So I’m in charge of the Christmas dinner this year – for some reason we’ve decided to go all traditional and cook a rolled breast of turkey (wrapped in bacon) – I’ve never cooked one before.

Do the STW collective have any advice on how to cook this thing without it turning out dryer than a dry thing?

The only ways to prevent dryness are a) prevent steam loss and b) add fat, that’s why it’s wrapped in (hopefully) streaky bacon.

It doesn’t sound massive, so I’d be wrapping it in foil to roast it (which will keep the steam in), opening it up for the last half hour to brown the outside off.

For an actual turkey, I shove loads of butter under the skin. It’s still a bit dry though, it’s turkey, there’s no way of getting around it really. We’re having it this year as well cos my dad wants it. Not had it for years, not missed it…

If you must have turkey:
– make sure it warms up to room temp before it goes in the oven
– make sure you rest it after it cooks (I’d suggest bringing it out to rest before you put your tatties in – wrapped in foil and under a “duvet” of teatowels it will still be hot when you serve it).

if you have meat thermometer that would help avoid overcooking the centre –

The above sounds like sage advice

Cut turkey into chunks and place them inside the KFConsole while you game… Just don’t tell the console it’s a different bird! 😉 😆

BBQ for flavour!

As above if you have one a meat thermometer, temper it first, rest it after.

Once its cooked, wrap in foil and leave it out of the way whilst you cook everything else.

It will stay hot for hours (IME with chickens, anyway)
The resting will allow the meat to relax and not be chewy.

I once tried out a method I saw chef John Tovey use.

Get a big piece of muslin, enough to completely wrap the bird. Smother bird with a whole pack of butter, wrap in muslin. Roast as usual. No need to remove the muslin at any stage, it continuously bastes the bird. The skin is fantastic but there is a huge amount of butter/turkey fat to drain off before deglazing the pan for gravy. So nice idea but a faff and wasteful of butter. I never tried it again.

I’m having rib of beef this year.

Only the 2 of us this Christmas for obvious reasons so we’re following John Torode’s christmas dinner traybake to avoid a ton of washing up. Watch the video on catch-up if you fancy having a go.

Anyone ever cooked one in a slow cooker? My wife saw something online about it a few days ago.

Anyone ever cooked one in a slow cooker? My wife saw something online about it a few days ago.

Sounds like a prime way to end up with mush.

BBQ is the way forward but if you must…… Regular basting and get the bird lifted out of the juices for cooking(again avoids soggy bird) cover it well and baste it regularly.
Use a meat thermometer ignore any nonsense about 20minutes per kilo and some for the bird. Trust your thermometer

Baste regularly.

Anyone ever cooked one in a slow cooker?

I was actually coming on here to suggest this. I did a whole small chicken in mine earlier in the year and it was great – just stick it in the oven at the end if you want a crispy skin. I think I stood mine on a layer of carrots / onions for extra flavour, which can then be used in the gravy.

Sounds like a prime way to end up with mush.

Nope, was fine.

Instrad of slicing meat off the breast take the whole breast off and slice it the other way, much less dry.

Nope, was fine.

did a whole small chicken in mine earlier in the year and it was great

Suggests your turkey was a chicken?

Trailrat has it. Bbq is best. I reckon you’d get a long way forward though to follow a brining recipe as per bbq. I like the Weber apple smoke one

A roll will not take long, maybe under an hour. Oven 180. lower if the bacon looks too done. Digital thermometer, check frequently. Take it out at 70 degrees and rest while you roast the potatoes.

You can do brining, stuffing, etc but if it’s already rolled and wrapped best leave it and just cook to temp.

I’m trying one stuffed, wrapped in film, and steamed. It’s a new one on me.

Suggests your turkey was a chicken?

Suggests cooking turkey is going to be different? It’s still not going to turn to mush.. (DISCLAIMER : unless you’re putting in today).

Meat thermometer (digital not the old fashioned dial things). Turkey is never the juiciest of meat but over-cooked definitely = dry.

Possibly too late but you can get roasting bags – bung it in one with loads of fat, onions and citrus fruit and the job is jobbed – bear in mind they do cook quicker in a bag though so take a good 20% off the claimed cooking time.

Mmmm Christmas food 😻

Sod lifting out and basting. For chicken and turkey roast the bird in its breast (upside down). I realise this doesn’t answer your question op. So wrap in foil with some liquid (not just fat) in the envelope.

It’s a rolled breast and in bacon so I’d go for what llama says. Lots of people seem to be referring to cooking a whole bird.

BBQ – first time we did it we were worried we were going to be left with no Xmas dinner!

But no beautiful succulent meat.

A large bbq helps, coals at either end, bird in the middle with a tray of water underneath.

If your going conventional oven the only z as advice I would give is don’t faff too much you can’t influence the flavour really. Resting after cooking is really really important