Foolproof turkey recipe

[Travelcrazy]

How do you cook your whole turkey, do you use foil or put wine or stock in the pan? Do you cook it breast side down? I have seen so many different methods it’s confusing!
I have 4.5 kg whole bird.
Thanks for any help

I don't stuff mine, I just put a lemon (heated in the microwave a la Jamie) and a chopped onion in the cavity and serve stuffing balls on the side.
I use Nigella's timings (it turns out turkey doesn't take as long to cook as I'd thought), add a mixture of stock and white wine (I check every now and then to see if it needs a bit more liquid) and use foil for the first two thirds or so of the cooking time. Then I rest it, covered in a double layer of thick foil for up to an hour.
I also use a basting syringe to inject melted butter into the breast (going under the skin so as not to break it) before cooking.
I brined it one year, but it didn't seem to make a huge difference. However, my BiL - also a keen cook - swears by brining.
I also cooked it breast side down one year, but lost some of the skin as it stuck slightly to the tin and it also looked a slightly weird shape when I turned it right side up. After all that, it didn't seem to be notably more juicy. I do think the melted butter in the meat helps, though.

Happy Christmas and bon appetit!

I stuff the turkey between the breast and the skin with a mixture of sausage meat, herbs, orange zest and port soaked cranberries and put a pierced and warmed orange in the neck cavity and a pierced and warmed orange and lemon in the rear cavity. Then weigh the stuffed bird and keep out of the fridge for half an hour before cooking. Preheat the oven to maximum. Cover the turkey with foil and place in oven. Turn oven down to 180 and roast for 20 minutes per 500g. 45 minutes before the end, remove foil and glaze with a mix of melted butter and maple syrup and return to oven uncovered to brown. Remove from oven and wrap tightly in foil and a towel and rest in the tray for an hour while I roast the potatoes and veg.
This method never fails for me and the turkey is never dry

keep out of the fridge for half an hour before cooking.

Really good point! I forgot to say all bets are off if it's fridge cold.
Sounds delicious, HippyChickMama

Loosely stuff neck cavity, herb butter under the skin (if you're not too squeamish) and streaky bacon over the breast. Pour a bottle of wine into the roasting tin and then place turkey on a rack over the wine cover loosely with foil before removing about 30 minutes before the end of cooking

I brine and stuff mine. Agree that Nigella’s timings are good.

We have a crown

Knobs of butter under the skin
Streaky bacon laid all over
Tinfoil

Foil off for last 10 mins

Only difference for a whole bird is the stuffing

Those who put lemon in the cavity, does it have a strong lemon flavour?

It's not strong, no, just a subtle hint of lemon/orange

I take it out of the fridge at least an hour before I cook it. Lemon and garlic in the cavity. Rub with butter. Season. Cover in foil but tented so the air can circulate. Remove for last half hour.

Rest for as long as you cook it for. Cover in foil and a couple of tea towels.