Best turkey for a turkey virgin - can be pre-pepped

[Crunchymum]

We're having our first ever Xmas at home.

I am ashamed to admit I'm 37 and have never cooked a turkey before (in fact I've never actually roasted any meat joint barring the odd roast in a tin M&S jobby. No-one really likes roasts??)

I don't want to fuck it up on Xmas day and I don't have the time money for a practice run.

DP is less roast savvy than me.

Someone has suggested we get a pre-pepped turkey from M&S and said you literally put on oven and that it is? They are like £35 though?

Any recommendations for easy to cook turkeys.

We aren't all that keen on the roast in a tin meats we've had from M&S before. They can be a bit slimey?

Also ETA that I'll be 8 months pregnant at Christmas so looking for easiest option possible

I can highly recommend buying a turkey crown from Morrisons. I've bought my crowns from there for at least the last 5 years and haven't been disappointed. Roughly £20 for a crown that feeds 5/6 for a roast on Christmas Day, a pie on Boxing Day and a couple of rounds of sandwiches each. I also do a medium sized (£10) gammon joint.

I follow the timings printed on the label and it works perfectly. Smear the skin with a bit of soft butter, salt and pepper and lay some streaky bacon over the top.

They do boned, rolled and stuffed turkey joints too which look lovely.

I usually get a crown. I separate the skin from the meat with a spoon, rounded side up so you don’t pierce the skin and stuff a load of herby butter in there and then smear it over the top as well. Jamie Oliver tip, that one. Never been dry and as long as you follow the cooking instructions and make sure it rests afterwards it’ll be moist (shudder) and easy to carve.

I got a friend a turkey crown from Morrison’s last year, it is in a bag ready to put in the oven with stuffing

The bag is the key as there is no basting etc and the meat is moist

It was under £10

4 guests. 2 of them little people. I do love a turkey sandwich though.

Have a Morrisons delivery booked for 23rd. A turkey from there seems like the way to go? Although I probably need actual turkey before 23rd (to make sure I can get it??)

Morrisons have a preorder system for Christmas food. There is a catalogue in store with an order form inside. Fill in what you want, take it in to customer services or order online, choose a collection time and pay £20 deposit. I did mine earlier this week and chose a collection time mid morning on Christmas Eve. It can get a bit bonkers on collection day but I buy pretty much everything else beforehand so I'm only picking my order up. When you order they give you an approximate cost of the goods and then you pay the exact price at the till (less your deposit).

What you need is a magic turkey roasting bag (pictured)
Dash of flour, salt and pepper in the bag. Close it and shake it. Pop in the turkey. Stick it in the oven.
It comes out beautifully golden and moist with no basting and fussing at all.

be careful of the steam when you cut the bag open. Lift out turkey. Then over a sink, pop a jug under the bag, cut a corner and get all the lovely juices. Strain, skim off the fat or just pour into this and then thicken with cornflour and a splash of wine, salt and pepper.

Ours is easy, firstly a whole bird as the legs are the best bit, remove giblets and neck an put in a saucepan cover with water and make a stock for the gravy. At the wide end you need to put your finger between the skin and the meat and gently ease them apart. Now place butter, either, plain or flavoured, in this packet. Finally cover with streaky bacon. You can stuff it , modern cooks say only the neck end but I've been filling the body cavity loosely for years and no one has been ill. If you don't want to stuff it pop a couple of oranges in the cavity.

Much nicer and cheaper than buying ready prepared and it will take Les than half an hour ( takes me about 15 mins in all,)