UK's Best Turkey Thermometers
Cooking your Christmas dinner to temperature is the best trick for removing the stress and producing your best bird yet. It eliminates worrying about whether it's safe or dreading it being dry. And by investing in a good quality, fast and accurate meat thermometer for turkey, not only will you have the perfect Christmas, but you'll also have a reliable tool for ensuring delicious meat all year round.
No more guessing your turkey's internal temperature. This guide will talk you through the best turkey thermometers and recommended turkey temperatures.
TOP TEMPERATURE TIPS FOR COOKING A JUICY TURKEY.
Defrost
Defrost your turkey safely — give it plenty of time to defrost in the fridge, and never leave it sitting at room temperature. The ideal temperature before cooking should be between 30 °F/-1 °C and 39 °F/4 °C.
cook to temperature
The temperature for cooked turkey in the UK is 74 °C. Use a turkey thermometer to check the internal temperature of your bird and ensure it reaches this temperature.
rest
Resting your turkey for up to an hour will make the meat more tender and juicy. The temperature will continue to rise as it rests, so for an even juicier bird, remove from the oven at 67 °C/153 °F. After resting, the turkey's internal temperature will have reached a safe 74 °C.
Types of Meat Thermometers for Turkey
Which Turkey Thermometer is for You?
There are two different types – instant-read turkey thermometers and leave-in thermometers that will make your festive meal succulent and stress-free. If you choose just one, we'd suggest an instant-read thermometer.
Whether you're looking for something simple to take the stress out of the day or a high-tech gadget to make your meal a breeze, we've got options for every kind of cook.
Best meat thermometer probes for turkey
An instant-read meat thermometer will tell you if your bird is done in an instant. It's essential to probe whole birds all over to make sure they're completely safe, and a fast-reading thermometer makes this easy. Plus, turkeys can overcook in seconds — an accurate turkey thermometer will ensure it doesn't end up overdone and dry.
All of our thermometers have the speed and accuracy to take on the all-important turkey. Plus, their sleek and easy-to-use designs mean there's no faffing around when it matters most.
Best leave-in turkey thermometers
A leave-in meat thermometer will monitor the temperature of your turkey and alert you when it's done. Simply insert the probe, set the temperature, and watch it climb. Make sure to spot-check with an instant-read afterwards.
Choose between our simple alarm option, Bluetooth meat thermometer, or timer and thermometer in one. Each features magnetic backing for attaching to your oven door or BBQ lid.
turkey cooking FAQ
Give it plenty of time to defrost in the fridge, and never leave it sitting at room temperature.
Always defrost your meat in the fridge. If you don't, you risk the outside of the turkey reaching room temperature, where bacteria thrive, while the centre remains frozen.
Plus, your turkey must be uniform in temperature, or it will not cook evenly, and the outside will be dry.
The best way to safely prepare a frozen bird is by giving it plenty of time to defrost in the fridge. The internal temperature before cooking should be between -1 and 4°C.
There's no length of time that you can cook a turkey to where you can be sure that it's safe and succulent. This is because they vary so greatly in size and because oven temperatures are often different.
Turkey is safely cooked once it reaches a specific temperature that destroys all bacteria in the meat. Cooking instructions usually overestimate the time it takes to cook meat to ensure it reaches this temperature. But this often means it will go way over its ideal temperature and become overcooked and dry. Using a turkey thermometer will mean you don't have to prematurely cut into your turkey and also you will not have to rely on whether or not its juices run clear. The only way to cook a delicious turkey is to temperature, not time.
Insert your meat thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey, between the turkey breast and thigh. Make sure to avoid touching bones or gristle. It's safe to remove from the oven once the turkey has reached 165 °F/74 °C.
We recommend checking the temperature in a few places, particularly the thickest parts of the breast. This will ensure your turkey has reached a safe temperature all over.
For a safely cooked turkey, the internal temp in Celsius is 74 °C. At this temperature, all harmful bacteria will be destroyed, but the meat will still be nice and juicy.
The temperature continues to rise as it rests. So, for the ultimate juicy bird, cook your turkey to around 67 °C, then leave it to rest for up to an hour. During this time, the temperature will reach a safe temperature of 74 °C, and you’ll preserve all the delicious juices.
People usually overestimate cooking times, and checking whether the juices run clear is often unreliable. The best way to make sure your turkey is safe to eat, but still juicy and delicious, is to cook it to temperature.
There are two key steps to getting a lovely crispy skin on your turkey.
Firstly, you should dry brine the turkey before cooking. Dry brining simply means rubbing salt all over the skin ahead of roasting the turkey. This is because it fills the turkey with a delicious salty flavour whilst drying out the skin.
To dry brine your turkey, pat the skin dry with kitchen paper. You can add other flavours to your salt mix and rub it all over the skin for up to two days before cooking the turkey. The longer you leave it, the more intense the flavours will be. Cover it with plastic wrap before popping it back in the fridge.
The other key step to getting a crispy skin is to ensure not to cover it during the rest. Wrapping it in foil will trap in all the hot, damp air, making your skin soggy. Ensure to rest uncovered and you'll have a crispy crust and juicy centre.