Thursday
Nov182010
Turkey
Thursday, November 18, 2010 at 9:08PM
Thanksgiving is fast approaching and many are preparing for a special feast. According to National Turkey Federation, 88 percent of Americans surveyed will be eating turkey next Thursday. Here are a few tidbits you might not know about this bird. Those grown for consumption in the US are given absolutely no steroids or hormones and reach maturity between a mere 4-9 months of age. The average weight of turkey purchased for Thanksgiving is 15 pounds (70 percent white meat and 30 percent dark) and possesses more protein than beef or chicken. And did you know only the Tom can gobble, hens make a clicking noise.
Turkey can be one of the least expensive protein sources (as low as $.33 per pound). So how big a bird should be purchased? First-do you want leftovers and how many adults will be served for the holiday dinner? www.csgnetwork.com/turkeydinnercalc.html If serving ten adults, plan on a 20 pound turkey. If there are children or plans for leftovers adjust accordingly.
If you plan to brine your bird, select a fresh or thawed bird that has not been basted or self basted. A pre basted or self basted is injected with broth, spices and may contain some salt. This could result in too much salt and the salt draws the moisture out of the flesh defeating the whole purpose of brining!
As for that wonderful stuffing (try rice as the base if you are gluten intolerant), please do not stuff the bird the night before! This can cause food poisoning even though the stuffed bird is refrigerated. Stuffing can be prepared in advance and refrigerate separately. If you want the stuffing in the bird rather than as a side dish, stuff the bird just prior to popping it into a preheated oven.
Chose one of the many options for cooking as long as the oven temperature is not below 325 degrees. Some use a high temp roasting method to yield a crisp breast skin. Works well for birds that are 8-12 pounds though there is often a great deal of smoke produced from the burning drippings! Regardless of method used, check the innermost part of thigh to be sure it reaches at least 165 degrees also check the wing and thickest part of the breast. Cooking time will vary depending on size – a 13 pound thawed bird will typically take about 3 ½ hours. Add 15 minutes for each additional pound. Allow turkey to set 20-30 minutes before carving to allow juices to saturate the meat evenly.
Leftovers will taste better and be safer if refrigerated as soon as possible after the feast (before two hours). Remove the stuffing from cavity of the bird, cut the meat off the bone and refrigerate or freeze all leftovers for later use. The bacteria that can make one sick does not cause food spoilage so turkey looks and smells perfectly fine and the nausea might not appear for several days to a select few who ate the contaminated food. Did you know that influenza or flu is typically an upper respiratory illness and doesn’t cause stomach and lower GI upset? Food poisoning does.
Have a great dinner and enjoy those special to you. Happy Thanksgiving.
Turkey can be one of the least expensive protein sources (as low as $.33 per pound). So how big a bird should be purchased? First-do you want leftovers and how many adults will be served for the holiday dinner? www.csgnetwork.com/turkeydinnercalc.html If serving ten adults, plan on a 20 pound turkey. If there are children or plans for leftovers adjust accordingly.
If you plan to brine your bird, select a fresh or thawed bird that has not been basted or self basted. A pre basted or self basted is injected with broth, spices and may contain some salt. This could result in too much salt and the salt draws the moisture out of the flesh defeating the whole purpose of brining!
As for that wonderful stuffing (try rice as the base if you are gluten intolerant), please do not stuff the bird the night before! This can cause food poisoning even though the stuffed bird is refrigerated. Stuffing can be prepared in advance and refrigerate separately. If you want the stuffing in the bird rather than as a side dish, stuff the bird just prior to popping it into a preheated oven.
Chose one of the many options for cooking as long as the oven temperature is not below 325 degrees. Some use a high temp roasting method to yield a crisp breast skin. Works well for birds that are 8-12 pounds though there is often a great deal of smoke produced from the burning drippings! Regardless of method used, check the innermost part of thigh to be sure it reaches at least 165 degrees also check the wing and thickest part of the breast. Cooking time will vary depending on size – a 13 pound thawed bird will typically take about 3 ½ hours. Add 15 minutes for each additional pound. Allow turkey to set 20-30 minutes before carving to allow juices to saturate the meat evenly.
Leftovers will taste better and be safer if refrigerated as soon as possible after the feast (before two hours). Remove the stuffing from cavity of the bird, cut the meat off the bone and refrigerate or freeze all leftovers for later use. The bacteria that can make one sick does not cause food spoilage so turkey looks and smells perfectly fine and the nausea might not appear for several days to a select few who ate the contaminated food. Did you know that influenza or flu is typically an upper respiratory illness and doesn’t cause stomach and lower GI upset? Food poisoning does.
Have a great dinner and enjoy those special to you. Happy Thanksgiving.
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