How to cook the perfect turkey

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Cooking a turkey can be a difficult task, especially when feeding so many people. An overcooked bird will be dry but you also want to be certain that the bird is completely cooked through.

We’ve come up with a few simple steps to show you how to cook the perfect turkey – not over, not under, but just right.

This is how you tell when your turkey is cooked…

Temperature is a more accurate guide than appearance or cooking times

If the bird comes with a thermometer or pop-up timer, use it as instructed.
If you’re using a digital probe, start testing about two thirds of the way through the suggested cooking time. Remove the turkey from the oven and push the probe into the thickest part of the thigh without letting it touch the bone.

With most whole birds, it’s a safe bet to take it out of the oven at 70°C, while crowns can be removed at 65°C. Paul Kelly, of KellyBronze, is so confident of
his slow-grown turkeys that he recommends removing his whole birds at 60°C. Regardless, rest the uncovered bird for 30-60 minutes (the internal temperature will continue to rise as it rests).

Now you know how to tell if it’s cooked, try it yourself and browse all of our roast turkey recipes.