advice on cooking turkey please help

xjoannexxx

hi it my first time ever cooking a turkey we normaly go to my family but me and oh are staying at home this year and i am cooking our xmas dinner i lifted out the turkey out the freezer at about 5pm it says it need 18 - 24 hours to defrost so should be done tomorrow tea time

we are goin out xmas morning at about 10.30 an will only get back about 1.30 and i wanted to do dinner for 2.30 can i part cook the turkey on xmas eve? will to go dry? its 4.20 kg and its says it needs 3 - 3 1/2 hours in ovan

tia

I_luv_cats

Poultry is dodgy - bacteria easily builds up once it starts to cool down in a warm room and you are only suppose to reheat it once. (keep the meat cool in the fridge once cooled down to eat cool or reheat a portion of it)

Have you a timer on your cooker?? A neighbour that can turn your oven on??

serena

Part cooking the turkey in advance and then letting it cool would be a fine recipe for food poisoning I should think! Don't risk it!

I would use an oven timer if you have one - prepare the turkey, and then put in the oven before you leave, with the timer to switch on while you're out.

To keep the turkey moist, stuff the neck end (NOT the cavity), and then double wrap loosely in foil.

Allow for 20-30 minutes standing time after you take it out of the oven, don't remove the foil then, but add a folded clean tea towel over the top.

Happy Christmas!

xjoannexxx

i think we have a timmer but i havnt a clue how it works if i cant figure it out could i put the turkey in as we were goin out on low or would it be to dry?

hotcookie101

Turkey is quite dry anyway I find. If you have to eat at 230, with only getting in at 130, would probably stick turkey in covered with foil and maybe some water in the tray at about 30-40 C below recc temp and crank it up when you get in at 130 to crisp the skin... Bear in mind it needs at least 30mins to rest. stick a skewer in thickest part to see if cooked through (clear juices) or invest in meat thermometer

Personally, if I was going out and not coming back til 130, I would just start cooking at 130 and have dinner rather than lunch. would rather have a well cooked joint of meat than an not so well cooked one. Can always have nibbles until then....

PS do NOT part cook it the day before. If you want to do that cook completely, slice and then reheat on the day. Part cooked poultry (esp intensively farmed) is just asking for trouble!!

(BTW when I say well cooked I mean cooked in a good manner, rather than well done until its got no juices or moisture left!)

lisa1234831

hiya hope u dont mind me posting here as didnt see the point starting a new thread for the same kind of question lol, it is my first time cooking a turkey and i was wondering if i could have some advice on cooking one too. i have a boneless crown i think its called and was wondering if anyone has ever done it in there slow cooker or if anyone knew how long it should take in the sc?

thankyou lisa x

cba321

xjoannexxx wrote: »

i lifted out the turkey out the freezer at about 5pm it says it need 18 - 24 hours to defrost so should be done tomorrow tea time

Hi there, another thing is, I don't always think the defrosting times they give, actually work. We have the same size turkey as you and I took mine out of the freezer and put in the fridge on Tuesday night and it is still rock hard in the fridge, so I doubt yours will be defrosted by tonight. Saying that, the best place to defrost is the fridge to avoid any bacteria etc, so don't start getting the hair dryer on it just yet.