Preparing the Christmas dinner can be a pressurised time.
But to make life a little easier, MyFermanagh has enlisted the help of local butcher Fintan O’Doherty who’s shared some of his top tips for getting your turkey right on the big day.
The family butchers has been in Enniskillen since 1957 and is a popular choice for people across the county and further afield.
Fintan’s top turkey tips
Ingredients:
- One free range turkey (5kg will feed eight)
- 50g butter
- Seasoning
- One pack of streaky black bacon
Method:
1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
2. Spread butter all over the turkey and season with salt and pepper.
3. Place turkey in a roasting tin, breast side up, and roast for 40 minutes per kilo for the first 4 kilos then 45 minutes for every kilo over that weight. For a turkey of this weight, the cooking time should be 3½-4 hours. The turkey will continue to cook and the temperature will rise more while it rests.
4. Remove the turkey from the oven and rest for 30-45 minutes, this is key to ensuring your turkey is nice and moist.
Don’t cover the turkey too tightly if you want the skin to stay crisp but keep it warm.
5. Before serving your turkey, check that the meat is steaming hot throughout, there is no pink meat visible and when you cut into the thickest part of the meat, the juices run clear.
To test if it's done, make sure the juices run clear when you pierce the thigh where it meets the body. If not, put it back in the oven for another 20 minutes, then test again.
Tip: Don’t forget about your giblets!
Remove them from your turkey and cover with water. Add a peeled onion, carrot, celery stick, bay leaf and a glass of red wine. Then simmer for 40 minutes, strain and you'll have the perfect stock to deglaze your turkey roasting tin.
