Arcadia Ireland

As promised in orientation here are instructions on how to cook a turkey 

Cooking a turkey
Roasting Steps
Keep your turkey in your fridge until you are ready to cook it.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit or 201.66 degrees Celsius or as specified by your recipe. Move the oven rack to the lowest rung.
Step 2: Take the turkey out of the fridge
Remove the Giblets (these are inside the turkey)
Discard the giblets which come in a little plastic bag inside the bird.
Step 3: Wipe inside and outside of the turkey with clean damp kitchen paper.
Spread some butter on the turkey breasts and legs, wrap tinfoil loosely over the turkey and put on the roasting dish and place in the oven.
Cooking the bird
Raw meat may contain bacteria such as Salmonella which can make you very ill indeed.

Here's how you will know that it is cooked through.

1. When the bird is fully cooked there should be no pink meat left and the juices should run clear when you prick the thick part of the leg, not pink.

Cooking times
The following are approximate cooking times for turkeys in an oven which is at 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4.
Size of turkey
Unstuffed turkey
8-12lbs/3.5-5.5kg
4 hours 40 minutes
12-14lbs/5.5-6.5kg
5 hours 30 minutes

Information courtesy of www.safefoodonline.com – the national food safety agency

For your Safety in cooking!
Please ensure the turkey is cooked through – you will know it is cooked through once it is white in colour. Never eat a turkey that is still pink.

Please ensure you are cooking on a clean surface. After preparing the turkey you should also make sure you have washed your hands before preparing any other foods.