It's particularly important to get the cooking time right with turkey. Compared to other poultry turkey isn't particularly fatty so over cooking will dry it out. If you are using a frozen bird defrost thoroughly, remember the bigger the bird the longer it will take to defrost. 

The formula for cooking turkey is about 40 minutes per kilo at 180-220c. This does however depend on the efficiency of your oven and the regularity of your basting. 

Ingredients:

5 kg / 11 lb turkey
6 rashers streaky bacon
100g / 3.5 oz butter
splash of olive oil
salt and pepper

Method: 

1. Rub the oil into the turkey then smear butter roughly over the skin, particularly the breast area, add salt and pepper and place into a roasting tray on its back.

2. Place into a preheated oven at 200c (400f) gas mark 6 for about 40 minutes. 

3. Remove from the oven, turn the bird the right way up, cover loosely with kitchen foil and roast for a further hour and a half at 180c.  

4. Remove from the oven, baste then spoon off all the excess fat, drape the bacon rashers across the turkey and roast for a further 70 minutes.

5. After about 200 minutes total cooking time push a sharp knife into the thigh, if no red meat juices escape the meat is probably cooked. Leave to stand for at least twenty minutes before carving.

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