Turn down the heat
Serving turkey on Christmas Day dates all the way back to the 16th Century, and for many families it is the centrepiece of their meal. But dry, under-cooked or cold meat can plague even the most seasoned chefs.
Scott Smith, head chef at
Sugar Boat in Helensburgh, one of only two
Scottish restaurants to be awarded a
Michelin Bib
Gourmand for
2019, believes the biggest error you can make is cooking your bird on a high heat.
“For me, the best way to cook any meat is to give it a good few hours, at a really low temperature – put your oven down to 80°, then crank it up as high as it goes until the juices run clear.
That way you’ll get a nice golden skin, the legs will cook at the same time as the breast, and you won’t be left with dry meat. Just remember to check the juices have run clear, there’s no pink, and the meat is hot throughout.
“And before you put the turkey in the oven, release the skin from the flesh and rub some seasoned butter underneath to add a little extra fat.”
As for stuffing, Scott recommends cooking a meat filling separately to avoid slowing down the process.
He said: “I don’t tend to use traditional stuffing, but I will use some onion, thyme, rosemary and maybe a lemon. Using forced meat will just hinder the cooking process, as the heat comes from the top to the bottom. By the time your meat stuffing is cooked, the bird will be overdone.
“Make separate stuffing and serve it on the side, it’s so much easier.”