The complete guide to cooking and carving a turkey

Learn how to prep your bird like a pro, including choosing, preparing, cooking and carving your Christmas turkey, plus genius flavour hacks to help you boost your gravy. From Tom Kerridge’s foolproof turkey recipe and ideas for how to use up leftovers, our ultimate guide has all you need for an epic festive centrepiece.

Senior Food Editor

Heather Taylor

How do you cook a Christmas turkey?

In charge of the turkey this year? We’ve got you. It all starts with sourcing a top-quality bird. Whether you’re going traditional and opting for a whole bird, want an easy-carve turkey crown, or fancy something fuss-free and prepped with delicious stuffing, all our turkeys are sourced from trusted M&S Select Farms and slower-grown for superior flavour and succulence.   Think about your kitchen set-up and oven space. Consider investing in a meat thermometer, a large foil roasting tray and a decent carving knife. “Choose a prepared joint if you want something super easy and fuss-free,” says chef Tom Kerridge. “If you’re low on oven space and only having a few people round, try a crown. Or if you want to go traditional, try a whole bird.”   Ready to get cooking? Read our ultimate guide featuring tips on prepping, cooking and carving your bird, Tom’s foolproof roast turkey recipe, hacks to level-up your gravy, and recipes to use up the leftovers.

How to choose a turkey

How to prep a turkey

The day before “I brine my turkey the day before,” says chef Tom Kerridge. “Make your brine by using a ratio of 5% salt to water. Add bay leaves, juniper berries and rosemary, before leaving to brine for eight hours, depending on the size of your bird.”

On the day Take your turkey out of the fridge an hour before to allow it to come to room temperature. Pat-dry with kitchen paper, then rub with olive oil, butter, salt, and pepper, ensuring you get it into all the cavities. Add flavour with lemons, clementines, and woody herbs in the cavity. For even more flavour, try sprinkling with our Oak Smoked Anglesey Sea Salt. Don’t forget to preheat your oven while you prep the bird.

Tom's roast turkey recipe

How to cook a turkey

The exact cooking times and temperatures will depend on the size and shape of your bird, so check the pack for exact guidance. As a rough guide, cook for around 35 to 40 minutes per kilo at 180°C. For a 5kg bird, this would take three to four hours.

Should you cover a turkey with foil while cooking? Cover it with foil at first to seal in the moisture, but remove the foil for the last hour of cooking to crisp up the skin.

How to avoid your turkey drying out? Check the turkey around every 20 minutes as it’s cooking, basting with all those lovely juices.

How do you know your turkey is cooked? To check your turkey is cooked, pierce a knife into the fattest part of the bird – if the juices run clear, it’s done.

Tom Kerridge's turkey recipe

How to carve a turkey

It’s important to rest your bird to allow the meat to relax, so once it’s cooked, cover with foil and a couple of tea towels. This also frees up oven space for things like roast potatoes, carrots and parsnips, and the stuffing (and gives you a chance to pour a well-deserved glass of fizz).

When the rest of your Christmas feast (including the gravy) is good to go, it’s time to carve your bird. Carve and plate up your bird in the kitchen, then serve on a big platter for minimum stress and maximum deliciousness. Using a sharp carving knife, remove the wings first, then carefully cut away the legs and thighs, following the carcass rather than slicing through bone. Finally, carefully slice the breasts into 0.5cm-thick slices. Arrange everything on the platter and serve with piping hot gravy.

Christmas recipe ideas

Tom Kerridge’s foolproof turkey recipe

Ready to get cooking? Follow Tom Kerridge’s step-by-step recipe for a perfectly cooked turkey this Christmas. Plus, try his delicious turkey gravy. Tom’s top tips for perfectly cooked turkey? “Invest in a meat thermometer,” he says. “This will help you know when the bird is cooked to perfection. And be sure to rest your bird for at least 45 minutes.” As well as Tom’s turkey, we’ve got exclusive recipes from the pro chef for all the trimmings you’ll need on the day, from his never-soggy sprouts to his game-changer roast potatoes, epic panettone eggy bread and more.

See the recipe

Easy ways to boost the flavour of your gravy

What would Christmas dinner be without lashings of gravy? It’s the only thing that will make a succulent turkey taste even better. Make yours with the rich, flavour-packed juices from your bird, and throw in delicious extras to take it to the next level. “Mushrooms are fantastic in gravy,” suggests Tom. “They create an earthy flavour as well as volume, body and texture. Use fresh as well as dried porcini, as well as bay leaves and thyme. I love a splash of sherry, some runny honey for sweetness and soy sauce, for that salt content and the nice dark colour. Add acidity with some red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce.” After thickening it with flour, “I like to pass my gravy through a fine sieve, so it’s super silky”.

Try adding a spoonful of our Collection Cranberry and Port Sauce, one of our Red Wine Flavour Pots, or a dollop of rich Concentrated Chicken Stock to make your gravy next-level delicious.

Tom's foolproof gravy recipe

What to cook with leftover turkey

You’ve served up a cracking Christmas bird, now the only question is, what to do with the leftovers? We’ve got recipes galore, from Tom Kerridge’s ultimate Boxing Day leftovers turkey sandwich to a bowl of soothing turkey pho to restore you after all that festive indulgence. Got a crowd coming on Boxing Day? Shred the leftover meat into a gently spiced turkey pilaf or enchiladas. Or make a rich, gently spiced turkey ragu to batch up and keep in the freezer, ready to be heated through and tossed with pasta on a chilly January night.

Love your leftovers

Published 11.3.2025