Turkey may be one of the culinary pleasures of the festive table, but it's also one of the biggest causes of stress for holiday hosts. After all, what other entrée do we prepare only twice or three times a year and only when we have a crowd of guests to impress? Preparing a turkey doesn’t have to be difficult if you follow these basic steps!
Thawing a frozen turkey
- To retain maximum moisture, thaw turkey by placing it breast side up on a tray in the refrigerator in its original, unopened wrapper. Allow one day of defrosting for every four pounds of turkey.
- Alternatively, place turkey in its original unopened wrapper breast side down in a sink or basin filled with enough cold water to cover. Change the water every 30 minutes. Allow about 30 minutes for each pound of turkey being thawed.
Dressing Dos and Don’ts
- Combine dressing ingredients and stuff turkey just before roasting, not the night before.
- Stuff the neck and body cavities but don’t pack stuffing too tightly into turkey.
- If some dressing mixture is leftover, place it in a lightly greased casserole or baking dish and cook it alongside or beneath the turkey. Baste it occasionally with turkey pan juices to add extra flavour.
Roasting Rules
- Choose a shallow roasting or baking pan no more than 2-1/2 inches (6 cm) deep and place turkey on a flat rack set inside the pan.
- Roast in a preheated 350°F (180 °C) oven.
- Roast uncovered to create a juicy, tender, golden brown turkey.
- To prevent the breast meat from overcooking, loosely tent the breast of the turkey with lightweight foil once it is golden and about 2/3 cooked.
Basting Basics
- Although juices basted over a turkey aren’t absorbed into the meat, they do help to keep the skin of the bird hydrated and glossy looking. Baste turkey no more than once every hour.
- While basting, remove pan from oven and close the door to retain heat.
Safety Check
- Wash all cutting boards, your hands, tools and other surfaces that come into contact with the raw turkey and its juices thoroughly in hot water using antibacterial soap.
- To measure the internal temperature of a stuffed turkey, insert the tip of an instant read thermometer into the middle of the stuffed cavity. The turkey is done if the stuffing is 165ºF (75ºC) or warmer.
- To measure the internal temperature of an unstuffed turkey, insert the tip of an instant read thermometer into the thigh muscle, being careful not to touch the bone. The turkey is done if the meat registers 180°F (90°c) or warmer.
- Store leftover dressing, turkey and gravy in refrigerator within two hours of cooking.
- Never freeze stuffing while it is still in the bird whether it is raw or cooked.
Dana McCauley is an international food trend tracker and the author of five cookbooks. She has been the food editor at several national Canadian magazines. Dana McCauley’s cooking and trend knowledge has been showcased on hundreds of television shows including The Today Show, CNN, Canada AM, and the CBC News. She blogs daily at http://www.danamccauley.wordpress.com.
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