The oven is on and the shelves are arranged to accommodate something large. You’ve got the whole day planned around roasting this immense bird. Cooking the Christmas turkey is a solemn task. The family is counting on you. But not only that, that noble bird, born and bred for this very day, is counting on you.

And that is exactly why I have never cooked a turkey for Christmas. Too much pressure on the cook and on the day that can lead to a stressful and not so merry Christmas. However, my opinion has been altered slightly since I got the chance to test the waters with a Copas Turkey.

The awesomely generous Copas family sent a 5kg turkey to my house recently and it was with reverence and duty that I roasted this magnificent bird. I was encouraged and supported by the literature that accompanied my bird-in-a-box.

There were booklets, bags and thingies all included to make sure I made the most of my big-boned roast. With instructions on how to cook, with or without stuffing, how to make the gravy and even recipes for left overs, I was enabled to get this turkey in the oven with surprisingly very little preparation.

Because the Copas turkeys are left to mature longer than most birds their meat is dense and there is a much better coverage of fat. This fatty layer only present in birds of a certain maturity, makes plucking by hand possible and it also means that a Copas Turkey doesn’t require basting, oiling or buttering.

The Copas family have been farming their award-winning, traditional breeds of turkey for over 50 years and their happy birds are born and bred to standards well beyond any farm assurance schemes or welfare standards in the UK. The Chosen Ones (The Free Range Bronze and Organic turkeys), spend their life roaming the grassy meadows, munching on maise, sunflowers and cherries.

It is my true belief that a happy bird is a tasty bird, and this Copas Turkey was no exception to my rule. After preparing the innards as instructed for the gravy, I popped some apple and onions inside the cavity of the turkey. I gave it a good season and the bird roasted to golden, gleaming perfection, as promised.

When you pay the extra for a quality bird for your Christmas dinner, yes, you might feel slightly more pressure knowing the cost, but your anxieties will ease knowing your chances of success have increased substantially. With the promise of tasty, succulent meat, thanks to quality breeding you will be able to deliver on Christmas Day and do that noble bird the justice it deserves.

Order your award winning turkey at www.copasturkey.co.uk.