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Christmas

Help please? Turkey related

3 replies

FindusLasagne · 21/12/2013 16:28

I decided to pre-cook it today and freeze.

Never cooked turkey before - my first Christmas as host.

Bought turkey crown and a leg. Followed this recipe www.goodhousekeeping.co.uk/food/recipes/glazed-turkey-crown which says to do on Gas Mark 5.

Worked out timings and it should've needed an hour and 45 mins (it's only about 4lb - butcher weighed it for me). Butcher said take leg out after about 45 ish mins as it won't take long.

It went in at 15.05 and I took it out at 15.45/50 to have a look at the leg and it was still almost raw. :( Not sizzling or anything either when I went to baste both pieces about 10 mins ago.

Done a bit more digging around online for temps for turkey. Found lots of places saying to stick it in very hot oven (Gas Mark 7) first. eg this site britishfood.about.com/od/christmasrecipes/a/roastguide.htm

Have I put it in a too-cool oven? I'm pregnant so stressing bit more than usual about potential salmonella! But I don't want to give my family food poisening either.

OP posts:
FindusLasagne · 21/12/2013 16:30

The crown should be done according to the timings I was going from, in 20 mins. And that means the leg will be overdone because I haven't taken it out again, but I daren't open the oven again because of keeping the temp in there hot.

OP posts:
addictedtosugar · 21/12/2013 16:40

AFAIK, there are 2 methods to cook (whole) turkey - hot initially, or low the whole time.
Crowns, I have no idea, but if you make sure they are hot all the way through, the cooking time only affects how dry or not the meet will be - if the centre gets hot, you will kill any bugs.

I would put chicken legs in a hot oven, and turn down immediately to 180, for 20-25 mins.
So gas 5 should be OK, if you oven is calibrated OK.
But its too late for any of this now. Just make sure the middle is cooked when you get it out, cool as quickly as you can. and then get into the fridge / freezer.

FindusLasagne · 21/12/2013 16:47

Thanks addicted. Will go and have another look at them.

I don't know about the oven - we only just moved here 2 months ago so it's a new oven to me. Oh bloody hell.

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