Turkey Basics
 How to purchase, thaw, stuff, and roast your turkey safely

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Turkey Hints & Tips:

Turkey Basics - How to purchase, stuff, and roast a turkey - Choosing a fresh or frozen turkey - How to thaw a frozen turkey - How to prepare turkey for stuffing.

Thanksgiving Planning - Stress-Free Thanksgiving - How to plan and prepare your Thanksgiving dinner in advance without stress.

Thanksgiving Dinner Menu - Check out some ideas and recipe for your Thanksgiving dinner menu.

Turkey Terminology - Types of Turkeys - Learn the differences between the different types of turkeys in the marketplace.

 Guidelines for Brining Poultry - The secret to juicy chicken breast is simple - brine them before grilling or baking! It's very easy and economical, and requires no special cookware.

 Guidelines For Roasting a Whole Turkey - Learn how to safely and easily prepare and roast your turkey.

Advice on Stuffing a Turkey Safely - As the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday draws near, learn how to safely stuff your turkey.

Using a Cooking or Meat Thermometer - Have you ever cut into a turkey to see if it has finished cooking? Cooking thermometers take the guesswork out of cooking, as they measures the internal temperature of your cooked meat and poultry to assure that a safe temperature has been reached, harmful bacteria have been destroyed, and your turkey is cook perfectly.

Making Perfect Turkey Gravy - Hints and tips for making that perfect turkey gravy.

Handling Leftovers Safely - Leftover" foods are cooked foods that you or your family do not eat within 2 hours after they are cooked. Improper handling or storing cooked food is one of the most common causes of food poisoning in the home.
Let's Make Turkey Stock - My favorite thing to do the morning after Thanksgiving is to make homemade turkey stock from the turkey carcass. It is so easy to do and so delicious! The turkey stock can be used for a delicious soup or frozen for future use.

Barbecued Turkey

Cajun Fried Turkey

Smoked Turkey

Turducken

Fresh vs. Frozen Turkey:

Fresh - A turkey may be labeled "fresh" only if it has never been chilled below 26°F. (Turkey meat, according to the National Turkey Federation, doesn't freeze at 32°F, but at a temperature closer to 26°F.)

Frozen - Turkeys chilled below 0°F must be labeled "frozen." Or, if they're sold already defrosted, you may see "previously frozen" on the label. Most turkey producers agree that freezing adversely affects the texture and taste of the meat.

Hard-chilled or not previously frozen - Turkeys that have been chilled below 26°F, but not below 0°F can't be labeled fresh, but they don't have to be labeled frozen either. If a turkey isn't labeled as either fresh or frozen, it's most likely in this category. This type of bird may also be identified as "hard-chilled" or "not previously frozen."


Thinking about hosting a holiday dinner party?

Dinner Party Menus & Recipes

Simple Rules For Planning A Dinner Party

Are you planning on hosting a cocktail party?

Check out my favorite Appetizer Recipes. Lots of appetizer recipes from easy-to-make to gourmet.

Appetizer Hints
How many appetizers to make for your party.

 


 For additional food safety information about meat, poultry or eggs, call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at:
1 (800) 535-4555.

The phone line is staffed by home economists, registered dietitians and food technologists from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET year round. An extensive selection of food safety recordings can be heard 24 hours a day using a touch-tone phone.
 

Question:
Is it OK to refrigerate a cooked turkey whole? That is, can I leave it on the carcass or do I need to debone it? Do I refrigerate while still hot? Thanks. - Olga (11/19/07)

Answer:
Yes, you can refrigerate a whole cooked turkey, Always refrigerate as soon as possible, and do not let the turkey sit on your counter to cool.

You never said why you would want to refrigerate a whole turkey. If this is still what you want to do, refrigerate while still warm from the oven.

If you are talking about refrigerating your turkey after your turkey dinner, then refrigerate as soon as you are done with your turkey dinner, refrigerate the remaining turkey. The safety rules say you have a two (2)hour window for refrigerating the turkey. Any foods that have been at room temperature longer than two (2) hours must be tossed or thrown away!

When storing leftover turkey, be sure to remove the meat from the carcass before refrigerating, otherwise it will take too long to get cold. If you plan to save the carcass for stock (which I do), pick the bones cleans and refrigerate the carcass separately.

 


Purchasing Turkeys:

  • One (1) pound of raw turkey per person which includes a moderate amount for leftovers.
     

  • 1 1/2 pounds per person, if you have hearty eaters or want ample leftover.
     

  • 3/4 pound of whole turkey per person for no leftovers.
     

  • Uncooked, boneless turkey roast - at least 1/3 pound per person.
     

  • Uncooked, bone-in turkey breast - 3/4 pound per person.
     

  • Make sure your roasting pan, oven, and refrigerator can accommodate the size turkey you purchase.
     

Frozen vs. Fresh Turkey:

What type should you buy - Fresh or Frozen?  This is what my favorite butcher told me.  The so-called "fresh" turkeys have been sitting around for many, many days.  From the processing, trucking to the grocery store, and then in the grocery store.  These are not fresh turkeys!  His advice to to purchase a frozen turkey, as they are flash frozen immediately after being butchered. Frozen turkey are fresher turkeys!

Please read Turkey Terminology - Types of Turkeys

  • Frozen Turkey:  You can purchase frozen turkeys months in advance. Turkeys can be kept frozen in the freezer indefinitely, but for best quality should be used within 1 year of purchase. Keep frozen until you are ready to thaw it.
     

  • Fresh Turkey:  If you order a fresh turkey, pick it up from the store only a day or two ahead of time. Handle raw turkeys safely. Take the turkey home directly from the grocery store. At home, place the turkey immediately in the refrigerator or freezer. Store turkeys in the coldest part of your refrigerator at 40 degrees F. or below A locally raised fresh turkey will last only 1 to 2 days refrigerated. Commercially raised fresh turkey in their unopened packaging may last longer and should be marked with a "Use By" date.

    I, personally, recommend that you do not buy fresh pre-stuffed turkey. If not handled properly, harmful bacteria that may be in the stuffing can multiply very quickly. The USDA recommends only buying frozen pre-stuffed turkey that display the USDA or State mark of inspection on the packaging that shows these turkey have been processed under controlled conditions.
     

Defrosting or Thawing the Turkey:

Turkey should be thawed it its original plastic wrapper.  Place it on a try or in a pan to catch any juices that may leak. Every five (5) pounds of turkey will require 24 hours of thaw time in the refrigerator (i.e., a 15-pound bird will take three (3) full days).

Start defrosting the frozen turkey in the coldest part of the refrigerator, in the back. - NEVER DEFROST TURKEY AT ROOM TEMPERATURE, since bacteria multiplies and breeds at room temperature.


Following information on thawing turkeys from the National Turkey Federation:
 

Refrigerator Turkey Thawing Time (40 degrees F.)

Turkey Weight

Days to Allow for Thawing Turkey

4 to 8 pounds

1 to 2 days

8 to 12 pounds

2 to 2.5 days

12 to 16 pounds

2.5 to 4 days

16 to 20 pounds

4 to 5 days

20 to 24 pounds

5 to 6 days

 

If you need to thaw the turkey more quickly, you may thaw the bird in COLD tap water, in the original wrapping. The cold water must be changed every 30 minutes. Allow approximately 30 minutes per pound using this method. Cook the turkey immediately after it is thawed. Do not refreeze.
 

COLD Water Turkey Thawing Time

Turkey Weight

Hours to Allow for Thawing Turkey

4 to 8 pounds

1 to 2 days

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

 

Preparing the Turkey for Stuffing:

Please read Advice on Stuffing a Turkey Safely

Prepare stuffing safely. Mix and stuff the turkey just before roasting it. If more convenient, the wet and dry ingredients can be prepared ahead of time and chilled. Do not stuff the turkey ahead of time. The turkey insulates the stuffing from the refrigerator's cold and can keep the stuffing in a dangerous temperature range (40 degrees to 140 degrees F.) that allows bacteria to multiply.

Be sure the turkey is completely thawed.

Remove the plastic wrapper from the turkey. Don't forget to remove the paper wrapped packet of giblets and the neck found in the body and nice cavities.

Blot turkey inside and out with paper towels.

Stuff the bird properly. The turkey should be stuffed loosely about 3/4 cup of stuffing per pound of turkey. This will help allow the stuffing to reach the proper 165° F. internal temperature whether the stuffing is in the bird or in a casserole. Use a meat thermometer to be sure. The stuffing should be moist, not dry, since heat destroys bacteria more rapidly in a moist environment

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 1/2 cup water to the bottom of the pan.

  • In the beginning, a tent of aluminum foil may be place loosely over the breast of the turkey for the first 1 to 1-1/2 hours, then removed for browning. Or, a tent of foil may be placed over the turkey after the turkey has reached the desired golden brown.


Roasting the Stuffed Turkey:

Cook at the proper temperature. The stuffed turkey should be placed immediately in a preheated oven set no lower than 325° F. Cooking overnight in a "slow" oven is not recommended since food borne bacteria can form under these conditions.

For safety and doneness, the internal temperature should be checked with a meat thermometer. The meat thermometer must be placed properly in the thigh joint. Safe cooking relies on the use of a meat thermometer. The USDA has come up with a one-temperature-suits-all for poultry safety: 165° F.

  • Several types of thermometers are available on the market: regular, oven-proof; instant read and digital; pop-up timers; and microwave-safe thermometers.
     

  • Make sure the thermometer you buy or use is designed for meat and poultry. At the beginning or toward the end of the roasting time an oven-proof thermometer may be placed in the thigh joint of the turkey to check the internal temperature at intervals during the cooking time. Or an instant-read may be used periodically to check the internal temperature during cooking.
     

  • After each use of your meat thermometer, wash the stem section of the thermometer thoroughly in hot, soapy water.
     

  • If your turkey has a "pop-up" temperature indicator, it is also recommended that you also check the internal temperature of the turkey in the innermost part of the thigh and wine, and the thickest part of the breast with a meat thermometer.
     

The temperature must reach a minimum of 165° F. in the thigh before removing from the oven. The center of the stuffing should reach 165° F. after stand time.

Juices should be clear. In the absence of a meat thermometer, pierce the turkey with a fork in several places; juices should be clear with no trace of pink. NOTE: The old-fashioned way of wiggling the leg to see if it's loose will give you an indication that the turkey is ready, but unfortunately, by the time the leg is truly loose, the turkey is sadly overcooked. The only reliable test for doneness is to check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, without touching the bone.

Once you remove the turkey from the oven, tent it with aluminum foil and allow it to rest for 15 to 20 minutes, so the meat can firm up and hold the juices, making it easier to carve.
 

Turkey Cooking Times:

The new roasting times are based on the recommendations above and on a 325 degree F. oven temperature. These times are approximate and should always be used in conjunction with a properly placed meat thermometer.

Approximate Turkey Cooking Times:

UNSTUFFED TURKEY

4 to 8 pounds.............1-1/2 to 3-1/4 hours
8 to 12 pounds................2-3/4 to 3 hours
12 to 14 pounds...............3 to 3-3/4 hours
14 to 18 pounds...............3-3/4 to 4-1/4 hours
18 to 20 pounds...............4-1/4 to 4-1/2 hours
20 to 24 pounds...............4-1/2 to 5 hours

STUFFED TURKEY

8 to 12 pounds................3 to 3-1/2 hours
12 to 14 pounds...............3-1/2 to 4 hours
14 to 18 pounds...............4 to 4-1/4 hours
18 to 20 pounds...............4-1/4 to 4-3/4 hours
20 to 24 pounds...............4-3/4 to 5-1/4 hours
 

NOTE:  It is safe to cook a turkey from the frozen state, but the cooking time will take at least 50% longer the the above recommended time for a fully thawed turkey. Remember to remove the giblet packages before your start the cooking.