Shoppers have been told they can avoid festive poultry panic by getting ahead of the game and ordering a higher-welfare bird from COOK. Each of COOK’s woodland turkeys are raised on small farms in East Anglia with freedom to roam in sheltered woods, 24 hours a day.
All of COOK’s turkeys for this year have been stuffed and rolled by hand in the COOK kitchen in Kent and are already in the freezer. Available to buy on their own, or with all the trimmings, the turkey feeds 2, 8 or 12 people with minimal prep time.
COOK has also prepared some helpful tips for defrosting and cooking the perfect turkey – based on its 25 years’ expertise.
Whenever you buy a turkey from COOK you will be sent a reminder to defrost, letting you know how long it will need to be out of the freezer. To shop the Christmas range visit https://www.cookfood.net/menu/christmas and COOK’s shops nationwide.
CHRISTMAS DINNER BUNDLES
*There are Turkey Dinners for 2, for 8 and for 12 there are options whatever the size of the gathering.
*The Portobello Mushroom Wellington £12 (serves 2) is a Great Taste Award Winning Vegetarian main, and the Butternut Squash Nut Roast Stacks £10 for 2; is also a Great Taste Award Winner.
*NewSalmon Rarebit with a Lemon and Herb Crumb £35 (serves 4. A generous fillet of salmon with a rarebit-style topping of kiln-roasted salmon, mature Cheddar, semi-dried tomatoes and chives.
*Beef Wellington £80 (serves 6). Served fillet of beef topped with a porcini and Portobello mushroom duxelles and chicken liver pate, wrapped in crisp puff pastry, served with a velvety port and red wine jus.
Turkey Tips from the COOK Kitchen:
Defrosting:
- When defrosting, defrost in the fridge as the meat defrosts evenly and at a constant, controlled temperature. The time required is dependent on the size of bird and if it’s been stuffed or not, but note that it could take 1-2 days if you have a big bird.
- It’s best to always remove all packaging from the bird before you defrost to help allow air circulation around the bird but do keep it loosely covered when in your fridge. If you don’t you might find it’s still frozen in the middle when you come to cook it.
- If you are buying a whole bird make sure you check the cavity for the bag of giblets that sometimes gets popped in there.
Preparation:
- Never wash your raw turkey, this could cause harmful bacteria to splash and contaminate areas in your kitchen.
- Always remember to wash your hands, equipment and surfaces after handling raw meat.
Cooking:
- Follow the instructions on pack, which should provide guidelines on how to cook based on type of turkey and weight.
- Always make sure the turkey is piping hot, with no hint of redness and juices running clear.
