If the thought of cooking a whole turkey this Christmas fills you with dread - we've got you covered!

Our easy-to-follow guide provides all the essential steps to help your Christmas preparations run smoothly.

Allowing you to focus more time on enjoying the day with friends and family!

(Guidelines may vary based on the size of your turkey. Always make sure your turkey is fully cooked before serving.)

Our Easy Christmas Turkey Cooking Guide:

1. Take the turkey out of the fridge 1 hour before cooking to come to room temperature. 

2. Preheat the oven to 180C / 160C Fan / Gas Mark 4, ensuring the oven racks are prepared for the size of the turkey. 

3. Use a paper towel to pat the turkey dry and soak up any water in the cavity. 

4. Rub the skin with unsalted butter and then season generously with salt, pepper and your favourite festive herbs (we love rosemary and thyme!). Make sure that you've covered the whole bird in seasoning, including the crevices.

Optional. Add the stuffing, orange slices and a few sprigs of rosemary into the cavity and neck-end of the turkey. 

5. Place the turkey into a roasting pan and cover loosely with foil. Cook for 30-40 minutes per kilo. (e.g. 3-3.5 hours for a 5kg turkey.)

6. Check on the turkey every 30 minutes and use a spoon to baste the juices from the bottom of the pan onto the whole turkey. This is essential for keeping your meat moist and ensuring crispy skin!

7. Remove the tin foil from the turkey 1 hour towards the end of cooking. 

8. Once the turkey has finished cooking, use a meat probe or sharp knife to check the thickest part of the meat (usually the thigh). The internal temperature should be 70C or the juices run clear when the knife is removed. 

9. Take the turkey out of the pan and loosely cover with foil. (Make sure to save the juices for gravy!)

10. Allow the turkey to rest for a minimum of 1 hour before serving.