How Long to Cook a Turkey

Work out how long to cook a turkey on the day before you cook.

Plan your timetable around your roasted turkey, working backwards from when you want to serve a meal.

Start your cooking time to allow the cooked turkey to have at least 20 minutes to rest before you carve. This lets the flesh re-absorb the juices, and makes the bird easier to carve.

Remove the roasted turkey from the pan, place it on a board and cover with a clean tea towel. It will stay hot for at least half an hour.

This roast turkey recipe suggests that you rub the turkey with sunflower oil, season and wrap in foil for most of the cooking time.

Cooking begins with a short blast of heat, then there?s a longer period at a lower heat, and then you should tear off the foil over the breast and finish cooking at a higher temperature.