Serve a Safe Roasted Turkey
Posted: November 17, 2011
Some folks like a fresh turkey and others frozen. Some of us, as I have been, save those grocery store points to get our free frozen turkey.
If you decide at the last minute to roast a turkey purchase a fresh one, but if you are starting with a frozen turkey you’ll have to thaw it. Not only do you need to have the additional room in the refrigerator, but you need to purchase the needed amount of turkey at least one week before the holiday. A rule of thumb for purchasing a whole turkey is to buy a pound of turkey per person. So if you are having 12 people, buy at least a twelve pounder. If you like leftover turkey for sandwiches, adjust accordingly.
Thawing a turkey in running water in the sink or worse on the counter is a disaster waiting to happen. These practices are not recommended. Some may say that they have never have gotten sick and have thawed turkeys this way before, but there’s always a first time, so follow safe food handling rules.
Food safety experts recommend defrosting a turkey in the refrigerator. It takes approximately one day to defrost five pounds of meat. So if you have a 20 pound turkey, it will take a minimum of four days to defrost. Plan on longer. If you do not have room in the refrigerator for that size turkey, maybe a 5-pound turkey breast would be a better selection.
Check your oven temperature. Experts recommend roasting a turkey at 325 degrees, no lower. Use an oven thermometer to ensure that your oven is working properly at least three days before Thanksgiving.
Bake stuffing separately from the turkey. Most of us cook sausage first and then add it as an ingredient to the stuffing. This raises the internal temperature of the bird. Bacteria could begin to grow before the internal temperature reaches the safe level of 165 degrees.
Remove the turkey from the oven when it reaches 165 degrees. How do you find out what the temperature is? Insert a chef’s or bimetallic thermometer in the thickest portion of the bird without touching the bone. If you do not have a chefs or bimetallic thermometer you should buy one when buy your turkey.
Carve and enjoy the turkey within 1 hour. Refrigerate any leftovers with 2 hours from the time it was taken from the oven.
