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Roast turkey recipes

How to roast a turkey

How to roast a turkey

By Sophie Grigson

We show you how to cook the perfect roast turkey with our collection of delicious recipes.

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Preparation

Roast turkey cooking times

These cooking times also apply to turkey crowns. Remember to weigh your turkey after stuffing it.

-Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

-For a turkey that weighs less than 4.5kg/ 9lb 15oz: roast for 45 mins/kg or 18 mins/lb plus 20 minutes.

-For a turkey that weighs between 4.5kg/9lb 15oz and 6.5kg/14lb 5oz: roast for 40 mins/kg or 16 mins/lb.

-For a turkey that weighs more than 6.5kg/14lb 5oz: roast for 35 mins/kg or 14 mins/lb.

To stop the meat drying out, baste it every 30 minutes You can also cover the turkey with aluminium foil during cooking; uncover for the last 30 minutes to brown the skin.

Make sure the turkey is cooked through before serving: pierce the thickest part of the thigh with a skewer. If the juices run clear then the turkey is done. If they are pink, slide it straight back into the oven for a further 15 minutes before testing again and continue to do this until they do run clear.

Once it's done, transfer the turkey to a large serving dish, cover with aluminium foil and set aside to rest in a warm place for at least half an hour.

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