Don’t stress out this Christmas; instead, make my Easy Roast Turkey Crown. It has all the great taste of a whole roast turkey with none of the work. There are also lots of helpful tips on how to buy, thaw, and cook a turkey crown, as well as tasty ideas for using up leftover turkey.
Who here finds it stressful to cook the turkey for Christmas? It’s often named as one of the most stressful parts of the holiday, but it doesn’t have to be that way!
So stressful is it that I wrote a whole post with ideas and tips on how to make cooking the Christmas turkey less stressful. You can read it here: 20 simple tips to take the stress out of cooking your Christmas turkey.
One way to make cooking turkey at Christmas less stressful is to not cook a whole bird. Whole turkeys can be difficult to store and can take a long time to cook. As different parts of the turkey cook at different rates, it is easy to cook them too long or too short. Also, cooking a whole turkey can waste a lot of meat because many people like the white breast meat better than the brown leg and thigh meat.
One way to avoid this is not cooking a big turkey at all. For example, you could make my Prosciutto Wrapped Turkey Mini Fillets with Sage and Sausage Stuffing, which is a fancy but quick and cheap way to cook turkey at Christmas without all the work.
But if you really want a beautiful roasted turkey to carve at the table on Christmas Day, a roast turkey crown is a great compromise. It gives you a beautiful centerpiece to wow your family and friends with with a lot less work.
A turkey crown is much easier to get right than a whole turkey. Not only are they easier to store in the fridge or freezer, but they also cook faster and are easier to carve. They are still a great centerpiece for your Christmas table.
As the centerpiece of many holiday meals, a beautifully roasted turkey crown can be the crowning achievement of your dinner. With its shorter cook time compared to a whole turkey, the turkey crown is also a great option for smaller gatherings. However, to ensure your turkey crown turns out juicy, flavorful and picture-perfect, it’s important to follow some key tips.
In this comprehensive guide. we’ll cover everything you need to know to cook the perfect turkey crown. including
- Turkey Crown Basics
- Calculating Cook Times
- Step-by-Step Cooking Directions
- Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- Serving Suggestions
So let’s get cooking!
Turkey Crown Cooking Time Basics
A turkey crown is an elegant cut of meat taken from the upper breast of the turkey. Shaped like a crown, it contains a good portion of white meat. The difference between cooking a turkey crown versus a whole turkey is that the cook time is significantly shorter given the smaller size. This makes it ideal for feeding just 4-8 people.
When determining how long to cook a turkey crown, the most important factor is the weight. General guidelines are:
- Under 4kg: Calculate 20 minutes per kg plus 70 additional minutes
- Over 4kg: Calculate 20 minutes per kg plus 90 additional minutes
For example:
- A 1.5kg turkey crown will take about 1 hour and 40 minutes to cook.
- A 2kg crown will take 1 hour and 50 minutes.
- A 2.5kg crown will take 2 hours.
These times are for cooking at 190°C in a conventional oven or 170°C in a fan oven at gas mark 5.
Step-by-Step Method for Roasting the Turkey Crown
Follow these simple steps for roasting turkey crown success:
1. Take the Turkey Crown Out of the Fridge
Take the turkey out of the refrigerator and let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. This helps it cook more quickly and evenly.
2. Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 190°C conventional or 170°C fan forced.
3. Prepare the Turkey Crown
Rinse the turkey crown and pat dry with paper towels. Brush all over with melted butter or oil. Next, carefully loosen the skin and rub the butter underneath to keep the meat juicy.
Season generously with salt and pepper. For extra flavor, you can also rub fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary or sage under the skin.
If stuffing the crown, calculate the cook time based on the weight with the stuffing included.
4. Place in the Oven
Put the crown in a roasting pan or baking dish. Roast in the center of the preheated oven, basting occasionally with the pan juices.
5. Use a Meat Thermometer
To test doneness, use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast. Turkey should reach 74°C. The juices should also run clear when pierced with a knife.
6. Let It Rest
Once cooked, remove the crown from the oven, loosely cover with foil and let rest for at least 15 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute evenly.
7. Carve and Serve
To carve, slice parallel to the breastbone and serve warm. Accompany with your favorite holiday side dishes and gravy.
Handy Time Chart for Turkey Crown Weights
For quick reference, here are the estimated cook times for different turkey crown weights:
| Weight | Cook Time |
|---|---|
| 1.5 kg | 1 hour 40 minutes |
| 2 kg | 1 hour 50 minutes |
| 2.5 kg | 2 hours |
| 3 kg | 2 hours 20 minutes |
| 3.5 kg | 2 hours 40 minutes |
| 4 kg | 3 hours |
Common Turkey Roasting Mistakes to Avoid
Roasting a turkey crown is relatively straightforward, but there are a few common mistakes home cooks can make. Here’s how to avoid them:
-
Not thawing properly – Completely thaw turkey in the fridge 1-2 days before cooking. Never thaw at room temperature.
-
Not seasoning under the skin – Rubbing seasoning and herbs under the skin infuses flavor into the meat.
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Forgetting to baste – Basting keeps the turkey crown moist and golden brown. Baste every 30 minutes.
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Overcooking – Use a meat thermometer to accurately gauge doneness. Stop cooking at 74°C.
-
Not letting rest – Letting the turkey rest seals in juices. Rest at least 15 minutes before carving.
-
Carving incorrectly – Slice the breast meat by cutting parallel to the breastbone. Don’t cut through the bone.
Mouthwatering Ways to Serve Turkey Crown
A beautifully roasted turkey crown makes a stunning centerpiece to your holiday table. Here are some delicious ways to serve it:
-
Carve the crown and serve the sliced white meat with all the classic Thanksgiving or Christmas sides like mashed potatoes, stuffing, roasted veggies, cranberry sauce and gravy.
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For easy entertaining, carve the meat off the bone while hot and serve on a platter with sides and sauces.
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Slice the breast meat and use it to top hearty main dish salads.
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Shred or dice the turkey into bite-size pieces to use in soups, stews, casseroles, sandwiches, wraps and more.
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For an elegant chilled appetizer, arrange sliced turkey crown on a platter with crackers and condiments like cranberry relish or chutney.
So go ahead and conquer roasting the perfect turkey crown this holiday season. Just follow the cooking time guidelines carefully for your crown’s weight and use a meat thermometer for the best results. Let us know how it turns out!
How to cook a turkey crown
FAQ
Is it better to cook a turkey at 325 or 350?
Should you cover a turkey crown in foil when cooking?
How do you cook a turkey crown without it drying out?
How long to cook a 10lb turkey?
|
Weight
|
Cook Time (Unstuffed)
|
Cook Time (Stuffed)
|
|
7-10 lbs.
|
2½-3 hrs.
|
2¾-3½ hrs.
|
|
10-18 lbs.
|
3-3½ hrs.
|
3¾-4½ hrs.
|
|
18-22 lbs.
|
3½-4 hrs.
|
4½-5 hrs.
|
|
22-24 lbs.
|
4-4½ hrs.
|
5-5½ hrs.
|