How to cook a turkey crown

Cooking a turkey crown isn’t too different from cooking a whole turkey, but it means you’ll have fewer leftovers, so it's a good option for smaller festive gatherings.

Cooked correctly, it can be a succulent, mouthwatering dish that will delight your guests. 

But, unfortunately, it’s also easy to get it wrong, so keep reading for top cooking tips.

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How to cook a turkey crown

1. Set the oven to 190°C/180°C fan/gas mark 5.
2. Weigh your bird to calculate the correct cooking time – it’s 20 minutes per kg. Then add on another 70 minutes (or 90 minutes if your turkey crown weighs more than 4kg).
3. Add some fat to keep it moist – either butter or fat from another meat.
4. Cover the turkey with a loose tent of foil, which will help to prevent it drying out.
5. Remove the foil 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, and increase the temperature to 200°C/190°C fan/gas mark 6.
6. Baste the turkey with its own juices.
7. Insert a skewer into the thickest part of the crown when you think it’s cooked – the juices should run clear rather than pink.
8. If the turkey is not cooked, put it back in the oven and check regularly again with the skewer.

Discover all our best food and drink recommendations, based on blind taste tests with independent food experts, as well as the best places to buy turkey, trimmings and more Christmas food.

Turkey crown: top cooking tips

How to keep a turkey crown moist

As a turkey crown is only breast (white) meat, adding some fat is key to getting a tasty turkey that doesn't go dry.

That’s because white meat has a lower fat content than dark meat, which is great if you’re on a diet, but not so good if you want the fat to keep the white meat of your turkey crown nice and moist.

Most recipes for roast turkey include butter slathered under the skin of the breast meat, or pancetta or bacon draped over the top. 

To ensure tasty and moist meat throughout, use a turkey baster to redistribute the juices.

Make sure it fits in your oven

One really important thing to double-check before cooking on Christmas Day is to make sure your turkey crown fits in your oven. 

This is more likely to be OK with a crown versus a bigger bird, but bear in mind you may need to squeeze in extras such as roast veg.

Think about the type of roasting dishes you'll use and how much shelf space you have to work with, and sit down and work out timings too. That way you'll know what needs to be in the oven and when.

Built-in oven reviews – we check usable space so you know exactly what will fit inside

What temperature should I cook my turkey crown at?

Generally speaking, a turkey crown should be cooked at around 180°C/190°C fan/350°F/gas mark 5, depending on your oven.

A lot of popular recipes suggest preheating the oven to a higher temperature to start with (for example, 200°C fan), and then turning it down immediately, or after a few minutes, once you’ve put in the turkey. 

This is so that it gets the initial high heat to crisp up the skin. Some recipes also suggest turning the temperature up at the end again.

How long does it take to defrost a turkey crown?

Turkeys can be pretty big, and take longer to defrost than smaller joints, so make sure you leave plenty of time in your festive cooking schedule to let it defrost properly. It's really important that it's properly defrosting so that it's safely cooked. 

Check the weight of the turkey and any instructions on the packaging. Generally speaking you should allow approximately 10-12 hours defrosting time per kilogram. So if you're dealing with a 6kg turkey, for example, you'll ideally want to let the meat defrost for up to 72 hours to ensure it's ready for the next step.

You'll need to defrost the turkey in the fridge so make sure you've left enough space to fit it in. See our food storage tips for what does and doesn't need to go in your fridge.

Turkey crown cooking times

Once you know the weight of the turkey crown you’re getting, you can work out how long it will take to cook. 

The British Turkey Information Service quotes 20 minutes per kg, and then an additional 70 minutes if it weighs less than 4kg (90 minutes if it weighs more than 4kg).

Cooking times are as follows when the oven is on 180°C fan/350F/gas mark 4:

• 1kg – 1 hour 30 minutes
• 1.5kg – 1 hour 40 minutes
• 2kg – 1 hour 50 minutes
• 2.5kg – 2 hours
• 3kg – 2 hours 10 minutes

Make sure you check the cooking times for the bird you buy on the packaging, or ask your butcher if you’re not buying from a supermarket. 

However, cooking times can vary depending on how well your oven sticks to its temperature. Our best built-in ovens and best freestanding cookers stay very close to the set temperatures throughout cooking (we measure this), but the least accurate ovens can overheat by more than 30°C. This is enough to result in a dry, or even burnt, turkey crown on Christmas Day.

Where in the oven you place the turkey will also make a difference. We found one Don’t Buy built-in oven that was set to 180°C, but was around 27°C higher on the top shelf and around 12°C lower on the bottom shelf, so get as near to the middle of your oven as you can.

To check the turkey is cooked, pierce it with a skewer in the thickest part of the breast. The juices should run clear. 

Resting the turkey crown

Whatever size you plump for, resting your turkey is an essential part of the cooking process. Resting essentially means leaving it out of the oven before serving. 

Doing so will prevent the juices pouring out as soon as you cut it, as they will have had time to absorb back into the meat, ensuring it’s nice and moist. 

Leave the meat for around 15 to 20 minutes, covered in foil so it remains warm. This will also keep the moisture locked inside.

Want something different to turkey? Find out how to cook roast beef. 

What size of turkey crown should I get?

The weight of the turkey crown you choose will affect how long you need to cook it for. The rule of thumb is that you’ll need between 300g to 400g per person. 

The list below will give you an idea of roughly what weight of turkey crown you will need to feed your dinner guests.

• 3 to 4 people – 1kg
• 5 to 6 people – 1.5kg
• 6 to 8 people – 2kg
• 8 to 10 people – 2.5kg
• 10 to 12 people – 3kg

Follow our tips on how to cook red cabbage – the perfect accompaniment to a turkey dinner. 

How to carve a turkey like a pro

A sharp, smooth-edged carving knife is key. Serrated knives, especially if not sharp enough, will give you rough edges.

Here's how to get the best results:

For a whole turkey:

• Take the legs off first to give yourself more space to work
• Gently carve the breast meat using wide, downward strokes
• Don't put too much pressure on, just slide it back and forth
• Use the fork to support the meat and lift off the slices
• Carve one side at a time
• Remove the wings at the end

For a turkey crown:

• Sit it upright
• Remove the skin to carve the breast. You can replace it when you have enough to keep the remaining meat juicy
• Slice gently diagonally down across the breast, one side at a time.

See our reviews of the best chef's knives and best knife sets to make quick and light work of preparing your meal.

What about a boneless turkey crown?

You can buy either a boned or boneless turkey crown, often called a boneless turkey breast. These frequently come already stuffed or adorned with trimmings, such as bacon.

The cooking times again will be dependent on weight, so check the packaging. 

A lot of recipes suggest cooking the turkey in an oven set at 170°C fan instead of 180°C. Again, check the packaging or ask your butcher.

More turkey recipes

Want to try something different this year and add a few tasty extras to give your Christmas dinner centrepiece the wow factor? Chef favourites Mary Berry, Delia Smith and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall all have their own take on turkey crowns for Christmas.