Tips for Turkey

It used to be that cooking a moist & succulent turkey required a days brining and constant basting during cooking. But, with Tegel's Tender Basted Turkey both of these processes have already been done for you, and all you have to do is pop it into the oven to cook as one would a Roast Chicken.

• Thaw frozen Turkey in the refrigerator for 2-3 days before cooking.
• Preheat the oven to 160ºC and place the turkey breast side up in an oven pan. Do not fan bake as this will unnecessarily dry out the skin and surface meat before the deeper meat is fully cooked.
• Roast the turkey according to the time stated on the back of the packet or by using the following table as a guide:
• Let the turkey stand covered for 15 minutes before serving in order to allow the juices to redistribute through the turkey.

Tip: Cover the breast and upper thigh with bacon or tin foil to prevent the skin from charring.

Cooking Test: Insert a skewer into the thickest part of the meat, when the juices run clear the bird is cooked.

Stuffing a Turkey

• Wash turkey inside and out under running water and wipe dry thoroughly with kitchen paper.
• Season the main cavity lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Loosely spoon stuffing into the body and neck cavities rather than packing it in tight, this allows for the distribution of heat and room for the stuffing to expand.
• If desired, stitch the skin together using a trussing needle and heat resistant string in order to completely close the cavity.

Alternatively, you may prefer to make individual stuffing balls: roll the stuffing into medium-sized balls and keep refrigerated until the turkey is nearly cooked. Place the balls in to a lightly oiled roasting tin and cook for approximately 15 minutes at 180 C, turning once during cooking.

If you are feeling creative, try thinking beyond simply using bread as the base of your stuffing. Rice, barley, bulgur, quinoa, pasta and couscous will each add flavour and textural alternatives when pre-cooked and mixed with your favourite ingredient combinations.

As a guide you'll need about 3-4 cups of stuffing for a bird up to size 4.5 and 5-6 cups of stuffing for a bird size 5 and up.

Leftovers?

After days spent preparing the perfect Christmas meal the tables groan under what inevitably ends up being too much food. Check out these suggestions for using up any leftover Turkey, click to view the recipe.

Trussing and Carving

How to Truss a Tegel Turkey

• Remove packaging, giblets and any excess fat from the bird.
• Rinse inside and out and pat dry with a disposible paper towel.
• If desired, stuff the cavity with your favourite Tegel stuffing recipe. Alternatively, cut a lemon in half and place in the cavity for an aromatic lemon flavour.
• The simpliest way to achieve a good shape and even cooking of your roast Turkey is to place the bird breast side up in a roasting tray with the wings tucked back under the bird. Cross the legs over and tie together with ovenable string.
• Bake as per the cooking instructions on the packaging.

How to Carve a Tegel Turkey

• Gently pull back the leg and thigh, using your knife to negotiate the join and separate it from the main cavity. Separate the thigh and leg if desired.
• Cutting close into the main breast bone, cut off one side of the breast following the shape of the cavity. If desired, slice the breast into smaller pieces and remove the wing.
• Repeat with the other half.