Food safety is important all year round. As we head into the holidays everyone with various levels of experience is in the mind to impress family and friends. So I thought the best way to start the week is to talk Turkey! If you haven't started thawing your turkey you need to get that bird out of the freezer and into the fridge today. And depending how large your bird is, you may need to prepare a cold water bath Wednesday if it is not completely thawed. Below is a great Turkey Tool from the USDA on Turkey Safety that is great for the beginning cook and a great reminder for the pro that may be prone to distraction with a busy cooking schedule. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Turkey_Basics_Safe_Cooking.pdf
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
Turkey Basics: Safe Cooking
A food thermometer should be used to ensure a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F has been reached to destroy bacteria and prevent foodborne illness.
Many variables can affect the roasting time of a whole turkey:
• A partially frozen turkey
requires longer cooking.
• A stuffed turkey takes longer
to cook.
• The oven may heat food
unevenly.
• Temperature of the oven
may be inaccurate.
• Dark roasting pans cook
faster than shiny metals.
• The depth and size of the pan
can reduce heat circulation to
all areas of the turkey.
• The use of a foil tent for the
entire time can slow cooking.
• Use of the roasting pan’s lid
speeds cooking.
• An oven cooking bag can
accelerate cooking time.
• The rack position can have an
affect on even cooking and
heat circulation.
• A turkey or its pan may be too
large for the oven, thus
blocking heat circulation.
ROASTING INSTRUCTIONS
1. Set the oven temperature no lower than 325 °F. Preheating is not necessary.
2. Be sure the turkey is completely thawed. Times are based on fresh or thawed birds at a refrigerator temperature of 40 °F or below.
3. Place turkey breast-side up on a flat wire rack in a shallow roasting pan 2 to 2 1/2 inches deep.
Optional steps:
• Tuck wing tips back under
shoulders of bird (called
"akimbo").
• Add one-half cup water to the
bottom of the pan.
• In the beginning, a tent of
aluminum foil may be placed
loosely over the breast of the
turkey for the first 1 to 1 1/2
hours, then removed for brown-
ing. Or, a tent of foil may be
placed over the turkey after the
turkey has reached the desired
golden brown color.
4. For optimum safety, cook stuffing in a casserole. If stuffing your turkey, mix ingredients just before stuffing it; stuff loosely. Additional time is required for the turkey and stuffing to reach a safe minimum internal temperature (see chart).
5. For safety and doneness, the internal temperature should be checked with a food thermometer.
The temperature of the turkey and the center of the stuffing must reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F. Check the temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.
6. Let the bird stand 20 minutes before removing stuffing and carving.
APPROXIMATE COOKING TIMES
(325 °F oven temperature)
UNSTUFFED (time in hours)
4 to 6 lb breast........ ..1 1/2 to 2 1/4
6 to 8 lb breast....... ...2 1/4 to 3 1/4
8 to 12 lbs.......................2 3/4 to 3
12 to 14 lbs......................3 to 3 3/4
14 to 18 lbs................3 3/4 to 4 1/4
18 to 20 lbs................4 1/4 to 4 1/2
20 to 24 lbs......................4 1/2 to 5
STUFFED (time in hours)
8 to 12 lbs.......................3 to 3 1/2
12 to 14 lbs......................3 1/2 to 4
14 to 18 lbs......................4 to 4 1/4
18 to 20 lbs................4 1/4 to 4 3/4
20 to 24 lbs................4 3/4 to 5 1/4
More Ways to Cook a Turkey
For other cooking methods, read the publication "Turkey: Alternate Routes to the Table" at www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Turkey_Alt_Routes/index.asp.
AskKaren.gov
Call the USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline
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(1-888-674-6854)
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Hotline hours.
Year-round Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET (English or Spanish). Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.
Send E-mail questions to
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Reviewed September 2011
FSIS encourages the reprint and distribution of this publication for food safety education purposes. However, USDA symbols or logos may not be used separately to imply endorsement of a commercial product or service.
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