HOW TO COOK THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS TURKEY 2021

Sharpen your carving knife, tie your apron and set the timer – it’s the most important meal of the year, and you’re going to cook your best turkey yet!

 

 

How to Choose the Best Turkey for Christmas Day

 

90% of cooking the tastiest turkey you’ve ever had is down to the turkey you choose in the first place.

 

Choosing a Herb Fed, Free Range turkey ensures a rich and distinctive flavour as well as juicy, tender meat. This is the most important part of ensuring your Christmas turkey is world away from dry or bland.

 

Our Herb Fed Turkeys roam free in their natural habitat and graze on freshly cut herbs in the most ethical environment. They are then dry plucked and game hung for up to 10 days, to allow an unmistakeably rich taste and succulent texture to develop. All you need to do is cook your turkey to perfection to unlock its full potential!

 

 

Which Size Turkey is Best?

 

When it comes to Christmas, our motto is the more the merrier and same goes for turkey.

 

We always like to get a slightly bigger turkey than necessary. After all, there are endless ways to use up any leftovers with delicious turkey recipes that will see you right through to the New Year!

 

To reign you in a little bit, here’s a general guide to which size turkey is best for your number of guests:

 

• 6-7kg – Serves 6
• 7-8kg – Serves 8
• 8-9kg – Serves 10
• 9-10kg – Serves 12
• 10kg + - Serves 12+

 

 

Easy Christmas Stuffing Recipe

 

This recipe includes instructions for making your own homemade sage and onion stuffing. It really is a lot easier than you’d think to prepare, and the fresh aromatic flavours will infuse throughout the bird as it cooks.

 

Our Free Range Sausage Meat is free from preservatives and is also available as a gluten-free alternative. It will bring a rich and luxurious flavour to your stuffing and the turkey itself.

 

 

 

HOW TO COOK THE PERFECT HERB FED, FREE RANGE TURKEY THIS CHRISTMAS

 

INGREDIENTS

 

Turkey

• 1 Herb Fed, Free Range Turkey
• Olive Oil or Butter
• Salt & Pepper

 

Stuffing

• 500g Free Range Sausage Meat
• 2 large white onions (diced)
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 handful fresh sage leaves (finely chopped)
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 handful breadcrumbs (or gluten free alternative)
• Salt & pepper
• Olive oil

 

 

METHOD

 

1. Be sure to take your turkey out of the fridge at least 1 hour prior to cooking, this will allow it to come up to room temperature
2. Begin by preparing your stuffing – sauté the onions in olive oil on a medium heat for 6-8 minutes until cooked and translucent, season with salt and pepper then add the sage and nutmeg, cooking for a further 2 minutes
3. Transfer the herby cooked onion into a large bowl and allow to cool before adding the sausage meat, then use your hands to mix everything together – ensuring the onions and herbs are evenly dispersed throughout the sausage meat
4. Next, preheat your oven to its highest setting and prepare the turkey by rinsing with cold water before patting dry with kitchen paper – take care to not get any water into the cavity
5. Drizzle the whole turkey in olive oil or baste in butter and use your hands to ensure every surface is well covered, then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper
6. Add just over half the stuffing to the cavity at the neck end, pulling back the skin to stuff and then tucking it nicely away so that it looks presentable
7. Turn the turkey around, then add the remainder of the stuffing and the sprigs of rosemary to the larger cavity
8. Transfer the stuffed turkey to a large roasting tray, cover with foil and place into the oven – turning down the temperature to 180C right away
9. Cook for 40 minutes per kilo, basting the turkey its own juices every half hour or so and removing the foil for the final 45 minutes to ensure a crispy skin
10. Make sure your turkey is cooked by inserting a sharp knife into the fattest part of the thigh, the juices should run clear – then allow to rest for a minimum of 1 hour before carving – perfect timing to finish off your veg and gravy!

 

 

Thomas Joseph Butchery Herb Fed, Free Range Turkey

 

Get the very best quality turkey this year to make your Christmas Day feast truly special and memorable. From whole turkey to turkey crown or boned and rolled – with or without the trimmings and even your festive veggies. Our Herb Fed turkeys have a distinctive and multi-award-winning flavour that’s worlds away from your standard supermarket turkey.

 

Order now for delivery 20^th – 23^rd December 2021.

 

• Herb Fed, Free Range, Award Winning Turkey
• Boned & Rolled Turkey Breast and Leg Joint
• Herb Fed, Free Range, Award Winning Turkey Crown

 

All our turkeys are hand finished and individually boxed - if we could, we’d deliver our turkeys straight under your Christmas tree!