First Time Cooking Turkey

[choccyfountain]

It's my first ever time cooking a turkey this year and I genuinely don't even know where to start. It's a whole bird turkey. Can anyone give me any tips or tricks? How do you cook your turkey? And most importantly do you cook it Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?

Also to note I don't have one of those meat thermometer things didn't know I needed one till probably 5 minutes ago when I was googling. Just going to do the check if the juices run clear method.

I’ve followed this recipe for years, doesn’t let me down and makes delicious gravy from the juices
https://www.vickery.tv/recipes/phils-perfect-roast-turkey/

There are a million guides and probably timing printed on the pack so am just going to say:

1. cook well ahead so you have oven free. Meat will slice much better when cold.
2. doesn’t really matter. There is so much going on that the meat is always drowned in gravy and stuffings and sauces and spiced cabbage and bread sauce and cranberry sauce and all of that. Could be bloody quorn for all you can taste it.