Roast turkey/Recipes
Roast turkey is usually served for holiday feasts such as Thanksgiving or Christmas. Side dishes that usually accompany the roast turkey include mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, green beans and cranberry sauce. Pumpkin pie is often served as a dessert at Thanksgiving.
Defrosting
Defrost the turkey in the refrigerator. All about 24 hours for every 5 pounds of turkey. Be sure to place a container underneath the turkey to prevent turkey juices dripping onto nearby foods. Fresh turkeys can also be roasted. Purchase a fresh turkey two days before you plan to roast it. Store the fresh turkey in the refrigerator until you are ready to roast it.
Roasting
Heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator. Insert a rack into the roasting pan. Add the turkey. Roast the turkey until an internal temperature of 180 degrees F is reached. Insert a meat thermometer into the turkey to ensure this temperature is reached.[1][2]
Roasting Chart
The USDA recommends turkeys should not be stuffed during roasting for food safety reasons. Stuffing should be baked in a separate casserole dish.
Unstuffed Turkey
- 8 to 12 pounds, 2 3/4 to 3 hours
- 12 to 14 pounds, 3 to 3 3/4 hours
- 14 to 18 pounds, 3 3/4 to 4 1/4 hours
- 18 to 20 pounds, 4 1/4 to 41/2 hours
- 20 to 24 pounds, 4 1/2 to 5 hours
Stuffed Turkey
- 8 to 12 pounds 3 to 3 1/2 hours
- 12 to 14 pounds, 3 1/2 to 4 hours
- 14 to 18 pounds, 4 to 4 1/4 hours
- 18 to 20 pounds, 4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours
- 20 to 24 pounds, 4 3/4 to 5 1/4 pounds[1]
Storage
Remove the cooked turkey meat from the carcass. Promptly refrigerate the cooked turkey meat within two hours of serving. Turkey leftovers should be eaten within 3 to 4 days of preparation. Turkey gravy should be eaten within 2 days of serving. Heat the leftover turkey gravy to 165 degrees F for safe serving.
References
<references>
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 USDA Offers Advice For Preparing A Safe Thanksgiving Meal. Retrieved on 2010-10-10.
- ↑ Turkey: Alternate Routes to the Table. Retrieved on 2010-10-10.