Poor turkey. For more and more people it’s something eaten once a year at Christmas, maybe a few other times as mince or diced into a curry, then forgotten about until the festive period begins again. It even polarises opinion at Christmas – while for many of us it’s a bird bursting with nostalgia, childhood memories and quintessential Christmas cheer, others see it as a bland, dry, tasteless thing that’s served for no other reason than tradition.
But this is unfair – like other festive ingredients some of us turn our noses up at (see: Brussels sprouts), it’s the cook rather than the bird that’s to blame. When prepared properly, turkey is moist, tasty and a real treat; it just needs a little helping hand in the form of salt, herbs and spices. Here are five ways to ensure this year’s bird is gobbled up with glee.