Let's Talk Turkey!

Here is everything you wanted to know about turkeys! Read on for important information on buying, thawing and preparing the perfect turkey dinner. Bon appetit!

Fun Facts:
• The first official Thanksgiving in America was served by colonists over 384 years ago in Virginia at Berkeley Plantation along the James River.
• The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation’s restaurant will serve approximately 5,500 turkey dinners that day.
• The word “stuffing” changed in the 1880s to the word “dressing.” The uptight Victorians thought the word stuffing was too vulgar.
• The difference between stuffing and dressing: stuffing is, as implied, stuffed into the cavity of the bird while the dressing is cooked separately.

Birds in the marketplace:
The big decision: fresh vs. frozen bird – price or convenience?
• Fresh birds are deep chilled after packaging. They have a shorter shelf life and are therefore more expensive.
• Frozen birds are normally flash frozen immediately after processing to zero degrees Fahrenheit or below. Once the meat is defrosted it has the same freshness as the day it was processed.

Purchasing the correct weight:
Allow one pound of turkey per person to be served. This allows you the meal plus a little left over.

Choosing from many of today’s features:
• Added flavors
• Self-basting
• Brined
• Net Bags
• Pop-Up Timers
• Avoid purchasing a bird with packaging that has rips or tears.
• Look for the USDA stamp. (U.S. Department of Agriculture) The USDA stamp guarantees that the product is fit for human consumption.
• Check for the dating codes “Sell by date,” “Best if used by,” or “Use by” dates.
• “Sell by date” tells the store how long to display the product.
• “Best used by” date is recommended for best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or food safety date.
• A “Use by date” is the last date recommended for use of the product while at peak quality.

Turkey thawing hints from the National Turkey Federation

Turkeys can be thawed using one of three methods, but the most fool proof is in the refrigerator. The key to this method is to plan ahead and allow approximately 24 hours for every four to five pounds of bird weight for thawing in the refrigerator. This method is the safest and will result in the best finished product. Place the bird, in the original wrapping, on a shallow baking sheet in the refrigerator. The following chart provides good guidelines for thawing times.

Refrigerator Turkey Thawing time (40 degrees F)

If you need to thaw the turkey more quickly, you may thaw the bird in COLD water, in the original wrapping. The cold water must be changed every 30 minutes. Allow approximately 30 minutes per pound using this method.

COLD water Turkey Thawing Time

The third safe method for thawing a turkey is in the microwave. Follow the manufacturer’s directions and roast the turkey immediately after thawing.

Five easy steps to a perfectly roasted turkey

1. Thaw the turkey and remove neck and giblets from the neck and body cavities.
2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F for conventional or 300 degrees F for convection ovens.
3. Place turkey breast-side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. If cooking stuffing inside the turkey, loosely fill the body cavity with stuffing now.
4. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, not touching bone.
5. Roast the turkey, uncovered, until the meat thermometer registers 180 degrees F. Use the roasting timetable to estimate approximate cooking time. If stuffed, make sure the temperature of the stuffing has reached 160 to 165 degrees F before removing the turkey from the oven.

Thermal/Conventional Oven Open Pan Method
Timetable for Roasting a Turkey at 325 Degrees F.

Un-stuffed Turkey
8 to 12 pounds 2 ¾ to 3 hours
12 to 14 pounds 3 to 3 ¾ hours
14 to 18 pounds 3 ¾ to 4 ¼ hours
18 to 20 pounds 4 ¼ to 4 ½ hours
20 to 24 pounds 4 ½ to 5 hours

Stuffed Turkey
8 to 12 pounds 3 to 3 ½ hours
12 to 14 pounds 3 ½ to 4 hours
14 t 18 pounds 4 to 4 ¼ hours
18 to 20 pounds 4 ¼ to 4 ¾ hours
20 to 24 pounds 4 ¾ to 5 ¼ hours

Convection Oven Open Pan Method Roasting Guidelines
For a Fresh/Thawed Turkey at 300 Degrees F.

Un-stuffed Turkey
14 to 18 pounds 2 ¼ to 2 ½ hours
18 to 22 pounds 2 ½ t 3 hours

Stuffed Turkey
14 to 18 pounds 2 ½ to 3 hours
18 to 22 pounds 3 to 3 ½ hours

Quality Factors:
Look for and avoid:
• Fat covering (hard yellow fats are not desirable)
• Exposed flesh
• Broken bones
• Pinfeathers (present or absent)
• Discoloration
• Missing parts

Safety Rules/Tips:
• Re-sanitize your cutting board after each work process.
• Cook turkey and chicken to internal temperature of 170° to 180° F.
• Duck breasts and pheasant breast can be cooked as desired (preferable to a slight pink).
• If cooked birds are not used on same day, store in shallow, wide dish or pan between 35-40°.
• Always sanitize utensils before and after use (cross contamination).
• If you stuff the turkey, rinse cavity with salt and cold water before stuffing.