Turkeys are wonderful things, and not just at holiday time.
No matter how you slice it, guests are always impressed when a delicious turkey
arrives at the table. Turkeys are also economical, feeding hoards of hungry folks
for minuscule amounts of money. Why then are so many people intimidated at
the mere thought of cooking one of these birds? The truth is, it's not difficult.
We went to the source, the folks at the National Turkey Federation, for all the
information you'll ever need to make the perfect turkey. Included is: The decision to buy a fresh or frozen
turkey is based on personal preference in price and convenience. Frozen turkeys
are flash frozen immediately after processing to 0 ° F or below and held at
that temperature until packaged. The meat, once defrosted, is virtually at the
same freshness as the day it was processed. Fresh turkeys are deep chilled after
packaging. They have a shorter shelf life than frozen turkeys and are therefore
more expensive. Hard chilled birds have been stored at temperatures between 0°
and 26° F. In late 1997, new regulations created a special category for turkeys
in this temperature range, which had previously been labeled fresh. Fresh
or frozen, proper cooking and handling of the bird will ensure a delicious holiday
meal. Frozen Turkey:
Store at 0° F. or below. Purchase
during special value sales and store the bird in your freezer until the thawing
time begins. Thawing
Thaw under refrigeration, in cold water, or
the microwave: - Refrigeration - Allow approximately 24 hours per five
pounds to thaw in the refrigerator.
- Cold Water: Allow approximately 30 minutes
per pound to thaw in cold water, which should be changed every thirty minutes.
DO NOT USE WARM OR HOT WATER AND BE SURE TO CHANGE THE WATER EVERY THIRTY MINUTES.
Once thawed, keep turkey refrigerated at 40 degrees F. or below until it is ready
to be cooked (with the exception of microwaved thawed turkey which should be cooked
immediately).
- Microwave - Follow the microwave manufacturer's directions and
begin to roast the turkey immediately following the microwave process.
Fresh
Turkey:
- Store at 26° F. and above.
- Purchase for convenience
because thawing is not required. Cost may be slightly higher due to special handling
required by the store.
- Order in advance to be assured of availability.
Hard
Chilled/Previously Hard Chilled Turkey
- Cooks should treat this
turkey with the same care as a fresh bird and recognize this product has a shorter
shelf life than a frozen turkey.
Processors
may add convenience or value added features to whole turkeys, including pop-up
timers, net bags for easy carrying and self basting solutions injected into the
bird for extra flavor. Consumers can choose which of these options best suit their
needs. Purchase one pound of turkey per person to be served. This formula
allows for the holiday meal plus a little left over for the prized turkey sandwich.
Ensure that the packaging is intact to avoid purchasing a bird with packaging
with rips or tears. This might not seem like a big deal, but it can make a mess
in your refrigerator. Turkey prices, surprisingly, go down during the holidays
as many supermarkets use turkey as a "loss leader." This simply means that retailers
run special, low prices on turkey to entice customers into their store to buy
other holiday foods that go along with the traditional feast. To get the best
deal on holiday turkey, check supermarket ads for specials and coupons for the
best price. Turkeys in the supermarket are all inspected by USDA or state systems
and offer high quality and value. The Thanksgiving meal in general is one of the
most economical ways to entertain a large group of people. In 1996, the American
Farm Bureau reported that the traditional Thanksgiving meal cost $31.66 to serve
10 people! The bureau's meal included turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, peas,
rolls with butter, cranberries, a relish dish, pumpkin pie with whipped cream
and beverages of coffee or milk. Save on supermarket specials by buying more
than one turkey. A whole frozen turkey can be stored in your freezer for up to
twelve months. Don't limit yourself to the holidays. A turkey cooked on a barbecue
grill is wonderful any time of year, especially in summer, when you don't want
to turn on the oven! Select the size of your turkey based on the number of
servings needed. There is no appreciable difference between female (hen) and male
(tom) turkeys in tenderness, white/dark meat ratio or other eating qualities.
Hens typically weigh up to 14 to 16 pounds and toms 15 pounds on up, so choose
the size which is best for your dinner group. Select alternative turkey cuts
if you are having a small gathering for the holiday. Other turkey products which
are readily available include a turkey breast, tenderloins, cutlets, drumsticks
or thighs. You might also ask your butcher to cut a fresh whole bird in half.
Roast one and freeze the other for a later occasion. What are giblets and what should I do with them?
Giblets
are the turkey's neck, gizzard, heart and liver. When cooked until tender, they
make a great addition to gravy or stuffing. If you have dogs, you can also cook
the giblets for your pet. Make sure all bones are removed, chop up the meat and
let Fido enjoy the feast too. What is a self basted turkey?
Self
basted turkeys have been injected or marinated in a solution which usually contains
edible fat, natural broth, stock or water and seasonings. Self-basted turkeys
are labeled with the percentage of solutions and their ingredients.
My turkey is getting too brown and it's still has a long time to cook.
HELP!
No problem, if you find the top of your turkey is getting to brown,
simply cover it loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil and continue to roast the
turkey according to schedule. More on Turkey!If you don't find
your turkey questions answered on this page, or if you're looking for some good
turkey recipes, click
here for our Thanksgiving Turkey & Gravy home page. FABULOUS
FIND!
|
