Juicy turkey roast on a white platter and marble bench

Juicy Turkey Roast

Oct 27, 2022Louise Marsh

An easy and delicious meal the whole family will enjoy.


SERVINGS: 

12


READY IN: 

2.5hrs (+ preparation)


GOOD FOR: 

Delicious Christmas or special occasion feast


INGREDIENTS


  • 4-4.5kg whole turkey
  • 300g tub of stuffing
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • Salt & freshly cracked black pepper to taste
  • 1-litre chicken or veggie stock

METHOD


STEP 1

Preheat the oven to 170°C/180°C. Place a rack in the lowest position of the oven.


STEP 2

Remove turkey neck and giblets. Rinse turkey and pat dry with paper towels.


STEP 3

Weigh the stuffed turkey and calculate the cooking time (approx 35 minutes per 1kg).


STEP 4

Place turkey, breast-side up, on a rack in a roasting pan. Loosely fill turkey cavity with stuffing. Rub skin with butter, then season with salt and pepper.


STEP 5

Pour 2 cups of chicken stock into the roasting pan. Loosely tent turkey with aluminium foil.


STEP 6

Roast turkey for 1 1/2 hours, basting with pan juices every 30 minutes. When drippings evaporate, add remaining stock to the pan, 1 cup at a time.


STEP 7

Remove foil and continue roasting until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of the thigh reads 75°C, about 45 minutes to 1 hour more.


STEP 8

Transfer the turkey to a large serving platter. Let it rest for 1 hour before carving.


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Whole Turkey Size & Cooking Guide


BEFORE YOU START


  • Make sure you know what weight your turkey is. This will help to determine the cooking time required.
  • Choose a roasting dish that’s large enough to hold the turkey with enough room around it to fit some vegetables. 
  • Remove your turkey from the fridge 30 minutes before placing it in the oven to remove some of the chill. During a Summer Christmas, you need to be extremely careful with raw poultry.
  • Cover your turkey loosely with foil while cooking & remove it for the last hour to allow the skin to brown.

COOKING GUIDE


Cooking Time Examples


4kg x 35 mins = 140 minutes / 2.3 hours
6kg x 35 mins = 210 minutes / 3.5 hours
8kg x 35 mins = 280 minutes / 4.6 hours


Or until the internal temperature reads 75°C | 165°F


We recommend using a digital thermometer to avoid over or under-cooking.

If you don’t have a digital thermometer, cook until the juices run clear from the thigh if you pierce it with a knife or a skewer.


Resting Time


It is essential to rest your turkey for at least an hour before carving (the temperature will continue to rise). Put the bird in a warm place, tented with foil. It won’t get cold – but it will become juicier, and easier to carve.


SIZE GUIDE


Whole Free Range Turkey


A whole, free-range turkey will feed plenty of people and will both look and taste amazing at your Christmas or Thanksgiving feast.


4kg – Serves 8-10
5kg – Serves 10-12
6kg – Serves 12-15
7kg – Serves 15-20
8kg – Serves 20-25

These are approximations only and are based on no other protein being served.

 

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Recipe & image credit: All Recipes
Turkey size & cooking guide credit: Meat At Billy’s

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