Roast turkey makes a delicious centrepiece to your Christmas feast. Browse our easy turkey stuffing recipes, plus see what to do with any leftovers!
More Christmas turkey recipes
How to cook a turkey
Recommended cooking time
| Minutes per 500g | Internal temperature of cooked turkey | |
| Oven Bake | 25 - 30 mins | 75℃ |
| Fan Bake | 20 - 25 mins | 80℃ |
Based on these times, and an oven temperature of 180℃, it will take approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes to cook a 2kg bird.
How do you know when your roast turkey is ready?
Using a thermometer is the simplest way to tell your turkey is cooked all the way through. It can have delicious, crispy skin, but still be pink in the thickest part of the breast or thigh. If you don’t have a thermometer, slice the skin between the turkey’s leg and breast to take a look at the juices. If they’re running clear, it’s probably done. If the juices are still a little pink, put it back in the oven.
TIP You’re looking for clear and not pink juices to make sure it’s roasted properly.
Finally, try pressing the thigh or breast with your finger. If it feels jiggly or rubbery, it’s underdone. You’re ideally looking for a firm, but not tight feeling.
Let it rest
Let your turkey rest for about 15 minutes to get the best flavour and texture.Carving a whole roast turkey
There’s a knack to getting the meat off a roast chicken or turkey. Move the roast turkey onto a chopping board, and using a sharp knife and a roasting fork, remove the legs and drums. Place your knife between the thigh and the breast, and if it is cooked properly, it should come away easily.
Next you want to cut away the wings, just like you removed the legs and drums, keeping your knife as close to the breast as possible.
Finally, carve the breast meat by slicing in the same direction as the breast bone. Using a carving fork here will help you make even slices. Remember to also remove the meat from the underside of the turkey.
Leftover turkey recipes