Trussing Needle

To truss a large bird you need a special trussing needle. These are available in various lengths from specialist kitchenware shops. Make sure you use one which is long enough to pierce the bird fully through both legs and body. A small turkey, for example, will require a trussing needle of about 25 cm in length.

Trussing needles have very sharp points and eyes large enough to allow easy threading. The thread should be black, to show up on the cooked meat and not plastic-coated or otherwise treated.