Defrosting Calculator

If you have a frozen turkey it's best to think about defrosting your bird slowly in the fridge a couple of days before Easter Sunday, allowing 10-12 hours per kilo for defrosting time.

• Place your turkey at the bottom of the fridge so that any juices do not drip onto other foods. Make sure that you drain away juices regularly.
• If you cannot fit your turkey in the fridge, defrost it at room temperature (allowing 2 hours per kilo) taking care to make sure it is covered and does not touch any other foods.
• Always make sure that the turkey is thoroughly defrosted before putting it in the oven. You can do this by checking that there are no ice crystals in the cavity and no frozen meat - try testing it with a fork

Cooking your bird

The cooking of the turkey usually sets the timings for cooking all the other dishes, so it's important that you get it right! Follow these tips for timing your turkey to perfection and don't forget that a large turkey can take several hours to cook properly, especially if the oven is full of food:

• Always check the cooking advice panel on the turkey's packaging
• As a general guide, for a turkey under 4.5kg allow 45 minutes per kg plus 20 minutes; for one weighing between 4.5kg and 6.5kg allow 40 minutes per kg; and for those over 6.5kg allow 35 minutes per kg at 180 Degrees C, 350 Degrees F, Gas Mark 4 (after the oven has preheated).
• Remember, some ovens, such as fan-assisted ovens could cook the turkey more quickly - always check the manufacturer's handbook for your oven.
• It's better to cook your stuffing in a roasting tin, rather than inside the turkey, so the turkey will cook more easily and cooking guidelines will be more accurate.

Chicken Turkey Goose Duck

kgs Ibs/oz

 kgs (e.g. 5.454 kg)  Ibs  oz

It will take approximately:
 Hours   Minutes