Cooking Guidelines
Cooking a Fresh Peach Croft Turkey
As soon as possible, after you’ve collected your turkey or it has been delivered, remove all packaging and store in a refrigerator. The giblets will come to you vacuumed packed and they should also be stored in the refrigerator. Cook the turkey before or on the use by date shown on label.
Remove the turkey from the fridge, leave it to stand for 2 hours before cooking.
The turkeys are trussed with a simple trussing band, which is best removed before cooking. We advise not to stuff the cavity as this will hinder the proper cooking of the turkey but you may choose to put an apple or peeled onion inside.
Sprinkle the turkey with salt and pepper, and place breast side down (covered in foil if you prefer) in a roasting tin. The white meat of the turkey cooks faster than the dark (leg and wing) meat. This is why it is better to cook turkey breast side down for the first half to three quarters of the cooking time.
This will allow the fat deposits in the back to percolate the breast meat, which rests in the juices.
Gravy always tastes better if the turkey giblets are used to make it. However it is recommended that the liver is not used as it may give the gravy a slightly bitter flavour. Instead, lightly sauté the liver in butter, chop and add to stuffing.
Cook the turkey at 190ºC/375ºF, Fan oven 160ºC/320ºF, Gas Mark 5, Aga hot oven. (See table below for suggested total times).
| Weight Kg | Without foil Hours/mins | With foil Hour/mins |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 1 hr 50 mins | 2 hrs 35 mins |
| 5 | 2 hrs 10 mins | 2 hrs 55 mins |
| 6 | 2 hrs 30 mins | 3 hrs 15 mins |
| 7 | 2 hrs 50 mins | 3 hrs 40 mins |
| 8 | 3 hrs 10 mins | 4 hrs |
| 9 | 3 hrs 30 mins | 4 hrs 25 mins |
| 10 | 3 hrs 50 mins | 4 hrs 45 mins |
About 30 minutes before the end of cooking, open the foil if used and turn the bird carefully on to its back to brown the breast.
It is very important not to overcook a turkey – people may do and are then disappointed when it is dry.
This can be avoided by either using a “pop up” timer that detects when the turkey is cooked or testing with a fork on the inside of the thigh – when the juices run clear the turkey is ready.
After removing the turkey from the oven and before carving, allow it to rest for at least 15 to 20 minutes prior to carving.
Carving made easy:
- Hold the leg by the end knuckle, cut close to the body and twist off.
- Carve this dark leg meat.
- Similarly remove the wing and cut in half.
- Repeat for the other side.
- To carve the breast meat start from the outside working to the breast bone in the middle.
Cooking a Fresh Peach Croft Turkey Crown
Crowns are basically a whole turkey with the legs and part of the backbone removed to give you a joint of white breast meat on the bone. It’s quicker to cook and suits smaller families. Treat a crown exactly as you would a whole turkey.
Remove the turkey crown from the fridge, leave it to stand for 2 hours before cooking.
As soon as possible, after you’ve collected your turkey crown or it has been delivered, remove all packaging and store in a refrigerator. The giblets will come to you vacuumed packed and they should also be stored in the refrigerator. Cook the turkey crown on or before the use by date shown on the label.
We advise not to stuff the cavity as this will hinder the proper cooking of the turkey but you may choose to put an apple or peeled onion inside.
Sprinkle the turkey crown with salt and pepper and place in a roasting tin.
Gravy always tastes better if the turkey giblets are used to make it. However it is recommended that the liver is not used as it may give the gravy a slightly bitter flavour. Instead, lightly sauté the liver in butter, chop and add to stuffing.
Cook the turkey at 190ºC/375ºF, Gas Mark 5, Aga hot oven. (See table below for suggested total times).
| Weight Kg | Without Foil Hours/mins |
|---|---|
| 2 | 1 hr 10 mins |
| 3 | 1 hr 25 mins |
| 4 | 1 hr 40 mins |
| 5 | 1 hr 55 mins |
| 6 | 2 hrs 10 mins |
It is very important not to overcook a turkey crown– people may do and are then disappointed when it is dry.
This can be avoided by either using a “pop up” timer that detects when the turkey crown is cooked or testing with a fork in the deepest part of the breast – when the juices run clear the crown is ready.
After removing the turkey crown from the oven and before carving, allow it to rest for at least 15 to 20 minutes prior to carving.
Cooking a Fresh Peach Croft Boneless Rolled Turkey Joint
Bone and rolled are basically a whole turkey with all the bones removed to give you a joint of white and dark meat. It’s quicker to cook than a whole turkey and suits smaller gatherings. Treat a bone and rolled joint exactly as you would a rolled beef joint.
As soon as possible, after you’ve collected your bone and rolled joint or it has been delivered, remove all packaging and store in a refrigerator. The giblets will come to you vacuumed packed and they should also be stored in the refrigerator. Cook the joint on or before the use by date shown on the label.
Remove the joint from the fridge, leave it to stand for 2 hours before cooking.
Sprinkle the bone and rolled joint with salt and pepper and place in a roasting tin.
Gravy always tastes better if the turkey giblets are used to make it. However it is recommended that the liver is not used as it may give the gravy a slightly bitter flavour. Instead, lightly sauté the liver in butter, chop and add to stuffing.
Cook the turkey at 190ºC/375ºF, Gas Mark 5, Aga hot oven. (See table below for suggested total times).
| Weight Kg | Without Foil Hours/mins |
|---|---|
| 1.5 | 1 hr 15 mins |
| 2 | 1 hr 30 mins |
| 3 | 2 hrs |
| 4 | 2 hrs 30 mins |
| 5 | 3 hrs |
| 6 | 3 hrs 30 mins |
Guidelines for cooking a Peach Croft Free Range Goose
As soon as possible, after you’ve collected your goose or it has been delivered, remove all packaging and store in a refrigerator. The giblets will come to you vacuumed packed and they should also be stored in the refrigerator. Cook the goose on or before the use by date shown on the label.
Remove the goose from the fridge, leave it to stand for 2 hours before cooking.
The geese are trussed with a simple trussing band, which is best removed before cooking. We advise not to stuff the cavity as this will hinder the proper cooking of the goose but you may choose to put an apple or peeled onion inside.
Sprinkle the goose with salt and pepper, and place goose on a roasting rack or small cake rake inside a deep roasting pan without foil. Place goose in a pre-heated oven 180ºC/350ºF, Gas Mark 4. After 30 minutes prick skin alongside each breast which releases some of the meat juices.
Allow 35 minutes per kg for cooking. The delicate texture of the goose is easily spoiled by over cooking. As individual oven temperatures vary it is advisable to test the bird between two thirds to three quarters through the cooking time. Prick the breast and thigh and if the juices run clear then the goose is cooked and should be removed from the oven and rested prior to carving. If the juices are still pink, return to the oven for the remaining cooking time and test again. During cooking you may choose to drain off the excess fat, which keeps well in a refrigerator or can be frozen. This fat is invaluable for cooking roast potatoes with a delicious flavour or it can be used to make an exceptionally light pastry.
| Weight Kg | Without Foil Hours/mins |
|---|---|
| 4 | 2 hrs 10 mins |
| 5 | 2 hrs 45 mins |
| 6 | 3 hrs 20 mins |
| 7 | 3 hrs 55 mins |
Carving made easy:
- Hold the leg by the end knuckle, cut close to the body and twist off.
- Carve this leg meat.
- To carve the breast meat start from the outside working to the breast bone in the middle.
- Repeat for the other side.
Cooking a Fresh Peach Croft Royal Roast
Your Royal Roast is made from a boned out free-range goose, fresh chicken and wild pheasant that is then stuffed with a Cranberry, Orange and Chestnut Stuffing mix. As all the bones have been removed carving is simple and it makes a wonderful party dish, either cold or hot and will serve approximately 15 people.
Preparation
As soon as possible, after you’ve collected your Royal Roast or it has been delivered, remove all packaging and store in a refrigerator. The giblets will come to you vacuumed packed and they should also be stored in the refrigerator. Cook the Royal Roast on or before the use by date shown on the label.
Remove from fridge 2 hours before cooking.
Squeeze the juice of 2 oranges over the meat and surround with fresh thyme. Place the Roast in foil and cook on a rack in a roasting pan. Toward the end of cooking remove the foil to finish browning.
Temperature
185ºC/375ºF, Gas Mark 5, Aga hot
Suggested Cooking Times
This is a guideline only. Approximately 50 minutes per kg plus 20 minutes extra.
Then allow joint to relax for 30-40 minutes in a low oven. This allows the meat to settle and makes it easier to carve.
A good quantity of dripping will collect in the pan (between 1-2 pints) and this should be tipped carefully into a container 2 –3 times during cooking. The dripping is excellent for roasting potatoes and parsnips and makes very light pastry. It can also be poured into small containers for freezing.
Carving suggestions
With a very sharp knife, cut the joint in half at the middle and carve towards each end, as opposed to starting at the end.
You will find this helps keep the layered meats together.
NB: This product contains wheat, gluten and yeast, it is not suitable for nut and celery allergy sufferers.