How to roast a turkey for Christmas, step by step
Prep: 30 min · Cook: 180 min · Makes: 8-10 · For:
Roasting a whole turkey can feel like the big exam of Christmas, but it is mostly about timing and patience. With herb butter under the skin, a loose tent of foil and a thermometer, you will have a juicy bird and the best gravy of the year.
Plan your day
- Days before: defrost the turkey in the fridge (it takes longer than you think).
- 1 hour before: take it out of the fridge and heat the oven.
- After roasting: let it rest for at least 30 minutes. It stays hot under foil, and the oven is free for the potatoes and vegetables.
How big a turkey?
Allow about 500 g of whole turkey per person, more if you want leftovers. A bird of 4.5-5 kg feeds 8 to 10 people.
Food safety
- Keep raw turkey away from other food and wash hands, boards and knives after touching it.
- Do not wash the raw turkey; it spreads bacteria around the sink.
- Cool leftovers within 2 hours, keep them in the fridge and eat them within 2 days.
Little helpers
Children can pick herb leaves, peel the carrots and set the table. Lifting the hot tin and carving are for grown-ups.
Ingredients
- 1 turkey of 4.5-5 kg, fully defrosted
- 125 g soft butter
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme and sage (or 1 tsp dried)
- grated zest of 1 lemon
- 2 onions and 2 carrots, in chunks
- 1 lemon, halved
- 1 head of garlic, halved across
- a few sprigs of rosemary and bay leaves
- 500 ml chicken stock
- 2 tbsp plain flour and another 250 ml stock, for the gravy
- salt and black pepper
Method
- Defrost a frozen turkey slowly in the fridge, allowing about 1 day for every 2 kg. Take it out of the fridge 1 hour before roasting and remove the giblets.
- Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, gas mark 4). Mix the butter with the garlic, herbs, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
- Gently loosen the skin over the breast with your fingers and push half the herb butter underneath. Rub the rest over the outside.
- Put the lemon halves, garlic and herbs inside the cavity. Spread the onions and carrots in a large roasting tin, set the turkey on top and pour in the stock.
- Cover the turkey loosely with foil and roast for about 2½-3 hours for a 4.5-5 kg bird, basting every 45 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 45 minutes so the skin turns golden.
- Check with a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, not touching the bone. The turkey is ready at 74°C. The juices should run clear.
- Lift the turkey onto a board, cover with foil and a clean tea towel and let it rest for 30-45 minutes. This is when you roast the potatoes.
- Gravy: pour the juices from the tin into a jug and skim off the fat. Put the tin on the hob, stir the flour into the vegetables and a spoonful of fat, then gradually whisk in the juices and the extra stock. Simmer for 5 minutes, strain and season.
Questions
How long does a turkey take to cook?
As a guide, allow about 35-40 minutes per kg at 180°C (160°C fan), but every oven differs. Always check with a thermometer that the thickest part of the thigh reaches 74°C.
How do I keep the breast meat from drying out?
Butter under the skin, foil for most of the cooking, regular basting and, above all, not overcooking. Take the turkey out as soon as the thigh reaches the safe temperature and let it rest.
Should I stuff the turkey?
It is safer and easier to cook the stuffing in a separate dish. A stuffed turkey takes longer to cook and the stuffing must also reach 74°C.
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