Turkey - update

[waiting4disney]

This is the first year I'm doing Christmas at ours so my first time cooking a turkey! I've obviously cooked chicken before.
Any fail safe tips?
We have decided to splash out on a local turkey farm one and cut costs on other things.

[rockgems]

Cook it upside down to start with as all the juice run into the breast and keep the meat moist. Then turn it right side up to brown.

[Megandllsmum]

I always cover the top of mine with streaky bacon, my mum used to always cook hers with two slices of bread on top... I never asked why lol, but turkey was always nice, I also remember she cooked it slow and low whilst we were all asleep and we woke up to the smell of the turkey cooking

[ziggyzag]

Loads of butter on the skin or under skin, sea salt , streaky bacon then on top, (not smoked unless you like smoked) Foil on then last hour I take the foil off and the bacon so it can brown a bit more!

[waiting4disney]

Originally Posted by rockgems

Cook it upside down to start with as all the juice run into the breast and keep the meat moist. Then turn it right side up to brown.

See more...

Thanks. Never heard of that before but makes sense.

[waiting4disney]

I'll add bacon to my list of things to buy. Thanks.

[WhereIBelong]

How many are you cooking for?

[coggie]

Salted butter under the skin, even do a few incisions with a sharp knife and put the butter in there. Then put skin back over and season it. I used to put streaky bacon on it but don't bother now as like the skin a bit crispy.
Remember the skin is a barrier so by just putting something on that to help keep it moist doesn't work

Cover in foil and cook slowly

However as an aside I cooked a turkey crown in the slow cooker the other week and it was superb so doing one that way for a family party on Weds

[waiting4disney]

Originally Posted by WhereIBelong

How many are you cooking for?

See more...

8 people.

[WhereIBelong]

Originally Posted by waiting4disney

8 people.

See more...

that is not too bad - just need to make sure you know what space you have in the oven - a turkey for 8 takes up quite a bit of space, as does stuffing, and roast potatoes, and roast veggies? pigs in blankets? and if there are any vegetarians, their alternative will take space - etc etc.

Sometimes the turkey is the easy bit, the timings to get everything done and hot is the hard bit.