How to Cook Turkey Successfully?

Answer 1

Usually associated with Thanksgiving, the turkey is perfect for any time of the year. Depending on the cut of turkey, even the most amateur of chefs can make a sandwich for lunch or a dinner for twenty. However, there are a few precautionary measures for every turkey recipe.

The first and foremost crucial part of cooking turkey is the correct temperature. According to the USDA website, un-stuffed turkeys must be baked at minimum 325 °F. turkey heated or reheated should have an internal temperature of 165 °F. This is because any meat between 40 and 140 °F is in the “danger zone; ” undercooked turkey has might have harmful bacteria that have not been killed and, therefore, may cause disease when ingested. To check for correct temperature, the USDA recommends taking internal temperature in three separate places: the inner thigh, wing and breast. While it is a tradition in many families to stuff turkeys, stuffed turkeys are not recommended by the USDA. Instead, the USDA recommends that the stuffing should be cooked in a casserole dish.

For other ways of cooking partial or complete turkeys, the turkey must also have the internal temperature of 165 °F. For grilling, turkeys should weigh under sixteen pounds. For deep fat frying, turkeys should weigh under twelve pounds. Aside from temperature, it is always beneficial to allow the turkey stand after cooking in order for the juices set. Allowing the juices to set will prevent dehydration in the turkey.

Turkey can also appear in other forms, such as ground turkey. Similar to ground beef or ground chicken, ground turkey can be used in any recipe requiring ground meat, including as a low fat substitute to ground beef. While cooking ground beef, it is essential as always to cook thoroughly. Unlike ground beef, which many choose to slightly undercooked, ground turkey is still poultry and must be cooked until the “juices” inside are clear and the pigment becomes lighter, usually a white or tan complexion. For more information, visit the USDA website under its guidelines for cooking poultry at:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/Poultry_Preparation_Fact_Sheets/index.asp.