A LITTLE HELP WITH CHRISTMAS
From oven to table.
Preparation, roasting and carving advice for your Tasty Bird. Keep the cooking instructions supplied with your order to hand.
Cook it through, with care.
Cooking times are a guide, as ovens and birds vary. Use a clean food thermometer in the thickest part, away from bone: poultry should reach 70°C for 2 minutes or an equivalent safe time and temperature. Don’t rely on a timer alone.
Follow the Food Standards Agency’s cooking guidance. Keep raw poultry chilled, separate from ready-to-eat food, and follow its use-by and storage instructions.
Whole turkeys & crowns.
- Remove any giblets and packaging before cooking. If your turkey is trussed, remove the string.
- Cook stuffing separately. Don’t stuff the main cavity, as this can stop the bird cooking properly.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan. Follow the instructions supplied with your bird if they differ.
- Place a whole turkey breast-side down in a roasting tin and season. For crowns, keep the breast facing up. Giblets can be used to make gravy.
- After about an hour, carefully turn a whole turkey onto its back to brown the breast. Take care with hot juices.
- Check that the meat has reached a safe core temperature before serving. Let the cooked bird rest before carving.
The farm’s guideline cooking times
Use these as a starting point for whole turkeys and crowns, then check with a food thermometer. A larger bird may need longer; check regularly after three hours.
| Bird weight | Approximate roasting time |
|---|---|
| 4kg / 8.8lb | 2 hours |
| 5kg / 11lb | 2–2½ hours |
| 6kg / 13.2lb | 2¼–2½ hours |
| 7kg / 15.4lb | 2½–2¾ hours |
| 8kg / 17.6lb | 2¾–3 hours |
| 9kg / 19.8lb | 3–3¼ hours |
Turkey breast joints.
Spread with butter and season if you like, then roast at 180°C / 160°C fan. Follow the supplied instructions and check the safe core temperature before serving.
| Joint weight | Approximate roasting time |
|---|---|
| 1kg / 2.2lb | 1 hour |
| 1.5kg / 3.3lb | 1¼ hours |
| 2kg / 4.4lb | 1½ hours |
| 2.5kg / 5.5lb | 1¾ hours |
Preparing your goose.
Loosen any trussing and ease the legs and wings away from the body. Prick or score the skin carefully to help the fat drain. Season and place the goose breast-side up on a wire rack in a roasting tray, so it doesn’t sit in the fat.
Use the oven temperature and cooking time in the instructions supplied with your goose. Cook thoroughly and check the safe core temperature with a food thermometer. Rest the cooked goose for around 30 minutes before carving.
Carve, serve and enjoy.
- Use a sharp carving knife, meat fork and a sturdy board. A damp cloth underneath helps keep the board steady.
- Cut between each leg and the breast, then through the hip joint to remove the legs. Separate the drumsticks and thighs at the joint.
- Remove the wings, cutting through the joints.
- Carve the turkey breast into slices. For goose, remove each breast from the bone, then slice across it and arrange on your serving platter.
Need help with your particular bird? Call the farm on 01392 841 552.