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Turkey by Numbers

ask an expert: how to buy and cook turkeycanada (Oct.06.09)

   


Dana McCauley wants to make sure our Thanksgiving dinner goes off without a hitch, so she gave us these turkey cooking charts to answer any possible question we could ever have.

Number
Unit
 
   6 Centimetres

The ideal depth of the pan needed to roast a turkey.

   1 Flat Racks

What you'll need to put inside the roasting pan to prevent the turkey from  stewing in its own juices.

   4 Pounds The amount of turkey you can thaw in the refrigerator per day.
  30 Minutes The time per pound you need to thaw the turkey in cold water. It's also the time you'll need to drain and recover the bird with cold water.
   1 Pound The amount of turkey you should allow for each guest (especially if you want to have enough leftover for turkey sandwiches the next day!).
  3/4 Cup The amount of stuffing per pound of turkey, if your turkey weighs more than 10 pounds.
  1/2 Cup The amount of stuffing per pound of turkey, if your turkey weighs less than 10 pounds.
 180 °C The ideal oven temperature for roasting a turkey. (Tip: Never slow cook a turkey below this temperature.)
  90 °C The ideal internal temperature of a cooked, unstuffed turkey.
  70 °C The temperature a turkey should reach within the first four hours of cooking to be guaranteed safe to serve.
  75 °C The appropriate internal temperature of the stuffed portion of the turkey to be guaranteed safe to eat.

Roasting Times:

Turkey Weight  
10-18 lbs Roast unstuffed for 3-3.5 hours and stuffed for 3.75 to 4.5 hours.
18-22 lbs Roast unstuffed for 3.5 to 4 hours and stuffed for 4.5 - 5 hours.
22-30 lbs Roast unstuffed for 4-5 hours and stuffed for 5-6.25 hours.
2 Min. The length of time you can leave stuffing inside a cooked turkey before scooping it into a bowl.
15 Min. The length of time the turkey should rest before you carve it.
2 hrs. The maximum amount of time (including resting) that the turkey should be held at room temperature.

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.

Thought that was sweet? You'll enjoy:


Dana's How-To Cook a Perfect Turkey

Dana's Personal Turkey Recipe

Thanksgiving Menu





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