Turkey is one of those meats that you almost feel obliged to eat, simply because it's Christmas Day. There's nothing quite like turkey and all the trimmings on December 25, and you feel like you've missed out if you don't have it. However, people often complain that their turkey is dry, no matter what they do and how they cook it.
Thankfully, chef Jamie Oliver has shared a major mistake people are making when they cook the bird, but there's a step when you cook it to make it as juicy as possible. In even better news - it won't cost you a thing.
In a festive special show on Channel 4, 'Jamie's Easy Christmas', Jamie Oliver shared that the 'key is in the resting' when it comes to perfecting your festive meat. So, much like a juicy steak, the turkey just needs some extra time in order to taste its absolute best.
He recommends resting the meat for 'two hours for an average size turkey', and it wont go cold as it gently continues to cook, even when it's out of the oven. This will prevent the bird from becoming dry and bland. Jamie also said that the timing needs to be right.
The Oliver's always have two meat options on the table, and Jamie explained that he loves a Christmas Day goose. He even claims it's easy to cook, so if you want to push the boat out, it may be worth a try.
The celebrity chef said: "It's delicious and quite well-behaved – two or three hours and you've got something amazing."
But, if you're put off by the rising cost of turkeys, Jamie also recommends duck for the festive table, and he suggested a non-traditional dish of clementine roast duck with noodles. Or, alternatively, a roast chicken could work as well - they can be picked up from many supermarkets for less than a fiver.
To avoid Christmas day stress, Jamie also recommends coming up with a master plan for December 25.
He said to 'make life easier for yourself and do as much as you can beforehand', also suggesting people make big-batch cocktails so they can just be poured over ice on the day, making you look like a 'ninja'.
And his main advice? "Just treat everything with love and don't sweat it, if you can."
What are you doing for Christmas this year? Let us know in the comments.
