A Complete Guide to Cooking Your Copas Turkey and Free-Range Meats
Posted by Copas Farm Shop on 29th Jul 2026
Cooking a Copas turkey or any of their free-range meats well comes down to a few principles: bring the meat to room temperature before cooking, use a low-and-slow approach for larger birds, rest the joint properly afterwards, and let the quality of the meat do most of the talking.
Key takeaways
- A Copas turkey needs roughly 30 minutes per kg at 180°C (160°C fan), plus an additional 30 minutes — always verify with a meat thermometer reading of 75°C at the thickest part of the thigh.
- Rest your turkey for a minimum of 30 minutes, and up to 90 minutes loosely tented in foil — this redistributes the juices and keeps the meat moist.
- Free-range chicken from Copas Farm Shop benefits from the same low-and-slow logic: 180°C for 20 minutes per kg plus 20 minutes, rested for 15–20 minutes.
- Lamb and beef cuts respond best to a two-stage method — sear at high heat, then finish at 160°C for slow, even cooking throughout.
- Dry-aged meat, such as Copas's beef and free range lamb, has already lost moisture during ageing, so cooking times can be 10–15% shorter than standard supermarket equivalents.
- Always remove chilled meat from the fridge at least 1 hour (for birds) or 30 minutes (for smaller cuts) before cooking.
How do you prepare a Copas turkey before it goes in the oven?
Preparation begins the night before, not on the morning. Remove your Copas turkey from its packaging, pat it dry with kitchen paper, and leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight — this dries the skin further and helps achieve a crisper finish.
On the day of cooking, take the bird out of the fridge at least 1 hour before it goes into the oven. A cold bird going straight into a hot oven cooks unevenly: the outer layers overcook while the centre lags behind.
Before roasting, rub the skin generously with softened butter, under the skin as well as over it. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Stuff the cavity loosely with half a lemon, a halved onion, and a few sprigs of thyme. These aromatics flavour the juices that baste the bird from the inside.
Place the turkey breast-side up on a rack inside a roasting tin. The rack keeps the bird off the fat pooling at the bottom and allows hot air to circulate underneath. Trussing the legs with butcher's twine keeps the shape and helps even cooking.
What temperature should you cook a Copas turkey at, and for how long?
Cook a Copas turkey at 180°C (160°C fan / Gas Mark 4) for 30 minutes per kg, plus an additional 30 minutes. A 5 kg bird, for example, needs approximately 2 hours 30 minutes. A 7 kg bird needs approximately 3 hours 30 minutes.
These are starting guides, not guarantees; oven calibration varies, and so does the shape of each bird. The only reliable check is a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the inner thigh, avoiding the bone. The reading must reach 75°C before the bird comes out.
For the first 30–40 minutes, you can cover the breast loosely with buttered foil to prevent it from drying out while the legs catch up. Remove the foil for the final 30–40 minutes to allow the skin to colour and crisp.
Baste every 45 minutes. Spooning the pan juices back over the bird keeps the surface moist and builds flavour on the skin.
How long should a Copas turkey rest after cooking?
Rest your turkey for at least 30 minutes, and up to 90 minutes if it's a large bird. Remove it from the oven, tent it loosely with foil, and leave it somewhere warm. The internal temperature will continue to rise by 2–4°C during this time.
Resting allows the muscle fibres to relax and reabsorb the juices that have been pushed to the centre of the meat during cooking. A turkey carved immediately after leaving the oven loses a significant amount of those juices onto the board — a bird rested for 45 minutes retains far more.
Importantly, a large Copas turkey can hold heat comfortably for up to 90 minutes under foil and a thick folded tea towel. This is genuinely useful on Christmas Day when oven space is at a premium for roast potatoes and vegetables.
How do you cook a Copas free-range chicken?
A Copas free-range chicken cooks at 180°C (160°C fan / Gas Mark 4) for 20 minutes per kg plus 20 minutes. A 1.8 kg chicken needs roughly 56 minutes — call it an hour. A 2.5 kg bird needs approximately 70 minutes.
The same thermometer rule applies: the thickest part of the thigh should read 75°C. Because free-range chickens are slow-grown and carry more developed muscle, they reward slightly longer, lower cooking over high-heat roasting.
Rest the chicken for 15–20 minutes after it comes out of the oven. Use the resting time to finish your vegetables and deglaze the roasting tin for a pan sauce.
How to cook Copas free-range lamb: step by step
Lamb from Copas Farm Shop is pasture-raised and benefits from a two-stage cooking method. Here is a reliable approach for a bone-in leg of lamb.
- Remove from the fridge. Take the leg out 30–45 minutes before cooking to allow it to come closer to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan). You need a high initial heat to develop colour and a crust.
- Score and season. Make 10–12 deep cuts across the skin with a small knife. Press a sliver of garlic and a small sprig of rosemary into each cut. Rub the entire surface with olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Sear in the hot oven for 20 minutes. This gives you colour without overcooking the interior.
- Reduce to 160°C (140°C fan) and continue cooking. For medium (pink throughout), allow 20 minutes per kg from this point. For well-done, allow 25–30 minutes per kg.
- Check the temperature. Medium-rare reads 55–60°C at the centre; medium reads 60–65°C; well-done reads 70°C+.
- Rest for 20–30 minutes tented under foil before carving.
A 2.2 kg bone-in leg will take approximately 1 hour 15 minutes total at these temperatures for a medium finish.
How do you cook Copas free-range beef?
Copas beef is dry-aged on the farm, which means it arrives with a deeper, more concentrated flavour than a fresh-cut supermarket joint. Because dry-ageing has already reduced the moisture content, the joint doesn't need as long in the oven — Copas's own experience across their beef operation suggests dry-aged joints cook in roughly 10–15% less time than equivalent fresh joints.
The method below works for a bone-in rib or sirloin joint.
| Cut | Rare (55°C) | Medium (65°C) | Well-done (75°C) | Rest time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rib of beef (per kg) | 12–14 min | 16–18 min | 20–22 min | 30–45 min |
| Sirloin joint (per kg) | 10–12 min | 14–16 min | 18–20 min | 20–30 min |
| Topside (per kg) | 14–16 min | 18–20 min | 22–25 min | 20–30 min |
All timings are at 160°C (140°C fan) after an initial 20-minute sear at 220°C.
Bring the joint to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cooking. Sear it in the oven at 220°C for 20 minutes to develop a proper crust, then reduce to 160°C and use the timings above as a guide. Always confirm with a thermometer.
How does cooking free-range meat differ from standard supermarket meat?
Free-range, slow-grown meat is structurally different from intensively reared meat. The muscle fibres are denser and the fat is more evenly distributed — both of which mean the meat holds up well to slower cooking but can dry out quickly if overcooked at high heat.
The farm meats from Copas are dry-aged after slaughter, which concentrates flavour and begins the tenderising process before the meat reaches your kitchen. That means less work is required in the cooking to develop taste — a simple butter-and-salt approach outperforms complex marinades in most cases.
In Copas' experience across their turkey operation, birds that arrive dry-aged can lose 5–8% less moisture during roasting than non-aged equivalents of the same weight, meaning the finished yield on the plate is better. Because moisture has already reduced during ageing, that timing difference matters in practice.
What are the most common mistakes when cooking a Copas turkey or free-range joint?
Skipping the resting step. This is the single most common error. Resting is not optional — it is where a significant part of the eating quality is determined. Every joint, from a whole turkey to a lamb chop, benefits from time off the heat.
Cooking straight from the fridge. Cold meat dropped into a hot oven produces uneven results. The outside cooks faster than the inside, leading to overcooked edges and an undercooked centre. Allow at least 30 minutes for smaller cuts, and at least 1 hour for a whole bird.
Relying only on time, not temperature. Every oven is different. A meat thermometer costs under £15 and removes the guesswork entirely. It's the most reliable tool in this process.
Overcooking lean free-range birds. Slow-grown free-range turkeys and chickens have less fat than intensively reared ones. That makes them slightly less forgiving at the higher end of the temperature range. Pull the bird from the oven at 75°C internal temperature — not 80°C.
Not using the resting juices. The liquid that pools under the foil during resting is concentrated flavour. Pour it over the carved meat or stir it into your gravy.
Turkey vs. other free-range meats: which should you cook for a large gathering?
| Meat | Best for | Cost guide (2026) | Consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copas free-range turkey | Large gatherings, 8–16 people | £65–£130 depending on weight | Needs the most lead time — order early |
| Free-range chicken | Families of 4–6 | £18–£28 | Most forgiving to cook, fastest |
| Free-range lamb leg | Dinner parties, 4–8 people | £40–£65 | Strong flavour, pairs well with garlic and herbs |
| Dry-aged beef rib joint | Special occasions, 4–8 people | £55–£90 | Requires a thermometer for accurate doneness |
| Venison | Smaller groups, 2–4 people | £35–£55 | Leanest option, overcooks quickly — rest carefully |
For gatherings over eight people, a whole free-range turkey from Copas Farm Shop remains the most economical per-serving choice and the most reliable centrepiece. For smaller groups, a bone-in lamb leg or dry-aged beef joint delivers comparable impact with less cooking complexity.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance should I order a Copas turkey? Copas turkeys are slow-grown and raised in limited numbers each year — the flock size is set in spring, which means stock is genuinely finite. Orders typically open in autumn and many sizes sell out before December. Ordering by October is a sound rule if you want a specific weight range.
Can I cook a frozen Copas turkey from frozen? No. A turkey should be fully defrosted in the fridge before cooking — allow 24 hours of defrost time for every 2–2.5 kg of bird. A 5 kg turkey needs approximately 48 hours. Cooking from frozen produces uneven heat penetration and a food safety risk at the bone.
What internal temperature should a turkey reach to be safe? The thickest part of the inner thigh must reach 75°C, measured with a probe thermometer and avoiding the bone. At this temperature, all harmful bacteria are destroyed. The juices should also run clear when the thigh is pierced.
How do I stop my turkey breast from drying out? Cover the breast with a butter-soaked piece of foil or muslin for the first two-thirds of cooking time, removing it in the final 30–40 minutes for colour. Basting every 45 minutes helps. Avoid cooking above 180°C — higher temperatures dry out the breast faster than they cook the legs.
How do I make a good gravy from the turkey roasting tin? After removing the turkey to rest, place the roasting tin on the hob over a medium heat. Skim off most of the surface fat. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of plain flour and stir it into the remaining fat and juices for 1–2 minutes. Add 500ml of good chicken or turkey stock, scraping up any caramelised bits from the tin, and simmer until thickened. Season and strain before serving.
How do I know when a lamb leg is cooked to medium? A probe thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the leg, away from the bone, should read 60–65°C for medium. At this temperature the meat will be pink throughout without being bloody. Rest the joint for 20–30 minutes before carving — the temperature will rise a further 2–3°C during this time.
Can I reheat leftover turkey the next day? Yes. Slice or shred the meat, place in an oven-proof dish with a splash of turkey stock or gravy, cover with foil, and reheat at 160°C for 20–25 minutes until piping hot throughout. Do not reheat more than once and consume reheated turkey within 24 hours of the original cook.
What is the best way to store a Copas turkey once it arrives? Keep the bird in its original packaging in the coldest part of your fridge — ideally between 1°C and 4°C. Remove it from packaging and place on a tray, loosely covered, if cooking within 24 hours, so the skin dries out slightly. Do not store a whole turkey for more than 3–4 days in the fridge before cooking.