Once your turkey is bought and has arrived home safely it is time to think about how you want to cook your festive delight . Do you want a traditional bird with traditional Christmas flavours or are you wanting to wow this Christmas with something a little more daring ? If you are leaning more towards the latter Carlo recommends this unique , yet delicious recipe ; ‘ I ’ d recommend marinating it with coriander seeds , fennel seeds , black peppercorn , juniper berries , onion seeds and garlic powder . To get as much out of these spices and bring out the true flavour , it ' s better if you toast them before marinating the turkey , then mix them with olive oil and rub over the turkey as well as inside , then leave it overnight .’
As for the most tantalising side dishes to go with your feast , Oliver Marlowe , owner , chef and director of The Hunter ’ s Moon ( www . huntersmoonlondon . co . uk ), recommends a twist on a classic , perhaps even infamous , veggie option ; ‘ One of my favourite sides for Christmas Day is shredded brussels sprouts with pancetta , finely chopped onion and garlic and a good splash of white wine . Fry off the onions , garlic and pancetta before adding the brussels and lastly the wine - delicious !’
If you refuse to touch sprouts with a ten foot barge pole , why not opt for caramelised carrots , parsnips and onions , some pumpkin and chestnut mash or simply go all out with everyone ' s favourite Christmas sides : roast potatoes and pigs in blankets . Don ’ t be afraid to experiment with flavours and different spice combinations , Christmas is all about having fun after all - don ’ t forget to get some enjoyment out of cooking everyone else ’ s festive feast for them !
If you have a habit of producing dry turkeys on Christmas Day , don ’ t fret ; it is easily done ! Luckily , those days are now over and we can all breathe a collective sigh of relief thanks to Marlowe , who is on hand to give some sage advice on how to curb this common phenomenon . ‘ I ’ d recommend brining your turkey in a 10 % salt to water liquid mix overnight prior to cooking . The salt dissolves some of the muscle proteins , meaning the meat contracts less while in the oven so therefore it loses less moisture . It also really gives a game changing depth of flavour , and makes it very difficult to overcook meaning there ’ s one less thing to worry about on the big day !’
Worried about your level of cooking skills ? Fear not as KellyBronze turkey , such as those from Kent Turkeys , is guaranteed to be easy to cook . Long ago are the days of desperately googling how to cook a turkey at 6am on Christmas Day , as these scrumptious birds all come with full cooking instructions and a complimentary meat thermometer . According to Fleck ; ‘ Simply follow the guidelines for the size turkey you have chosen , and as soon as the thermometer reaches 60 º C , your turkey is ready . Due to the intramuscular fat present in a KellyBronze turkey , it will cook quicker than a ‘ standard ’ turkey and the flavour of the turkey speaks for itself . There ’ s no need to spend hours preparing and cooking your turkey , all you need to do is trust the thermometer , and you ’ re free to get on with enjoying the day with friends and family .’
Now your turkey is basted , cooked and is looking like roasted golden perfection , your mouth is watering , your family have knives and forks at he ready and are waiting to tuck in , but how to best carve your bird for a succulent , tasty result ? Alderton has these tips : ‘ Slice the meat next to the leg bone and fold back until the leg is completely removed , then trim the leg meat to make a drumstick . Next slice along the breast bone , fold back the breast meat and continue to carve down until the whole breast is removed . Lastly slice the breast meat and remove the wing .’
It ’ s as easy as that . Christmas dinner is sorted and it ’ s only November , so put your feet up , grab a glass of mulled wine and some Quality Street and relax in the knowledge that you ’ ve got the knowhow to turn your turkey into the most delectable dish on your table , plus some fun facts to amazing your family with on Christmas Day . I mean who doesn ’ t enjoy a good turkey fact … Gobble Gobble .
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