I just can't get turkey right!

[BanyanTree]

I am quite a decent cook and baker, but I just can't get turkey right.

I need some tips.

There will be 8 of us. If I buy a turkey the fussy lot will only go for the breast, my lot for the leg and I will be left with the scrawny wings. I think I want to go with breast.

I bought a breast from the butchers which was £££ and it took way longer to cook than advised and lunch was 2 hours late.

I had a Waitrose breast that was exact tot he minute which worked but this feels like cheating.

Please share with me your turkey success and tips.

Just to add that I don't mind paying for it. I just thought the butchers breast was a bit rubbish and it cost £40.

I get an M+S whole deboned Oakham turkey - cooks through evenly, in the time it says, looks nice and has all the meat, covered in bacon, no stuffing (fussy people always complain it taints the meat).

Expensive but worth it, no waste either.

I always just get a turkey crown usually local butchers who are very good but have used M&S or Waitrose.

Thank you both.
Do I have to pre order the M&S one?

Get your butcher to de-bone the whole turkey. When you have it laid out put a layer of nice stuffing on the inside then add a few chicken breasts. Finally tie the whole thing up like a parcel (or use metal skewers) and shove it in the oven.

We do our on Boxing Day, slice the turkey/chicken and heat it up as it saves any cooking on Christmas Day.

Use a 'roast-a-bag' you can get them from the butcher or lakeland. Basically a special plastic bag you put tge whole bird in. Twist end of bag loosly and tuck underneath. Cook. The bag holds all the steam / juices in so keeps bird beautifully moist. No need for basting / turning etc. Just stick the lot in the oven - could not be easier. Then you can just focus on christmas!! I prepare all veg etc christmas eve..makes it the laziest day!

Whoops - meant to say we prep everything and cook the turkey on Christmas Eve not Boxing Day

Yes you have to pre-order the M&S one. (but can attest to it's unctuous deliciousness)

Buy and install an Aga. Roast Turkey overnight. You're welcome.

Agreed. Roasting bags are fab. I use them all the time for chicken and it's lovely and moist and holds the flavour beautifully - would definitely recommend them.

I do mine on Christmas eve. Whole bird, nearly a pack of butter placed under the skin of the legs and breast, I put an orange and onion and some herbs inside and place it on a trivet of veg (carrots/parsnips/onion). I cover with foil for the most part thn take it off to let it brown. Baste as required then whn it's ready take it out and let it relax completely for an hour or two. Then I carve/portion it out and make the gravy. On christmas morning, I put the amount we want to eat into the slow cooker with some chicken stock or a little of the gravey watered down and it stays there until I'm ready to serve everything else. It leaves my oven free for the stuffing, chipolatas and roasties etc.

Morrisons is my holy grail for turkey, I normally do mine around the 22nd/23rd and cook for around 8 hours on a low heat, I get it out of the freezer on the 20th and let it thaw for a few days before I cook it. Once it's cooked I put it in the fridge (covered) for a few days. I don't really do anything special to it, I stuff it with some homemade stuffing and cover with some butter - it always turns out yummy xx

Turkey crown or whole turkey cut into sections

Rolled turkey breast is a lot easier to cook than a normal turkey breast. The butcher should be able to do it for you. We to two with stuffing inside and wrapped together in bacon for 8.

I like the look of a whole bird on a platter surrounded by the trimmings, so would always cook the entire turkey not just a crown.

To stop it being dry I roast it upside down on a wire rack with a glass of wine and about 200ml of chickem stock in a roasting tray underneath the wire rack. That steams the meat so it's juicy. Half an hour before cooking ends, take it out, drain off the wine and juice to use as a basis for the gravy, turn it the right way up and put it back in to crisp up in a slightly hotter oven.

For this to work you have to part pre-cook the roast veg as the potatoes and parsnips will never crisp up in an oven with a steam-roasted turkey. Or if you have two ovens, cook them separately.

There is a brilliant one by Phil Vickery.
You chuck in some wine cover and steam the Turkey in the oven, over the veg, then cook the veg and Turkey till brown...

Brine it for at least 24 hours before roasting. Loads of brine recipes online.

We also do the upside down thing and it works a treat

I wrote that out then kept my fingers crossed I was posting on the right thread

How big do turkey crowns go? Surely if you were feeding, say, 24 people it would be impossible to get one big enough?

We get one from the local farm, brine it (it really is worth doing) and roast upside down, with the breast underneath.

I much prefer having a whole bird to make stock etc.

Take turkey. Donate elsewhere.
Buy giant forerib of beef
I hate turkey!

Check your oven settings, ours has a special one for roasting and it does quicker than using the same temperature on normal setting. I'd hate to go somewhere with only Turkey crown as I prefer the dark meat. I finally convinced DH to rest the Turkey under piles of towels, so it doesn't go cold and that makes one heck of a difference

Brine it the day before. As per Nigella. Changed my Christmas cooking forever.

www.nigella.com/recipes/spiced-and-superjuicy-roast-turkey