If you look forward to roasted turkey with all the trimmings at the centre of your holiday table, then let us do some of the heavy lifting for you by delivering your bird directly to your doorstep. Our friends at Rossdown Farms, tucked away in beautiful in Fraser Valley BC, have prepared, packaged and frozen free range, certified humane and antibiotic-free turkeys. These specialty birds are comfortably raised on the spacious 3 generation Rossdown farm, one of the only farms in Canada to hatch the trukeys, feed and grow the birds and process them at the same facility. Cooking up a whole bird is an economical way to feed a hungry crowd so go ahead and add this bird to your next subscription box and invite your crew over for dinner. One whole turkey can feed a group of 7-10 people, or fewer with lots of leftovers.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS: The first step to a great turkey is to completely thaw it in its original package either in the fridge, or in the sink with running water. If you opt to use the fridge, it takes 24hrs for every 2.5kg, so plan for 2-3 days. If you need your bird thawed faster, place it in a clean sink or laundry tub filled with cold water. It should take 2-3 hours to thaw, or about 1 hour for every 2.5kgs.

Next you’ll want to remove the neck and a bag of giblets (gibs) from inside before cooking. WARNING: this job is not for the squeamish! The giblet bag contains the heart, gizzard, and liver. You can cook them, add them to your stuffing, save them for your next soup stock, feed them to your dog, or just toss them.

There are countless ways to dress a whole turkey. You can inject butter or brine into the meat or rub some compound butter on or under the skin. Some like to stuff their bird, while some prefer stuffing on the side. Whether you oven roast, deep fry, air fry, smoke or BBQ your bird, it's important to cook until the thigh temperature reaches a minimum of 180°F (82°C).

Turkey breast is a very lean meat protein, and when roasting a whole bird the light meat tends to cook faster and dry out before the thighs are fully cooked. To ensure your bird is tender and moist throughout, we suggest brining or soaking your bird in a salty, aromatic bath prior to cooking.

Place your turkey in a shallow pan and roast in a 325°F (163°C) oven until the thigh temperature reaches a minimum of 180°F (82°C). Depending on the size of your bird, the style of your oven, the material of the pan, and how many times you open the oven door this can take anywhere from 3 hrs 20 min to 5 hours. We strongly recommend that you use a calibrated oven thermometer to check the internal temperature to ensure doneness. If you chose to stuff your bird the cooking time will increase, make sure to cook until the centre of the stuffing reaches a minimum of 165°F (74°C). Once cooked, tent your bird with foil and let it rest for about 15-20 minutes before carving.

The only thing better than roast turkey is the leftovers. Throw all the bones and connective tissue into a stock pot to make bone broth, which is great for sipping on its own, or as a base for turkey noodle soup. Do you have some meat left over? Slice it thinly and serve it on bread with leftover cranberry sauce, mayo, and stuffing for a quick lunch.