food
KNOW
-HOW
Answers
for your
common
turkey
questions
Q: DOES THE PAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
The depth of the pan is key. Pick one with sides
2
inches or less for even cooking and browning. High
sides keep heat away from the bird.
Q: I’M CONFUSED ABOUT TEMPERATURES.
ONE SOURCE SAYS COOK TO
165
F WHILE
ANOTHER SAYS l
8
o°F. WHICH IS RIGHT?
They’re both right but for different reasons: i
65
°F is
the minimum temperature at which the turkey meat
is safe to eat. However, many turkey producers and
consumers say turkey tastes best when the thigh
reaches i
8
q°F.
Q: IS IT SAFER TO COOK STUFFING IN THE
TURKEY OR IN A PAN ALONGSIDE?
It’s safe either way as long as the stuffing reaches
i
65
°F. The challenge is to avoid a turkey that’s done
before the stuffing reaches a safe temperature,
leading to dry, overcooked meat.
Q: WHAT IF MY TURKEY’S ISN’T THAWED?
Place it in a clean sink filled with cold water. Change the
water every
30
minutes until the turkey is thawed. Do not
thaw the bird at room temperature or in warm water.
Q: HOW LONG CAN I KEEP LEFTOVERS?
Cover and refrigerate within
2
hours of cooking.
Serve within
2
days or freeze up to
6
months.
Q: WHAT IF I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?
Visit our Interactive Roasting Guide at
BHG.com/
roastingguide
; or visit
eatturkey.com,
the National
Turkey Federation’s site, or
butterball.com.
You can also
call the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line,
800
/
288
-
8372
, or
the USDA Meat and Poultry Hot Line,
888
/
674
-
6854
.
corvw
..........
The key to neat slices is a sharp knife and light,
sawing strokes. Removing drumsticks first makes
carving the rest of the turkey easier.
DRUMSTICKS Firmly hold drumstick and slice
through meat between thigh and body. Pull
drumstick away from body; remove by cutting
through the joint where thigh and body
connect. Cut through joints connecting thigh and
drumstick to separate. Repeat on opposite side.
BREAST Steady turkey with carving fork; cut
horizontally into the breast just above the
wing. Using the breastbone as a guide, slice
from the top of the bird to the horizontal cut.
FINISH Lay breast on cutting board; slice into
even pieces. Carve thigh and drumstick in slices,
if desired. Arrange on platter.
simple serving
For maximum effect °
cover the platter with
lettuce leaves and accent
with a single color. For
our turkey
p a g e 2 0 2 ,
we
used a variety of purple
vegetables and fruit—
Swiss chard, a sweet
pepper, roasted onions,
and fresh plums.
i d e a s f o r
l e f t o v e r s
X For a hearty
breakfast sandwich
top English muffins
with scrambled
eggs, chopped
turkey, and
shredded cheese.
X- Make a T-BLT.
Top toasted bread
with slices of
turkey, crisp-cooked
bacon, lettuce, and
tomato for lunch.
► For a light dinner
more at Dne.com
For a complete guide to
Thanksgiving cooking,
including recipes and menu
ideas, a turkey-roasti ng
calculator, and great ideas for
leftovers, go to BHG.com/
holidays/thanksgiving/recipes.
LEARN HOW TO
• Toss together a hearty stuff! ng
• Whip up perfect mashed potatoes
• Make the smoothest gravy
• Roast a turkey to perfection
FIND 100s of RECIPES
• Jazzy cranberry sauces
• Easy, elegant holiday salads
• Delicious holiday soups
• Festive holiday drinks
• G reat green bean reci pes
• Fresh ideas for leftover turkey
• Scrumptious pies and tarts
GET COMPLETE MENUS
• A small Thanksgiving
• Cajun-style Thanksgiving
• Healthy Thanksgiving
• Light Thanksgiving
the day after your
Thanksgiving feast,
stir shredded turkey
into your favorite
canned soup. Serve
with leftover bread
or biscuits.
2 0 6
NOVEMBER
2009
BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
