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A Very Merry Festive Feast

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How to cook a brilliant turkey: Preparation

Fresh or frozen?
While it’s always better to source a fresh, free range turkey if you can, the reality is that it’s
more convenient for most folks to buy it frozen ahead of time. In fact in some countries, a
frozen turkey is the only option available. A fresh turkey will keep for up to two days in the
fridge, so ask your butcher if you can collect it a day in advance or, even better, on the day
you want to cook it. If you buy a frozen turkey, it’s very important to allow it to completely

thaw before cooking it.

Look for a turkey with the skin still intact
When you're shopping for a turkey, choose one that has the skin still intact. This will allow
you to easily place the stuffing between the skin and the breast meat.

Don’t toss the giblets
Inside the cavity of most turkeys, you’ll find a bag that contains the neck and giblets: gizzard,
liver and heart. If the thought of munching these parts of the turkey makes you feel queasy,
never fear! You won’t eat them as they are; rather, you’ll use them as important flavour

contributors to a lip-smacking gravy.

Defrost the turkey safely
There are two main ways to defrost a turkey. The first and best way is to allow the turkey to
slowly defrost in the fridge. To do this, cover it with foil and place it on a large tray to catch

any escaping juices. Depending on the size of the bird, this could take anywhere between 24
hours and a few days, so make sure you don’t leave it to the last minute!

If you’re in more of a rush, another way to defrost your bird is to leave it out of the fridge. To

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