What is the single most annoying question a journalist can ask one of the world's most successful chefs on the eve of their new restaurant opening? Surely it's got to be "How do you cook the perfect Christmas turkey?"
But unlike Clare Smyth, an internationally acclaimed chef with three Michelin stars to her name, there's only one day of the year when I cook for a room full of people, and it's Christmas Day. And thankfully, I had everything she suggested ready to go at home.
Her advice was actually quite simple. There are two things you can do to level up your Christmas turkey: brining and using a smart meat thermometer. Both are essential to prevent your turkey from drying up in the oven, which, as we all know, is the biggest risk you run when cooking a big bird for Christmas.
How to cook the perfect Christmas turkey
1. Brine the bird
There are two key steps to cooking the ideal Christmas turkey. The first, according to Smyth, is to "Brine the bird first— it makes a big difference."
Brining essentially adds an extra day to your turkey prep, but it's the unmissable step that will give your bird a fighting chance of being juicy and succulent when it's time to carve.
You can dry-brine or use a saltwater solution when brining your turkey. It works by altering the protein structure of your meat, meaning it can retain more moisture. It also seasons the meat from the inside out, leaving you with a more flavorful dish.
2. Use a meat thermometer
Smyth's second piece of advice? "Invest in a temperature probe to ensure you don’t overcook it."
I've got a Meater thermometer to hand, having tested it for our best meat thermometers buying guide, but it's not too late to pick one up before the big day.
"It sounds simple, but it truly works. You can even buy probes that connect to your phone and alert you the moment it’s perfectly cooked."
After spending all that time and effort brining your turkey, the worst thing you could do is overcook it. But it's hard to know when exactly your bird is ready to take out of the oven, which is where the joy of a probe comes in.
This can be inserted into the turkey and send accurate readings from inside the oven to your phone, meaning you won't even need to open the oven to know if your dinner is ready.
Take it from a pro
I learned this, and much more, from Smyth when I was given a first look at her brand-new opening, Corenucopia, to celebrate her appearance in the new series Open To Close, in collaboration with HexClad.
Clare Smyth is Chef Patron of the Michelin three-star Core in London and former Chef Patron at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay. You can watch her episode of Open To Close on Tubi, available now.
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