16/12/2024
Chefs' guide to the perfect Christmas turkey and avoiding dry meat.
As it’s that time of year again, we thought we’d share some top chefs words of wisdom about cooking turkey.
A plump golden turkey is the centrepiece of a traditional Christmas dinner, as well as providing tasty leftovers for several days. However, many of us still haven’t mastered the art of a perfectly roasted bird.
How can you guarantee that the hours spent preparing and cooking your turkey will result in moist, melt-in-the-mouth meat? Professional chefs have shared their top tips, from shopping to cooking and carving, to ensure your festive bird looks and tastes amazing.
• CHOOSING THE BIRD: “When looking for your turkey, always look at the size and the shape,” says chef Ben Palmer from BBC’s Great British Menu 2024. “You want to pick the roundest, most plump turkey that there is, as that means it will be the most tasty, as it was a healthy bird.”
He adds: “You do tend to get what you pay for – so if you can afford to spend a little bit more on your turkey, then do it! Local producers from well-known farms, local reputable butchers and organic delivery services tend to be the best bet and worth the extra buck.”
"But be sensible about the size of your turkey," says TV celebrity chef James Martin. "Many of us are guilty of buying the biggest one available, but it's easier and cheaper to cook a smaller bird."
“You’re probably better off, if you’re only a family of six, just getting a turkey crown rather than the whole thing – that will reduce the cooking time by half,” says James. "If you want a whole bird, a small one is usually sufficient for five or six people, a medium to large for over eight people," says Gaucho’s culinary director, Anthony Ekizian.
• PREPARING THE TURKEY: Some chefs swear by brining the turkey before cooking it. Scottish chef, Dean Banks, a former BBC MasterChef finalist, says it helps create 'the juiciest, most flavourful' turkey.
“Grab a large storage box. Fill it with water and 10% salt, then add festive spices like cinnamon sticks, cloves, bay leaves, and orange peel. Submerge the turkey, cover it with the lid, and leave it overnight in your garden,” he says. “This method seasons the meat all the way through, ensuring a tender and juicy bird.”
Dylan James, head chef at Cambium, agrees: “Brining the turkey is an excellent way to ensure the meat stays beautifully moist after cooking. The process also seasons the bird all the way through, so there’s no need for extra seasoning before roasting."
“For perfectly crispy skin, once the turkey has been brined, pat it dry, and leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight. This allows the skin to dry out, ensuring it crisps up wonderfully when roasted.”
"But you don’t put the turkey straight from a cold fridge into a hot oven. Take out your turkey from the fridge at least an hour before you cook it. This will speed up the cooking and make the bird roast better,” says Theo Randall, chef patron at Theo Randall at the InterContinental.
• COOKING THE BIRD: "The major mistake many home cooks make is cooking the turkey whole," says MasterChef: The Professionals judge and chef Marcus Wareing. “No matter how small or big, it will never be fully cooked in the leg and the thigh before the breast has dried out."
“Take the legs and the thighs off and get your butcher to bone them and roll them for you, and cook them separately. And just cook the breast on the crown (the white meat on the bone), or take them off the crown and cook them slowly,” he suggests.
"Turkey is naturally a dry meat," adds James Martin. “Few of them need six hours – which I’ve seen people do before – I mean, it’s going to be ruined. That’s why you are better off buying a crown if you’re not cooking for big volume.”
"Adding butter under the skin can help pack in the moisture too. Add garlic, seasoning, lemon, thyme and sage to salted butter and give it all a great mix together and then smother the butter between the breast and the skin,” suggests Ben Palmer.
“You can lift up the skin at the cavity and use your fingers to separate the skin from the breast meat before smothering the butter across the breast and letting the skin resettle over the top. As the turkey cooks, all the butter will baste the crown gradually, making it beautifully moist and exceptionally tasty.”
• RESTING: Part of the stress of preparing the Christmas meal is trying to time everything so that your potatoes go crispy while everything else is still warm. James Martin suggests getting the turkey out of the way, freeing up oven space for your sides and giving the meat time to rest.
“Don’t be frightened to cook it in advance. Get up in the morning, put it in the oven, and take it out a good two hours before you need it,” he says. James adds that a chef would never remove it from the oven and put it straight onto the table.
"The turkey resting time is really, really important for taste," says Marcus Wareing. “It just solidifies the natural juices of the turkey."
“My turkey sits, probably for an hour, because I need the pan for the gravy and the oven space. Never be afraid to rest, and don’t worry about serving it hot. Freeing up the oven will allow you to ramp up the temperature for the all-important crispy roast spuds."
• CARVING: Slicing the turkey at the Christmas table is one of those key moments on the big day. But after all that time cooking, brining, basting and resting, try not to make a complete hash of serving it. “Take the breast fully off the bone - don’t carve it on the bone,” says Marcus. "Run the knife right down the centre, take the whole breast off, and then just carve it into nice slices.”
