Cooking turkey today??

[ArthurandGeorge]

Have always previously cooked the turkey on Xmas day, thinking about doing it later today but then how long will it take to cool down before I can put it in the fridge?

A good few hours I would have thought. Will you have it cold tomorrow? I usually slow cook mine overnight in bottom oven of the Aga and it is served cold but with everything else hot. I often wonder if guests think I am mad.

I have no idea. Think I will just stick with doing it tomorrow and lunch being later than we planned (happens every year).

My mil usually boils it in brine for an hour the night before an then it doesn't need so much cooking the next day and apparently makes the skin crispier and meat juicier

I'm cooking mine today - it should be ready soon - it needs to rest for as long as it has cooked, then I am going to carve it and split it into two oven dishes. One for Christmas day and one for boxing day. Then I cover it with gravy and seal it with tin foil and heat in the oven - although thinking I may put the meat and gravy in the slow cooker and let it bubble away until needed and completely free up the oven for the roasties and stuffing etc.

If it doesn't cool fast enough in the house then I'll just cover it and put it in thye garage for a while - or even just leave it there tonight.

I never understand why common wisdom is that you have to cover poultry with gravy when heating it up? And I don't mean common in any derogatory way. What difference does gravy/liquid make?

Keeps it from drying out.

Liquids are a better conductor of heat? I just like it because it makes everything very juicy and even more tender.

I just don't fancy my turkey soaked in gravy.

I like to regulate the gravy.

Of course, I don't actually fancy the turkey.

lol - good luck with that then - we are lucky ours didn't all get eaten today!