Allow around 350g to 450g per person when choosing your turkey. To cook, allow 20 minutes per 450g, plus an extra 20 minutes. If the turkey weighs more than 6.75kg, allow 15 minutes per 450g, plus 15 minutes.

Set the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4 (fan ovens to 160C, Gas Mark 2) and take your turkey out of the fridge two hours before you cook it.

To serve eight, with leftovers:

4kg turkey, plus chosen stuffing
One lemon, halved.
85g softened, unsalted butter
One large onion, halved
Olive oil

• Wash and dry the turkey, inside and out and rub the bird all over with the lemon halves, squeezing the juice into its skin. Season with salt and pepper.
• Make your stuffing and then loosen the bird’s skin with your hands. Pack the stuffing into the neck end, between the flesh and the skin towards the breast. Don’t pack too tightly or it will burst while cooking. Secure the neck flap under the turkey’s back with wooden cocktail sticks.
• Put the halved onion inside the bird’s cavity.
• Place the turkey breast side down on to a lightly-oiled non-stick roasting tray. Melt the butter and brush it over the back and legs of the bird.
• Cooking breast-side down until the last 40 minutes ensures the breast meat will be deliciously moist. High quality turkeys need very little basting or foil protection, but ordinary British white turkey needs basting every 30-40 minutes, and a loose sheet of foil to protect its back from burning.
• Forty minutes before the end of the cooking time, turn it over. As soon as the juices run clear from the thickest part of the thigh, the bird can be removed from the oven.
• Transfer to a warmed serving dish and loosely cover with two sheets of foil to rest while you finish the trimmings.