Before you make a start on the cooking, make a note of the weight of your bird, and check it with some scales (if you have some big enough at home). Knowing the exact weight will allow you to get the optimum cooking time, ensuring your bird is succulent and moist, and most importantly fully cooked.
If you are going to stuff your turkey, weigh the bird with the stuffing in.
Work out how long to cook your turkey. Here are our recommendations:
With a preheated oven temperature of 180°C/350°F/gas 4
4kg – cook for 2 hours 50 mins
5kg – cook for 3 hours 10 mins
6kg – cook for 3 hours 30 mins
7kg – cook for 3 hours 50 mins
8kg – cook for 4 hours 10 mins
9kg – cook for 4 hours 30 mins
Take your turkey out of the fridge 30 minutes before you cook it.
Place your turkey in a roasting tin, along with the giblets provided, breast side down. This allows the juices to run down through the bird and makes the breast meat extra moist. Loosely cover the turkey with foil, and place in your oven.
Turn your bird over, (breast side up) for the last 30 mins of cooking and season again if required.
Remove the foil at the same time as turning to brown the skin nicely.
Roast your bird for the calculated time, until the juices run clear from the thigh if you pierce it with a knife or a skewer.
Once cooked, carefully lift the turkey out of the roasting tin and rest on a board. Cover loosely with foil and leave to rest for about half an hour.
Then enjoy your Pale Farm Turkey!