The annual 'How to Cook the Turkey' debate.

[popcornwizard]

So how do you do yours? Just googling cooking times and recommendations for a 9kg bird and as ever am surprised by the wide range of times out there. Do you brine? Slow roast? Cook it the day before?

I usually cook it 'upside down' (actually the right was round for the bird, but they're normally cooked on their back, breast upwards), in a foil tent with a shitload of butter and onions & lemons inside.

So, which method do you recommend?

OK, done this for years...

Mine stays moist for 3 days.... Never dry.

Fill the pan with veg. Large pieces about the size 2 fingers.. Potatoes as well..
Add some white wine to the pan about 1/4 of a bottle, doesn't need to be the best wine.
Heat the oven about 170....

Bring pan to the boil on the stove, add upside down turkey, with stuffing inside...
Cover in foil... Tight.
20 mins a pound...

Check the juices are clear, take turkey out.
Turn over place on clean on clean pan, cook for 30 mins or till skin is golden...
Drain wine stock from veg.... This is your gravy, you just need to thicken
Add veg back in oven to brown.
Do more potatoes, boiled for mash...
Extra veg on hob....
Turkey gets left in side once cooked..
Roasties should be brown...

I brined, then followed Phil Vickery's method, as posted by JaneJeffer, below. It involved basically adding a few centimetres of water and veg, boiling on the hob for a couple of minutes, and steaming the bird in a sealed foil cover afterwards.

I must say it wasn't nearly as nice as previous years - quite dry & crumbly. I think I'll go back to butter shoved under the skin, covered in a bacon lattice, and cooked at 160.