Turkey Cooking Tips & Information
Source of Recipe
Jennie-O Turkey Store
List of Ingredients
WHOLE BIRD TURKEY COOKING TIPS
Step 1: Choosing a Turkey
Let's start out with the simplest part, choosing the right turkey. There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing your turkey: how many people you're cooking for, your budget and how much time you have to prepare the meal. The questions below will help you to choose the best turkey.
Q: What's the difference between fresh and frozen turkey?
A: There's no quality difference between a fresh or a frozen turkey. But there's a significant difference in length of storage. Frozen turkey keeps for six months; fresh turkey is extremely perishable and must be roasted within a day or two after buying it. By purchasing frozen turkey, you can take advantage of special sales and coupons. Fresh birds are slightly more expensive than frozen turkeys (10 to 20 cents more per pound) because they are perishable and require special handling and merchandising.
Q: What size turkey should I buy?
A: Figure on at least one pound of uncooked turkey per person when buying a whole turkey. Nine people eating dinner? Then pick up a nine-pound turkey. But if everyone likes breast meat, you might want to buy a bigger turkey. It's always best to have too much turkey than not enough.
Q: Is it economical to buy a large bird for a small crowd?
A: Yes, if you use all of the meat. Transform cooked turkey into quick-to-prepare meals such as stir-fry dishes, pizzas, sandwiches, quesadillas, soups, frittatas, chilies, casseroles and salads. Check out our recipes for more tasty ideas.
Q: What if I don't need a whole bird?
A: There are lots of choices: turkey breasts (bone-in or boneless), split breast halves (bone-in or boneless) and roasts (white, dark or white/dark mix). Turkey tenderloins split lengthwise and stuffed make an elegant meal. Another option is to purchase turkey breasts and drums separately. You can also purchase a whole bird and have a butcher split it in half; one half can be roasted for Thanksgiving and the other half frozen for later use.
Step 2: Preparing a Turkey
You've chosen the perfect turkey — what's next? If you've purchased a frozen turkey, you'll need to thaw it; if you've purchased a fresh turkey, you can move right on to the next step. The questions below will guide you through preparing the turkey.
Q: What is the best way to thaw turkey?
A: The best way to thaw turkey is in the refrigerator. This is the safest method, as well as the easiest. Do not thaw at room temperature or in warm water — the skin can warm up to temperatures where bacteria multiply rapidly, even while the inner turkey is still frozen. It takes time to thaw, so plan ahead. Place the bird, in its original wrapping, on a metal baking sheet in the refrigerator and follow these guidelines:
Refrigerator Turkey Thawing Time
(40 degrees F)
Turkey
Weight Days to Allow for
Turkey Thawing
8-12 pounds 1 to 2 days
13-16 pounds 2 to 3 days
17-20 pounds 4 to 5 days
21-24 pounds 5 to 6 days
Q: How long will thawed turkey keep in the refrigerator?
A: When frozen turkey is completely thawed, it should be cooked within 24 hours.
Q: Should the turkey be brought to room temperature before cooking?
A: No, turkey should be kept refrigerated at 40 degrees F or below until it's ready to be cooked. Turkey thawed in the microwave should be cooked immediately. Never defrost a turkey on the counter.
Q: Can I refreeze turkey after it's thawed?
A: You should never refreeze thawed turkey. It loses important nutrients, as well as texture and flavor. When frozen in regular freezers, the juices in the meat form large ice crystals, which tear the turkey flesh and damage the texture of the meat. When thawed, the turkey may be mushy and weep juices. Processing plants quick-freeze turkeys in huge blast freezers at temperatures of -30 degrees F, a method that prevents large ice crystals from forming, so meat quality remains excellent.
Q: How do I prepare the turkey after it's thawed?
A: After your turkey is thawed, prepare the bird for roasting. First, remove the giblets and gravy packet from the turkey. The giblets are the neck, liver and heart. This is an essential step, not only because you might want to use them to make gravy, but you don't want to carve into the giblets at the table. Second, rinse the bird inside and out and dry with paper towels. Third, add the stuffing. Stuffing the turkey is up to you; it's completely optional. But if you do, stuff loosely, using 1/2 to 3/4 cup per pound of turkey. Remember to stuff the turkey right before it's placed in the oven. Fourth, brush the skin with oil or melted butter. Finally, place the turkey on a rack in a shallow roasting pan, breast up, back down and right into the oven.
Q: Why can't I stuff a turkey ahead of time?
A: The stuffing cannot cool to a safe temperature in your refrigerator while in the turkey. Harmful bacteria can multiply as a result. Wait to stuff the bird until just before you're ready to roast it and make sure the stuffing reaches a temperature of 165 degrees in the oven. If you want to prepare stuffing ahead, put it in a separate casserole.
Step 3: Cooking a Turkey
This step requires time and lots of it. This is a good thing — you can escape the kitchen for a while! The questions below will help you cook a delicious turkey whether you're cooking in a conventional oven or a convection oven.
Q: At what temperature should a turkey be roasted?
A: The National Turkey Federation recommends roasting turkey at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Q: How long does it take to cook a turkey in a conventional oven?
A: Turkeys today take less time to cook than in the past because new turkey breeds produce a higher proportion of white meat, which cooks faster than dark meat. Stuffed turkeys take longer to reach proper endpoint temperatures of 180 degrees F in the thigh, 170 degrees F in the breast and 160 to 165 degrees F in the stuffing. Make an aluminum foil "tent" over the fully-thawed turkey during the first 1 to 1 1/2 hours of cooking and then remove to allow for browning. If necessary, re-tent the turkey with foil during the final stages of cooking to prevent over-browning. Roast for approximately 15 minutes per pound. The key to a moist turkey is not to overcook it. Don't open the oven door too often or the temperature in the oven will change and affect the cooking time.
The following times are a guideline for roasting a fresh or thawed turkey at 325 degrees F. These times are approximate and should always be used in conjunction with a meat thermometer.
Thermal/Conventional Oven Open Pan Method
Timetable for roasting a turkey at 325 degrees F
UNSTUFFED TURKEY
8-12 pounds 2 3/4 to 3 hours
13-14 pounds 3 to 3 3/4 hours
15-18 pounds 3 3/4 to 4 1/4 hours
19-20 pounds 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 hours
21-24 pounds 4 1/2 to 5 hours
STUFFED TURKEY
8-12 pounds 3 to 3 1/2 hours
13-14 pounds 3 1/2 to 4 hours
15-18 pounds 4 to 4 1/4 hours
19-20 pounds 4 1/4 to 4 3/2 hours
21-24 pounds 4 3/4 to 5 1/4 hours
Q: How long does it take to cook a turkey in a convection oven?
A: First, pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees in a convection oven. Convection ovens cook the bird faster, but will cause greater moisture loss. Make an aluminum foil "tent" over the fully thawed turkey during the first 1 to 1 1/2 hours of cooking and then remove to allow for browning. If necessary, re-tent the turkey with foil during the final stages of cooking to prevent over-browning. The key to a moist turkey is not to overcook it. Use a meat thermometer to ensure doneness. Insert it into the deepest part of the breast or thigh, making sure it doesn't touch the bone. Bone-in turkey should reach an internal temperature of 180 degrees and boneless turkey should reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees to kill potentially harmful bacteria. Don't open the oven door too often, or the temperature in the oven will change and affect the cooking time. Use this guideline:
Convection Oven Open Pan Method
Timetable for roasting a turkey at 300 degrees F
UNSTUFFED TURKEY
14-18 pounds 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 hours
18-22 pounds 2 1/2 to 3 hours
STUFFED TURKEY
14-18 pounds 2 1/2 to 3 hours
18-22 pounds 3 to 3 1/2 hours
Q: How do I know when the turkey is done?
A: A meat thermometer is the best way to ensure thorough cooking. On a whole turkey, take the temperature in the inner thigh region. Bone-in turkey should reach an internal temperature of 180 degrees and boneless turkey should reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees to kill potentially harmful bacteria. If a meat thermometer is not available, use the roasting timetable as a guide for estimating when the turkey will be finished, then check for visual signs of doneness. The meat should be fork-tender and the leg should move easily in the joint. When pierced with a fork, the juices should run clear, not pink.
Q: Is it safe to cook the turkey overnight at a low temperature?
A: No. This cooking method is not safe because it does not bring the temperature of the turkey above the "danger zone" (40 to 140 degrees F) and bacteria can multiply within two hours. The National Turkey Federation recommends roasting turkey at 325 degrees F according to the roasting timetable.
Q: What are some alternatives to preparing a traditional roast turkey?
A: Turkey is versatile and takes well to almost any cooking method. Turkey can be grilled, microwaved, smoked, deep-fried, cooked in a clay pot, or on a rotisserie. For added variety, try flavoring the turkey with marinades, seasoning rubs and unique stuffings. Another alternative is to use timesaving precooked roasted or smoked turkeys, which can be heated and sliced.
Step 4: Carving the Turkey
The oven buzzer has sounded, you've checked the meat thermometer and the turkey is done! Now step back for a moment and look at what you've accomplished. You've roasted the perfect JENNIE-O TURKEY STORE™ turkey. One final step before eating: carving the turkey. This is where you can really impress your family and friends. Follow these carving instructions and your turkey will look as good as it tastes.
Before you start carving, let the turkey stand at room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes after cooking to allow juices to distribute throughout the meat. Wash cutting surfaces and utensils with hot, soapy water immediately before carving. Wood cutting surfaces are NOT recommended.
Q: How do I carve the drumstick and thigh?
A: Press the leg and thigh away from the body. The joint connecting the dark meat to the backbone will often snap free or may be severed easily with a knife point. Cut the drumstick and thigh completely off, following the body contour carefully.
Separate the drumstick and thigh by cutting the connecting joint.
Tilt the drumstick at an angle and slice toward the cutting surface.
Hold the thigh firmly on the cutting surface with a fork. Slice evenly and parallel to the bone.
Q: How do I carve the breast?
A: Place the knife parallel to and as close to the wing as possible. Make your base cut by slicing deep into the breast, all the way to the bone. All breast slices will stop at this horizontal cut.
Carve downward to the base cut, making thin, even slices from the outside of the breast in.
Arrange slices on platter with the dark meat and serve immediately. Recipe
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