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Cooking Tips

We recommend cooking for 15 minutes per pound (30 minutes per kilo)

Elizabeth Baldwyn says: "I give the bird 15 minutes per pound and I like to cook it as quickly as possible. Check the meat by putting a fork into the breast – as long as all the juices run clear then it’s cooked."

Richard comments: "People tend to overcook their turkey which is why they think it’s a dry meat. These birds are reared to 24 weeks and they have a good layer of fat on them which helps to baste the bird."

Stuffing

Elizabeth Baldwyn’s stuffing recipe: "I don't follow a recipe as such. I make breadcrumbs and I'll use nearly a whole loaf of bread – my family likes stuffing! I'll add fresh, chopped parsley until it looks the right colour – with the right amount of green. Then I'll go into the garden and pick some fresh herbs – a good bunch. I might have a bit of rosemary, some thyme, a bit of bay leaf. I won't put in too much sage, two leaves is plenty. I’ll chop them and mix them in and then add the grated zest of two lemons, and some salt and pepper. I’ll add one or two eggs depending on how it sticks together. Then I’ll stuff the turkey with it. I know people say you shouldn’t put stuffing in the cavity but I do put some in as I like the flavour of the stuffing when it’s got the turkey juices in it."

Bread Sauce

Ingredients

  • White breadcrumbs (around 4oz or more if you like your sauce thicker)
  • 1 large onion
  • Up to 15 cloves
  • 5-6 peppercorns
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 pint milk
  • 2 tablespoons double cream

Method

Stick the cloves in the onion and put the onion into a jug or bowl with the milk, the peppercorns and bay leaf, and leave it to soak overnight. In the morning slowly cook the onion in the milk until the onion is soft. Remove the onion and add the breadcrumbs about 20 minutes before you are ready to serve the lunch. Let the breadcrumbs swell up. Then mix the cream into the sauce just before serving. Serve in a warmed sauceboat.