If you buy a fresh turkey, plan to cook it within two days of purchase.  For Christmas, bring it home as close to the big day as possible

Preparing Your Turkey Safely

Like all poultry, turkey can carry harmful bacteria. Proper cooking will kill them,
but safe handling is essential to avoid cross-contamination.

Don’t wash your turkey.
Washing only spreads bacteria around your kitchen via splashes and drips. Most turkeys come oven-ready, so no washing is needed. If yours isn’t, wipe it with disposable paper towels instead and discard them immediately.

Handle minimally.
Place the bird straight into a roasting tin, ideally on a bed of vegetables (carrots, celery, and onions work well). This creates great flavour for gravy.

 Wash your hands.
Always wash with warm soapy water before and after handling raw turkey, and dry with a clean towel.

Stuffing the Turkey

For safety and convenience, we recommend cooking stuffing separately in an ovenproof dish. This ensures both the turkey and stuffing are thoroughly cooked, and also shortens roasting time.

If you do choose to stuff your turkey:

 Only stuff the neck cavity or the main cavity—not both.

Do not overfill. Use no more than 10% of the turkey’s weight for stuffing

(e.g., a 5kg/11lb bird should have no more than 500g/1.1lb).

 Allow extra cooking time for stuffed birds.

 Always check the stuffing reaches 75°C and is piping hot all the way through before serving.

How to Know When It’s Cooked

The turkey is done when:

·        The thickest parts of breast and thigh reach 75°C on a meat thermometer.

·        If stuffed, the centre of the stuffing also reads 75°C.

If you don’t have a thermometer, check:

·        Juices run clear when pierced.

·        No pink meat remains.

·        The meat is piping hot throughout.

Resting the Turkey

After cooking, allow the turkey to rest for at least 30 minutes before carving. Cover loosely with foil and then a couple of tea towels to retain heat. Resting lets the juices settle, making the meat moist and flavourful.

Follow these steps and you’ll have a safe, delicious, and beautifully cooked Christmas turkey every time!

The holidays are all about sharing good food and great moments. But let’s face it — planning the turkey can be tricky! That’s why we created the

Turkey Calculator. It takes the guesswork out of your feast, helping you choose the right size bird and cook it to juicy, golden perfection. Spend less time worrying and more time celebrating with family and friends.