Released: November 13, 2001

Take Guesswork Out of Turkey Dinner

MANHATTAN, Kan. – As cooking goes, roasting a turkey is relatively easy. The size of the turkey and the need to time cooking so that the turkey, vegetables, and other side dishes are ready to eat at the same time can, however, be a challenge, said Karen Blakeslee, Kansas State University Research and Extension rapid response coordinator..

In her position at K-State, Blakeslee spends her on-the-job hours answering questions and providing ‘how tos.’

"The first step, of course, is choosing a turkey. Fresh and frozen turkeys are readily available, but if a fresh turkey is preferred, it may be necessary to order it in advance. Plan to pick up a fresh turkey one to two days before you are planning to cook it," Blakeslee said.

"A frozen turkey should be frozen. If a frozen turkey has soft spots or appears partially thawed, choose another," she said.

When choosing a whole turkey, plan on one pound per person; if choosing a turkey breast with a bone, plan on three-fourths pound per person; if choosing a boneless turkey breast, plan on one-half pound per person.

If a frozen turkey is selected, allow time to thaw it. Placing the turkey (in its wrapping) in a shallow pan on a lower shelf in a refrigerator is one of the easiest ways to thaw a turkey. Allow 24 hours of thawing time for each five pounds of turkey. As an example, allow two or three days to thaw a 12-14 pound turkey.

If a frozen turkey is a last-minute purchase – or if you have forgotten to transfer a frozen turkey from the freezer to refrigerator – a cold-water thaw can be used: Immerse a frozen turkey in cold water; replace cool water every 30 minutes. A clean kitchen sink, large tub, or cooler usually can accommodate a turkey during the cold-water thawing process, Blakeslee said.

Once thawed, a turkey should be washed (inside and out) with cool water. Giblets and other turkey parts, such as the heart or neck, should be removed and reserved for another purpose. If a paper pouch containing the giblet is accidently left inside the turkey and roasted, it may be possible to salvage the contents; if, however, the giblet is packed inside a plastic pouch and accidently left in the turkey during roasting, the pouch and its contents should be discarded. If in doubt, discard it, she said.

Wash hands in hot soapy water each time before and after handling raw (and also cooked) poultry, and keep utensils used with raw foods separate from utensils used with cooked foods, she said.

Families who still prefer to cook dressing (or stuffing) in a turkey cavity are encouraged to be cautious. Food safety researchers recommend that the safest way to prepare dressing is in a casserole dish in the oven or a pan on a surface unit.

"A turkey cavity is moist and dark, and that makes it an appealing host for potentially harmful bacteria. The size of the cavity in some birds – particularly larger ones – also can make it difficult to check end-point cooking temperature to make sure the dressing is fully cooked and safe to eat," said Blakeslee, who noted that a stuffed turkey also takes longer to cook (about 45 minutes) than an unstuffed turkey.

Blakeslee recommends roasting a turkey at 325 F. As a general rule, cooking time is about 15-20 minutes per pound. When computing cooking time, add 45 minutes if a turkey is stuffed, and 15-20 minutes after the turkey is done and removed from the oven before carving. The extra time (before carving) allows the meat to ‘firm up,’ and that makes carving easier.

Cooking times can vary with actual oven temperature and the size and style of pan used. Placing a turkey on a roasting rack within a pan can lift it from juices and promote more even cooking (because it allows hot air to circulate around the turkey as it cooks). Covering a turkey, either with a roaster lid or aluminum foil tent, can prevent over-browning and also speed cooking time.

To check doneness, plan to use a meat thermometer. Some turkeys are packaged with pop-up thermometers, but using a standard meat thermometer is recommended. A dependable, reusable meat thermometer can be purchased at grocery, hardware and discount department stores for as little as $10.

Insert a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the turkey, into the inner thigh, near the breast. The thermometer probe should not touch the bone. When the meat thermometer registers 180 F, the turkey is cooked. If a turkey is stuffed, the temperature of the stuffing also should register 165 F. If stuffing is cooked separately, the cooked temperature should register 165 F.

A turkey can be roasted in advance, but meat should be removed from the carcass, placed in shallow pans, covered, refrigerated, and then re-heated to 165 F before eating, Blakeslee said.

Preparing some food in advance and then reheating it while a turkey is being carved can be helpful. Planning a potluck can relieve pressure on the person who is preparing the turkey; so can planning to serve some foods hot (like a mashed potato casserole) and some foods cold (like a marinated vegetable salad).

Families who are planning to pick up a take-out holiday dinner at a restaurant or supermarket deli are encouraged to plan to pick up the meal shortly before it is to be eaten. Food should be transported in coolers or other insulated containers. To maintain food quality and safety, keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold, Blakeslee said.

Leftovers, which to some are the best part of a meal, also should be handled to maximize food safety, said Blakeslee who offered these food safety tips:

* Follow the two-hour rule. When perishable foods have been left out (unrefrigerated) for more than two hours, they should be discarded.

* Remove turkey from the carcass; reserve the carcass for soup making, or discard. Transfer the leftover cooked turkey to shallow pans or containers with a cover to facilitate cooling in the refrigerator. If leftover turkey will not be used in a day or two, wrap, label and freeze it for future use.

* Store leftovers with like foods. For example, store dressing, vegetable casseroles, etc., separate from turkey.

* Before serving, reheat leftovers to 165 degrees F.

* Refrigerate perishable holiday foods, including salads and desserts (such as pumpkin pie) that are prepared with eggs.

"Some of the pumpkin pies that are sold in supermarkets are prepared with preservatives that keep them stable at room temperature; since not all pies are prepared in this way, err on the side of safety – refrigerate them," Blakeslee said.

For more information on preparing – and protecting – holiday foods, interested persons may contact the county Extension office or visit the K-State Research and Extension food safety website: http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/foodsafety. 

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Pink turkey?

Like ground beef, fresh pork, veal, and turkey, you should rely on temperature, rather than color, to make sure that meats and poultry have reached safe-to-eat temperatures.

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Turkey Trivia: What makes white meat white? Dark meat dark?

The pink, red, or white coloration of meat and poultry is attributed to oxygen-storing myoglobin, a protein that is the major pigment that gives meat its color. When muscles are used frequently – the legs of a turkey, for example – they require more oxygen, and that makes the meat (on the legs) darker in color. Since turkeys do little, if any, flying, meat on the breast and wings is lighter in color.

– Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service

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K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.

Story by:
Nancy Peterson, Communications Specialist
npeterso@oznet.ksu.edu
K-State Research& Extension News