Some Key Turkey Points

By michellecresta

http://www.inquirer.com/features/lifestyle/food/20131127_Some_key_turkey_points.html

Ingredients

• 11/2 Figure on about 11/2 pounds per person, which should provide enough for leftovers.
• to dark meat is your thing, go for a fresh heritage turkey. It will have a more balanced ratio of dark meat to white, and a more intense flavor. A tom turkey and a hen turkey taste the same. Toms are bigger.
• Prep. Stuffing butter or other fat under the skin doesn't protect the meat from overcooking, but adds fat. So even if the meat comes out dry, it won't seem like it.
• to to butterflying, a whole turkey exposes all parts of the bird to even heat. Just cut out the backbone and push down on the turkey to flatten it.
• Roasting. Covering the breast with aluminum foil during the first part of roasting helps reduce the risk of dry breast meat.
• Basting with fat during roasting will speed cooking. Basting with water (or defatted cooking juices) will slow cooking.
• to to 165 safe to eat once it has been cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees, measured with a thermometer inserted into the innermost part of the thigh and the thickest part of the breast.
• 30 to the cooked bird rest for at least 30 minutes or even an hour before carving. That allows the liquid and gelatin in the meat to set, increasing juiciness.
• to to inject the bird with juices after roasting to return some of the lost moisture and fat. Much of it will run out again, but enough will remain to make it worthwhile.

Details

Adapted from inquirer.com

Preparation

Step 1

Thanksgiving meal preparation tips

Trained cooking aides, online information, and hotline recordings are available to answer queries and help resolve problems that arise during Thanksgiving meal preparation.

Butterball Turkey Talk Line: 1-800-288-8372. Experts answer live questions during November and December, or www.butterball.com.

USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline: [phone]. Food specialists address questions of food prep and safety, or go to www.foodsafety.gov.