Gluten Free Christmas Turkey
Before you even start cooking your turkey, there are a few things to consider, starting with what to buy. Take a look at the tips for the information.
Credited to: Coeliac UK
Kcal: 543.8
Difficulty: Pretty easy
Serves 12
10 mins prep
180 mins cooking time
Ingredients
- 1 whole turkey
- 1 onion
- A handful of rosemary
- A handful of thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1-2 garlic cloves
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Notes: *Find suitable products on our online food and drink directory.
Method
- Take your turkey out of the fridge and unwrap it at least an hour before cooking.
- Heat the oven to 220°C, 425°F, gas mark 7.
- Place the bird in a roasting tin, breast-side up. Cut an onion into 4-6 pieces. Put some in the cavity with a few sprigs of rosemary, thyme and/or bay and a clove or two of garlic.
- Season the turkey with salt and pepper – be generous with the salt as it crisps up the skin, then rub in thoroughly. Put the rest of the onion and some rosemary around the bird. Flip the bird over so it's breast-side down. (The generous layer of fat on the back drips down and bastes the breasts as it cooks). Do the salt and pepper rub again.
- Roast the turkey for 20-30 minutes, till bronzed.
- Turn the oven down to 170°C, 350°F, gas mark 3 and cook for 3 hours (or look at our cooking guide at the top if you have a different size bird).
- To check it’s cooked, pierce the fattest part of the leg with the tip of a knife. If the juices run clear, it’s done.
- Carefully flip the bird over to brown the breast. Crank the heat back up to 220°C, 425°F gas mark 7. Roast for 20 minutes, or till the breast is golden.
- Rest the turkey for at least an hour before carving.
Nutritional information per serving
Kcal
543.8
Fat
5.3g
Carbs
1.3g
Protein
121.9g
Fibre
0.3g
Sugars
0.9g
Hints and tips:
How big?
Many butchers will give you a guide on how many servings a particular size of bird will provide. If you want leftovers for Boxing Day, remember to say so when choosing the size of your bird.
Supermarkets also offer a serving guide on the packaging. I know some people like to eat turkey for days after Christmas, often ending the festive celebration with a turkey curry. A general guide is 500g raw weight per person.
Whole turkey vs crown?
This is down to personal preference. A crown is just the breast meat, so if you don’t like the dark meat it’s a good option. In addition, it is faster to cook and takes up less oven space than a whole turkey.
A whole turkey should work out to be more economical as long as you eat all of it.
Fresh or Frozen?
Frozen turkeys are available and offer a lower-cost option for those looking to stretch the Christmas budget. Always ensure that your frozen turkey is thoroughly defrosted before you start to cook it. If you defrost your turkey in the fridge, a general rule is that it takes about one day of thawing time for every 2kg of frozen turkey, so plan ahead.
General cooking guide for turkeys (All times approximate):
• 4kg - 2 hours
• 5kg - 2½ hours
• 6kg - 3 hours
• 7kg - 3 ½ hours
• 8kg - 4 hours
• 9kg - 4 ½ hours
