How to cook a turkey

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. We now know differently, of course, and turkey is one of the most nutritious meats to grace our dinner plates. While turkey meat is arguably more flavourful and healthier than chicken, it hasn’t captured the British public’s taste buds in quite the same how to cook a turkey as it has in America, where it’s very popular. But substitute turkey for chicken in any chook recipe and you won’t be disappointed: Kiev, curry, sweet and sour, escalopes, stir-fries, and burgers.

Choose a free-range, organic bird if you can: The better the living conditions of the bird, the more flavourful the meat will be. First of all, they are ideal roasting birds if you’re cooking for a crowd, regardless of the time of year. All chefs are in agreement that, after cooking turkey, you must rest the bird for at least 20 minutes before serving, as well as basting well throughout cooking. Check that the meat is cooked using a meat thermometer.

Slow cooking is perfect for cuts such as turkey leg and thigh, which can be slow cooked to absorb flavour and tenderise to such an extent that it just falls off the bone. Braising or pot-roasting is a popular method of cooking turkey in the US. Simply brown the meat, pour over stock, then cover and bake in an oven. One of the quickest ways to eat turkey is to pan-fry the breast, or dice or mince the meat and add to a stir-fry.

Stuffing or breading the breast will add flavour and moisture. To add more flavour before pan-frying or roasting, marinate the turkey overnight, or cut a pocket into the flesh, stuff it with herbs and butter and wrap with bacon or pancetta before baking. Poaching or steaming delicate white meat can make it superbly tender and juicy and both processes don’t require fat, so they’re healthy ways to cook. How long it takes depends on the cut of meat and the recipe but neither method takes as long as roasting. Turkey is one of the more versatile meats around. Traditionally, the bird is roasted and served with a variety of vegetables and roast potatoes, Alyn Williams shows us how in his Christmas turkey recipe.