Turkey 101

Cooking a turkey with all the fixings can be a daunting task. We’ve taken the guesswork out of your celebration this year with our complete guide to a perfect turkey feast.

Step One: Buying

1. Allot 1 lb per person. See chart below to determine the appropriate size turkey for your family gathering.

You may want to buy a fresh turkey as opposed to frozen to avoid days of thawing.

Step Two: Thawing

1. Thaw turkey in unopened wrapper, breast-side up, on a tray in the refrigerator. See chart for thawing time.

Step Three: Preparing

1. Remove neck and excess fat and giblets from chest cavity.
2. Rinse cavity and outside of turkey with cold water. Blot with paper towels.
3. Season cavity and area under the skin with salt, pepper and herbs. Try poultry seasoning, thyme, sage or marjoram.
   
   If your family tradition calls for stuffing the bird, follow the STOVE TOP “In-the-Bird” stuffing directions. Don’t forget to use a thermometer to be sure that the temperature of the stuffing inside the bird reaches 165°F.
4. Help bird cook evenly by making it as compact as possible. Tuck legs into ring of skin that they were originally in when you unwrapped bird. Fold first joint of wings underneath bird’s back.
5. Gravy is most flavorful if the turkey is cooked on a bed of carrots, celery and onions. Quarter the onions, peel and trim the carrots and celery, but do not chop. Lay carrots and celery in a lattice pattern with onions in between on the bottom of a large roasting pan and place turkey on top of the vegetables.
6. Brush skin with vegetable oil to prevent it from drying out during roasting.
7. Insert a meat thermometer deep into the thickest part of the thigh next to the body. Make sure it does not touch the bone. If you don’t have a meat thermometer that can stay in the oven, you can also check for doneness with an instant-read thermometer near the end of the estimated roasting time.
   
   Cross-contamination is the contamination of food products from another source. Cross-contamination can occur different ways: food to food, people to food or equipment to food.
   
   Keep raw meat, poultry or seafood away from cooked or ready-to-eat foods.
   
   Wash hands, cutting boards, dishes, utensils and countertops with hot soapy water after preparing each food item and before moving on to the next food item. Use paper towels or clean dish cloths to clean up kitchen spills right away.

Step Four: Cooking

1. Roast at 325°F for indicated time (see chart for thawing time)—basting is unnecessary. When the skin turns brown, about two thirds of the way through roasting, shield the breast loosely with a sheet of foil to prevent overbrowning.
2. Check for doneness. The internal temperature of thighs should be 180°F on a meat thermometer. The thigh and drumstick meat should feel soft when pressed, and when the thigh is pierced with a fork the juices should run clear, not pink.

Step Five: Resting

1. Remove turkey from oven. Place on cutting board resting in a large cafeteria-style tray with a lip or on a flat aluminum foil tray.
2. Tent the cooked turkey with foil. Let stand for 15-20 min. This resting time allows the juices to saturate the meat evenly for the most tender turkey.

Step Six: Carving

1. Carve turkey in the kitchen, not at the dinner table. The cutting board and tray will allow you to carve without juices leaking all over.
   1. Start by removing the wings.
   2. To remove legs, pull back leg to expose the joint while you cut. Then cut through the joint.
   3. Cut each breast off the turkey in a whole piece. Make an incision on either side of breast bone and cut along ribs until the breast is free.
2. Remove any other large portions of meat still attached to the bones. The remaining carcass can be picked apart the next day for use in sandwiches or soups. Simply wrap in aluminum foil and refrigerate.

Step Seven: Serving

1. Decorate your platter by placing fresh, edible herbs, such as rosemary and sage, around the turkey. Thinly sliced oranges or lemons or a handful of fresh cranberries give color to your creation.