Most people look forward to a slap-up feast at Christmas. The turkey dinner is still the nation’s favourite, but if the turkey is not prepared properly it could lead to a nasty bout of food poisoning.
If you have bought a frozen turkey – and most people do – then you must ensure it's fully defrosted before you cook it.
The bacteria that causes food poisoning could survive the cooking process if the turkey is still partially frozen when you pop it into the oven. That’s because recommended cooking times will not be long enough to cook it thoroughly.
You should remember that it can take a couple of days for a large turkey to thaw. Packaging normally gives guidelines on defrosting time, but if there are no instructions the general rule of thumb is that you should allow 10 to 12 hours per kilo if defrosting the bird in a fridge at 4C, three to four hours per kilo in a cool room (below 17.5C) and two hours per kilo at room temperature (about 20C).
You'll know the turkey is completely thawed when the body is soft and the legs can be moved. When fully defrosted, put the turkey in the fridge until its ready to be cooked.
Raw poultry or raw meat should always be kept away from food that is already cooked because bacteria can spread if the raw and the cooked touch. Bacteria can also spread if raw meat comes into contact with worktops, chopping boards, dishes and utensils, so always clean worktops, boards and so on thoroughly after they have touched raw poultry. And the same goes for your hands.
You should never wash your turkey because bacteria can splash on to worktops, dishes and other foods. Proper cooking will kill any bacteria, so you don't need to wash poultry. And always store raw poultry at the bottom of the fridge away from other foods so that it can't drip onto them
When it comes to cooking the turkey you should allow 45 minutes per kilo plus 20 minutes. That figure is based on a pre-heated electric fan-assisted oven at a temperature of 180°C.
Top cooks advise that you should baste the turkey every hour, remove the foil for the last 30 minutes to brown the skin, allow it to rest for an hour before serving and always make sure the turkey is piping hot all the way through, with no pink meat, and all the juices run clear.