Turkey Tuesday: Turkey Basics

Hey friends! Are you as shocked as I am that Thanksgiving is next week? It must be the warm weather we’ve been having or something because it just doesn’t quite feel like it should be Turkey Day yet.

Rather than share a recipe this week for Turkey Tuesday, I thought I’d offer up some of the turkey purchasing, prep, and cooking tips that I give to the media that comes calling to my day job, looking for that Thanksgiving-themed story. We can all use a little refresher once in a while, am I right?

Without further ado, here are some of my favorite tips for your Thanksgiving turkey:

What size turkey should you buy? 

Plan on about 3/4 to 1 pound per person. If you would like leftovers, plan on 1 to 1-1/2 pounds per person. If you aren’t serving a large group of people, consider purchasing a bone-in or boneless turkey breast, which are typically smaller. If you are serving a large group, you could consider roasting two smaller whole turkeys versus one large whole turkey – it’s easier and typically faster to make sure the turkeys are roasted to the proper temperatures and they don’t dry out.

What’s the difference between a fresh and frozen bird? 

You can buy a whole turkey either fresh or frozen and either is a wonderful option for your Thanksgiving turkey. It really comes down to whether or not you want to take the time (or have the time) to defrost a frozen turkey. A fresh turkey, obviously, is a little more convenient for many cooks, but typically comes with a higher price tag than a frozen turkey – specifically because of that convenience factor. That frozen turkey, however, can be purchased weeks in advance, allowing you to take advantage of the best sale prices – you just need to remember it will take several days of thawing before roasting.

How do you safely defrost a frozen turkey? 

The best way to safely defrost a frozen turkey is to put in the refrigerator in its original packaging and plan for 24 hours PER every 4-5 pounds. A 12-pound turkey should defrost in approximately 3 days.

If you are short on time, you can defrost a frozen turkey using a cold water method. Put the frozen turkey in its original packaging in a sink full of cold water. Change the water ever 30 minutes until the turkey is defrosted to ensure the surface of the turkey stays cold. Allow about 30 minutes per pound to thaw.

Refrigerator Turkey Thawing Time

• 8 to 12 pounds: 2 days
• 12 to 16 pounds: 3 days
• 16 to 20 pounds: 4 days
• 20 to 24 pounds: 5 days

Cold Water Turkey Thawing Time

• 8 to 12 pounds: 4 to 6 hours
• 12 to 16 pounds: 6 to 8 hours
• 16 to 20 pounds: 8 to 10 hours
• 20 to 24 pounds: 10 to 12 hours

What’s the best preparation for moist, flavorful meat? 

The most important way to ensure a moist, flavorful turkey is to use a meat thermometer to monitor the temperature during the cooking process. The turkey is done when it reaches 165 degrees F. in the breast or 180 degrees F. in the thigh. Once that temperature is reached, take the turkey out of the oven and let it stand for about 20 minutes before carving.

Approximate Oven Roasting Time at 325°F. (Source: JennieO.com)

Roasting a turkey upside down is another simple way to prepare a moist turkey without a lot of extra effort. Often, the reason turkey ends up dry is that white meat cooks faster than dark meat, so by the time the legs are cooked, the breast has lost its juiciness. Roasting your turkey upside down can prevent this by letting the breast skin firm up to trap in delicious moisture around the white meat.  

What about brining and basting? 

Brining via a salt solution can be a fun way to inject some flavor and moistness into the turkey. You can even add some herbs and spices to the brine if you so desire. (One of my favorite brines uses buttermilk instead of water as well as salt and herbs.)

However, it’s important to note that you should never brine a turkey that already has a salt solution added to it. (The label will tell you if it does.) Adding brine will only make the turkey overly salty. Look for a label that indicates minimally processed and/or “all natural” turkey with no salt solution added – you can ask your local supermarket meat manager and/or meat market if they carry or can special order these whole turkeys.

I would suggest letting the turkey sit in a brining solution for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours prior to roasting for optimal flavor and moistness.

Can you trust pop-up thermometers? 

Pop-up thermometers are typically reliable to within 1-2 degrees F. if accurately placed in the product. Most food experts suggest that the temperature also be checked with a conventional meat thermometer.

Stuffing: in or out? 

The industry recommendation is to cook the stuffing separately as this allows you to reach the optimal  temperature for the turkey without the interference of the stuffing. It’s simply an easier and more food safe way to cook both the stuffing and the turkey.

However … I love how the stuffing mixes with the juices of the turkey when I stuff a turkey, so as long as you are using a meat thermometer to check the temperature of both the turkey and the stuffing (make sure it reads 165 degrees F. in the breast and in the stuffing), you are good to go. 

What’s the best method of carving the bird?

The best advice I can give you is to use a long, sharp carving knife and meat fork to prevent the turkey from moving. Carve on a cutting board and be sure to allow the turkey to stand 20 minutes after cooking before carving.

(Or if you are like my family, we just leave it up to my Dad who is an expert carver. He uses an electric knife along with a meat fork to hold the bird on the cutting board.)

Carving: Step-by-Step (Source: http://www.JennieO.com)

1. With a scissors, remove the plastic clasp holding the drumsticks together.
2. Hold the end of the drumstick. Cut through the joint between leg and body. Remove the entire leg by pulling out and back. Serve whole or cut through the joint of the thigh and drumstick.
3. Make a long, horizontal cut into the breast just above the wing. Insert a meat fork in the top of the breast.
4. Starting halfway up the breast, carve thin slices down to the horizontal cut.
5. Continue to carve thin slices, starting at a higher point each time.
6. Repeat steps on the other side of the turkey.

Do you have other questions about roasting your Thanksgiving turkey? If so, feel free to leave them in the comments section and I’ll do my best to answer them!

Lara