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Festive Advice

We’ve put together a handy guide for ordering, storing & cooking your festive meat this Christmas.

Ordering, Storing & Cooking Instructions​

Order in good time

The Food Store festive meat will be available to collect from Tuesday 22nd December until Thursday 24th December. You can find our opening times and click & collect information here.

We will be taking orders up until Monday 21st December but we recommend ordering by Friday 18th December at the latest to guarantee your order. 

Deciding what size turkey to order

Tastes and portion sizes vary per person but we have compiled a rough estimate below of how many people each size turkey will feed.

Turkey:

  • 4-5kg: serves 8-10 people
  • 5-6kg: serves 10-12 people
  • 6-7kg: serves 12-15 people
  • 7-8kg: serves 15-18 people
  • 8-9kg: serves 18+ people

Storing your Turkey & Gammon

All festive meat should be kept refrigerated until preparing to cook. We recommend the following refrigerator practices to keep your meat at its best and prevent contamination:

  • Keep your festive meat in a sealed bag and store on a platter or in a container, to catch leaking juices
  • Place the meat at the bottom on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator to prevent any leaking juices contaminating other products

If you purchased a frozen turkey or gammon during our annual sale, it should be stored in the freezer until ready for defrosting in time to prepare and cook for your festive meal. We recommend the following freezer practices to keep your turkey and gammon at its best and prevent contamination:

  • Keep your turkey or gammon in a sealed bag and store on a platter or in a container, to catch leaking juices
  • Place the turkey or gammon at the bottom of the freezer to prevent any leaking juices contaminating other products

Defrosting your Turkey & Gammon

We recommend defrosting your turkey and gammon in your refrigerator*, allowing approximately 24 hours for every 2-2.5kg of meat. For example, a 6kg turkey will take approximately 3 days to defrost in a refrigerator. Defrost your meat on a platter on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator. Your turkey and gammon should be cooked within 24 hours of being fully defrosted.

*Meat should not be thawed at room temperature.

Preparing your Turkey & Gammon for Cooking

The turkey should be at room temperature before placing in the oven so remove it from the refrigerator approximately 1 hour before cooking. Keep it covered in a cool, dry place during this time, and on a tray or platter that will contain any leaking juices.

For a gammon, a turkey crown or a boned and rolled turkey, remove it from the refrigerator approximately 30 minutes before cooking. Keep it covered in a cool, dry place during this time, and on a tray or platter that will contain any leaking juices.

Cooking times for your Turkey & Gammon

This will vary depending on the recipe you are following but we recommend the below.

Whole Turkey

  • Preheat your oven to 165°c
  • Cook for 33 minutes per kg (15 minutes per lb), with 20-25 minutes extra at the end
  • Remove the turkey from the oven, cover it in foil and let it sit for 10 minutes before carving

Stuffed Turkey

  • Preheat your oven to 165°c
  • Cook for 66 minutes per kg (30 minutes per lb), with 20-25 minutes extra at the end
  • Remove the turkey from the oven, cover it in foil and let it sit for 10 minutes before carving

Boned & Rolled Turkey

  • Preheat your oven to 165°c
  • Cook for 66 minutes per kg (30 minutes per lb), with 20-25 minutes extra at the end
  • Remove the turkey from the oven, cover it in foil and let it sit for 10 minutes before carving

Gammon

  • Boil for 66 minutes per kg (30 minutes per lb)
  • Remove the rind and score the surface before baking in an oven at 200°c for 20 minutes
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