, you're terrified you'll be serving cold meat, but it is fine. There will be reassurance all over the internet, don't just take my word for it.

I would never precook a roast personally, it's been interesting seeing people suggest it - to my mind that would risk it drying out, but I guess cooking in gravy stops that. Overcooking is the big bane of Christmas dinners too I think, people are so concerned about it being cooked properly that they tend to go a little long, which dries out the meat.

Also proper turkeys are worth the money if you can run to it (they are not cheap) - I always have a Kelly Bronze, and I'd far rather save a little elsewhere to pay for that than have a cheap supermarket frozen job.

chergar

I have bought the three bird roast from Aldi for this years Christmas dinner, would that be okay to rest under tin foil or do these cool down quickly?

julieq

It's about mass, so they will rest fine after roasting, better than an empty bird which has a cavity which allows cooling. If you're nervous about resting the meat for a big meal, even doing it for 15-20 minutes gives a fair bit of leeway when finishing off.

Pink.

Hi chergar,

With any meat it's important to rest it, but for the three bird roast don't leave it as long as you would a whole turkey as it will cool more quickly. I would rest it for about 20 minutes under tin foil.

Edit: During the resting period juices will escape from the relaxing meat. Don't forget to add these to your gravy to get every last bit of flavour out of it.

Pink

competitionscafe

julieq wrote: »

Also proper turkeys are worth the money if you can run to it (they are not cheap) - I always have a Kelly Bronze, and I'd far rather save a little elsewhere to pay for that than have a cheap supermarket frozen job.

We had a Kelly Bronze last year (for 8 of us) thanks to a £20 off voucher for Natoora.
It was absolutely gorgeous, yes the price is a shocker (even with £20 off) but Xmas does come but once a year and split between 8 people the Xmas dinner was still a bargain compared to what you would pay in a restaurant.

I can confirm that it will still be hot after resting for 30 minutes under foil. Plus you are pouring hot gravy over it just before you serve it. The 'Jamie' method of carving worked well, pulling the legs and wings off with tongs and then cutting off each breast in one whole piece and cutting slices downwards across the width with the skin on top so you got a bit of crispy skin and the bit that had been next to the bone all in one slice. Yum!

thriftlady_2

Yep, let it rest for a good half hour. I always do this with chickens and of course your turkey is so much bigger so it will still be lovely and hot. I do my spuds once the turkey is out of the oven too.

I'm having a locally produced free-range bird (as I have done all my cooking life) and after extensive cookbook research including Nigella's brining palaver I've decided to follow Rick Stein's advice and 'roast it in a hot oven until done'

Thanks for the carving tips Competitionscafe :T

julieq

Kelly Bronzes are astoundingly good, and they do stay beautifully moist provided you cook following the instructions and don't overdo them.

Though that's not to say there's anything wrong with supermarket turkey at all. It'll make a wonderful tasty dinner, and most of what makes Christmas dinner taste of Christmas is the trimmings anyway I think.

purpleivy

julieq wrote: »

Was going to mention this on the Nigella thread, then nearly put it into the Christmas cooking thread, but it's so important for people who don't know it that it's worthy of its own brief existence (before being merged with something else). I realise I'll be teaching a lot of people to suck eggs, but there will be others who don't know this.

The most important thing you can know about turkeys (and in fact other meat, but turkey in particular) is that turkeys will stay hot if you rest them for 30-45 minutes after cooking (obviously kept in a reasonably warm place, with foil covering them). They will also be better for having rested. Even turkey crowns and so on will be fine for 20 mins or so (I usually rest small joints of meat for 30 minutes or so, but I like to live life on the edge).

30-45 minutes is also all the time you need to roast potatoes, cook veg, make gravy, and everything else. This massively reduces the pressure you feel under getting things all ready at the same time because you can work on the veg safe in the knowledge the bird is ready.

It's a bit of a leap of faith the first time you do it, you're terrified you'll be serving cold meat, but it is fine. There will be reassurance all over the internet, don't just take my word for it.

I would never precook a roast personally, it's been interesting seeing people suggest it - to my mind that would risk it drying out, but I guess cooking in gravy stops that. Overcooking is the big bane of Christmas dinners too I think, people are so concerned about it being cooked properly that they tend to go a little long, which dries out the meat.

Also proper turkeys are worth the money if you can run to it (they are not cheap) - I always have a Kelly Bronze, and I'd far rather save a little elsewhere to pay for that than have a cheap supermarket frozen job.

Ha ha ha, didn't think turkey would be on your menu this year LOL!

competitionscafe

There is also a step by step (in pictures) turkey carving guide here:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/template/2.0-0/element/pictureGalleryPopup.jsp?id=5108285&&offset=0&&sectionName=FoodDrink

kippers

I always leave my roast turkey or chicken to rest for an hour before carving, while my roast pots and parsnips cook and it always steams when we take the foil off and is still hot. I have a cooker with an eye level grill and i put it to rest on top of this while the veg is cooking.

Purple_Sparkles

Turkeys don't like Christmas!