Turkey Talk

Turkey, the hallmark of every great Christmas Dinner!

There are so many factors to consider when it comes to the perfect turkey for your holiday dinner. What size should I buy? How early do I need to start prepping it? How long should I roast it? What do I do with the leftovers? These are just a few of the questions home cooks have when it comes to ‘the turkey’.

If this is your first time cooking a turkey for your Christmas dinner or even if you are still considering doing one this year, here are a few tips and tricks to help you along.

How to choose the right size turkey

Choosing the right size turkey can be tricky. A general rule for choosing the right size turkey is to allow for 1 – 1 ½ pounds portion size per person. If you want to have leftover turkey for those late night Christmas sandwiches or seconds the next day, you can aim for up it to 2 pounds per person just to be safe. It’s always better to have extra than not to have enough.

Thawing

If you are purchasing a frozen turkey this year, the best way to defrost the turkey, is by placing it in the refrigerator 2-3 days before you are going to cook it. This will ensure that it thaws evenly and also stays at the proper temperatures needed to ensure food safety. It is very important to make sure your turkey is completely defrosted before you cook it.

If you are purchasing a fresh turkey, you don’t want to get it too soon from the store. Fresh turkey should not be stored in a regular household refrigerator for more than three days.
Before preparing your turkey, be sure to remove any bags or wrapped gizzards from the inside of the turkey.

Prepping

There are several different ways that a turkey can be prepped for cooking.

•  Brining is one way you can prepare the turkey. This is a method by which the turkey is soaked in a salt based water solution overnight. This is meant to flavour the turkey and moisten it before cooking. When creating a brine you should include whatever flavours you want to infuse into the turkey. This is done by adding fresh herbs and fruit peels to the water solution. Brining should always be done in the refrigerator.
• Dry Rub is another method of preparation. A dry rub is made by using a combination of seasonings and fresh herbs. Dry rubs are better if they are rubbed onto the turkey and allowed to sit at least 24 hours before you are ready to cook the Turkey.
• Injections are also an effective way to infuse flavor into your Turkey. This can be done by making small incisions into the turkey and stuffing them with different herbs and seasonings. You can also do it using a food baster/injector to get marinates into the meat. Another way is to loosen the skin from the top of the turkey and stuff flavored butter underneath the skin. These kinds of injections are best done 24 hours prior to cooking your turkey.

Cooking the turkey

Before you begin cooking the turkey, you should take it out of the refrigerator and allow it to come down to room temperature for between 1-2 hours. Cooking the turkey cold right from the refrigerator will cause it to cook unevenly. It’s also best to have a meat thermometer to ensure the turkey is cooked thoroughly. You want to ensure the internal temperature of the turkey is at least 165 degrees by sticking it into the thickest part of the meat. A general rule for cooking turkey in a conventional oven is to roast it at 325 degrees for 15-18 minutes per pound. A stuffed turkey will take a little longer to cook then an unstuffed turkey, therefore you want to add on additional time if you are going to stuff it. Remember a brown turkey does not necessarily mean a cooked turkey. If you think the turkey is browning too fast you can loosely cover it with foil and then remove it for the last 45 minutes of cooking time.
If you are using another method to cook your turkey for example frying it, the thermometer is going to be your best resource in helping you to determine if its cooked or not.

Once the turkey is cooked, you should let it rest for at least 30 minutes before you carve it.

Keep the turkey rack

A turkey rack is a great way to add flavor to a soup stock. Once you have removed as much meat as you can from your turkey you can place the rack into a large ziploc bag and freeze it to make soup with later. If you freeze your turkey rack you should use it within 2-3 months.