Tops tips for the perfect Lydiard turkey - Whole bird and crown

 

Warming up

Remove your turkey from the fridge a couple of hours before cooking to allow it to reach room temperature before it goes in the oven.

 

Preheat the oven to 180°c/350°f

 

Keep it simple

Remove the leg band from the whole bird to allow the heat to circulate around the bird. We don’t recommend covering with foil, as this will steam the skin.

Remember that stuffing your turkey will increase your cooking time so will also dry the turkey out a little more. For this reason, the stuffing is best cooked separately.

 

Breast side down

Place your Lydiard Turkey whole bird breast side down in your roasting tray, this keeps the breast meat moist because the fat from the back trickles down through it.  Halfway through the cooking time turn the turkey onto its back to brown and crisp up the skin. This is easiest done by holding the legs with oven gloves.

A crown doesn't have a back so no need to cook upside down. Simply place in your roasting tin and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

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Check

The fat in your bronze turkey speeds up the cooking process so reduces the time it takes for it to reach the correct temperature. Half an hour before the cooking time is up check the meat temperature by putting your meat thermometer halfway through the thickest part of the breast and the thigh. If the temperature is 65°c or over then it's done.  This can also be checked by putting a skewer into the thickest part of the breast and thigh, the juice should run clear with no trace of pink.

If the turkeys not done, then pop it back in for another ten minutes and check again. Repeat until its done.  Ovens rarely cook at the temperature that is stated so it is vital that you make these checks rather than just carving it when the times up!

 

When it's done, it's done!

Don’t overcook! Once you're happy it is done take it out to rest. Any additional cooking is simply drying the turkey out. 

 

And rest…...

Rest the turkey uncovered for at least 30 minutes before carving, preferably longer.  This allows the meat to relax, it won't go cold.

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