Rick Stein, 73, is known for his restaurants up and down the country, famously serving seafood cuisine. Appearing on Morning Live, the TV chef recently shared his turkey cooking tips to help make the perfect Christmas dinner.
Rick added: “Obviously you need to know roughly how long the things are going to go in the oven for so…something like a turkey would be, per kilo, about 40 minutes.
“So do an estimate but as you get near the end, put a probe in-between the leg and the breast, right in the deepest part of the thigh and it should be about 73 [degrees]…total safety then.”
Once the turkey is out of the oven, it does need to rest for a good 30 minutes to let the juices redistribute throughout the meat.
For those facing a smaller Christmas this year who have already purchased a large turkey, there are many ways you can use the leftover meat as well as keeping it in the fridge for a couple of days.
If you’ve opted for a full turkey, Mary’s recipe says to fill the body cavity with any lemon trimmings, herbs and onions.
This will again add lots of flavour to the meat.
Next is the important part, cooking the turkey.
Mary says to cook the turkey for around 40 minutes while wrapped in tinfoil, and then cook on a lower heat for another three hours.
Then, take the turkey out of the oven and baste the bird with any juices left in the baking tin.
The turkey then needs to return to the oven, without the tinfoil, for a further 30 minutes to brown up so that the skin turns crispy.
With Christmas celebrations likely being smaller this year, waste and leftovers may be a concern for many.
Appliance brand Hisense has shared tips with Express.co.uk on how to minimise food waste when it comes to the Christmas dinner this year.
In terms of suggested portion sizes, Hisense recommends two thin slices of cooked turkey per person.
After serving, turkey can be stored for up to two days in the fridge before freezing if there is still meat leftover.
For roast potatoes, around two potatoes is generally enough for an adult and leftover cooked potatoes can be frozen.
Hisense said: “Love them or hate them, sprouts are a Christmas staple! For a good portion of sprouts, adults will eat between six and eight of the green veggies, which is equivalent to around 80g.
“This Christmas, we’re encouraging everyone to maximise their food usage and serve the amount that’s right for them. While plans have had to change and be flexible this year, you can cool leftovers quickly, within two hours, cover and store in the fridge. Eat up within two days or freeze for later, splitting into smaller portions to enjoy the taste of Christmas at another time.
“We can and should avoid unnecessary food waste while still enjoying the most wonderful time of the year!”