Turkey Roasting Guide

At Donald Russell we know one of the most important parts of Christmas is a special meal, and nothing says Christmas quite like a succulent, golden turkey. We've made it easy to  choose your turkey for Christmas now, making preparing for the big day hassle-free. We also wanted to help you get the most from your turkey this year, from defrosting tips all the way to recipes for leftovers.

Defrosting:

It is very important to ensure your bird is fully defrosted prior to cooking.

You can use a digital temperature probe to check products are fully defrosted prior to cooking, and also to check that they have achieved a food safe temperature after cooking, but you must clean and disinfect the probe thoroughly in-between checks to prevent cross contamination.

To make sure your bird is fully defrosted using a meat thermometer, probe to check the thickest parts are above 0°C before allowing it to reach room temperature.

Defrosting times may vary from turkey to turkey however, we have put together a guide to help you through the process:

It is important to keep the required defrosting time in mind when scheduling your Christmas delivery.

Cooking/Roasting:

Each of our turkeys will come with their own set of cooking instructions printed on their label, which can also be found on the individual product pages on our website.

When checking if your bird is fully cooked/reheated, it is safe if the centre or thickest parts have reached a high enough temperature for a long enough time. This includes the following time and temperature combinations:

If you do not have a probe to check the temperature of your turkey, follow the cooking guidelines then check for the following prior to serving:

• The product is steaming hot all the way through.

• Any juices are running clear.

• There is no pink or rare meat inside.

Resting the product is also important as the product can still rise in temperature whilst resting, and achieve the required food safe temperatures during this time, through residual cooking.

Residual cooking, also called carry-over cooking, is when food continues to cook after it has been removed from a heat source. The heat held within the food itself raises its overall temperature before it starts to cool down. It’s a more gentle, radiating heat that equalizes the temperature throughout the food.

Whilst your bird is resting, you can use the juices left in your roasting tin to make a deliciously velvety, luxurious sherry gravy to accompany your turkey.

Carving:

Once the bird has rested for at least 30 minutes, transfer the turkey to a carving board.

Chef’s tip: place a damp tea towel under your board to ensure it does not slip or move on your countertop while carving.

Using a sharp, straight-edged carving knife, cut through the skin between the leg and the body then twist to remove both the legs. Half the legs by cutting through the knuckle and portion the thighs, leaving the drumsticks intact on the bone.

Next, feel for the backbone in the centre of the turkey and position your knife to one side of it. To remove the breast, cut down the length of the bird towards the wing bone and the whole breast should lift off easily. Slice the breast across the grain, as carving with the grain can create the illusion that the meat is less tender.

Arrange your slices and drumsticks onto a warm platter, serve with your choice of sides & trimmings and enjoy with your loved ones.

Leftovers Recipes:

The big day has passed, gifts were exchanged, paper crowns were worn, dinner plates were piled high, and now you’re wondering what can be done with your leftover turkey.