Chicken

  • Preheat your oven to 190°C (Gas Mark 5). Roast the chicken for 18 minutes per lb (454g).
  • Around 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, baste the bird generously with the pan juices to keep it moist and full of flavour.
  • The chicken is cooked when the juices run clear from the thickest part of the thigh when pierced with a skewer. If not fully cooked, continue roasting, checking every 10 minutes until done.
  • Once cooked, allow the chicken to rest for 15 minutes before carving — this helps the juices settle and keeps the meat tender.

Turkey & Turkey Crowns

Remove your turkey from the fridge the night before cooking to allow it to reach room temperature.

Preheat your oven to 180°C / 170°C (fan) / Gas Mark 4.

Cooking

  • For whole birds: Start with the breast side down. About halfway through the suggested cooking time (see below), turn the bird breast side up to brown and crisp the skin. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
  • For crowns: Place the bird breast side up in a roasting tin for the entire cooking time and season with salt and pepper.

Checking for Doneness

  • The turkey is cooked when juices run clear from the thickest part of the thigh when pierced with a skewer.
  • If the juices are pink, return the bird to the oven and check every 10 minutes until fully cooked.

Resting

  • Once cooked, allow the turkey to rest uncovered for at least 30 minutes before carving. This helps the meat stay tender and juicy.

Cooking Times

  • Use the suggested cooking times as a guide only.
  • If you’re stuffing the bird, remember to reweigh it with the stuffing to calculate an accurate cooking time.

Aga Oven

For a 2-door Aga:

Use the top roasting oven only and follow the standard cooking times provided.

For a 4-door Aga:

Start the turkey in the top roasting oven for the first 30 minutes, then move it to the baking oven for the remainder of the cooking time.

Goose

  • Preheat your oven to 200°C (adjust as needed for your oven).
  • Crisp the skin for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180°C.
  • Roast the goose for approximately 20 minutes per kilo.
  • Keep a sheet of tinfoil on hand. If the skin begins to brown too quickly, lightly cover the goose with foil.
  • Remove it for the final 10 minutes of cooking to allow the skin to re-crisp.
  • To check if your goose is cooked, gently twist a drumstick using an oven glove or tea towel. If it moves easily, the bird is ready.
  • You can also test by piercing the thickest part of the thigh — the juices should run just slightly pink, not red.

Duck

  • Preheat your oven to 200°C (Fan 180°C / Gas Mark 6).Weigh the duck (without giblets) to determine the correct cooking time.
  • Place the duck on a rack in a roasting tin and roast in the middle of the oven for 40 minutes per 1kg, plus an additional 10 minutes.
  • Once cooked, cover with foil and allow the duck to rest for 10–20 minutes before serving.