Halloween has come and gone, which means Thanksgiving is right around the corner. It’s time to start thinking about how you are going to make that Thanksgiving turkey a delectable, succulent cuisine for all those family members to enjoy as they gather around the dinner table this holiday season.
It’s always ideal to use a food thermometer to check your turkey’s temperature. You want to keep both raw and cooked turkey out of temperatures ranging from 41ºF to 135ºF. At these temps, it is easy for bacterial growth to develop and ruin your meat.
The question is: What method do I take to make the best, flavorful turkey?
The answer: There are several methods you can take to make a quality Thanksgiving bird.
There are advantages to deep-frying a turkey in an electric deep-fryer . Some find this method to be more advantageous than a propane fryer. One upside to using an electric fryer is that you can simply plug them into the wall instead of having to set up a propane tank. After the turkey is placed into the pan, a lid covers it in order to prevent any oil splattering. There is a built-in thermometer to tell the cooking temperature and an automatic shut off capability if the oil over heats. The drawback to using these is they take longer to fry than most propane models. When a frozen turkey is dropped into the fryer, then the oil’s temperature automatically drops and consequently takes longer to reheat.
"Dressing the turkey is the last and most vital component.
Of course, baking is a very practical alternative to deep-frying. When baking a turkey, make sure you are cooking a raw turkey to temperatures of 165ºF to 170ºF in the thigh. You want to make sure you place your bird on a cooking pan 3-4” deep. The pan help retain the juices. You will have to cook the turkey at least 15 to 17 minutes per pound. Some sort of lid or loose fitting tin foil should cover the turkey and then be subsequently removed at the last second. Make sure to insert a thermometer into the deepest part of the turkey’s muscle. If you have a turkey that is fully cooked and served hot, reheat the turkey to 165ºF or keep it cold at 41ºF or lower if it is meant to be served cold. Dressing the turkey is the last and most vital component. If you want that nice golden brown, fresh out of the oven look, then you should rub butter evenly over your bird. Other spices aside from salt and pepper may be added. You might want to sprinkle a pinch of garlic, rosemary and other seasoning salts to give the turkey a rich flavoring. Make sure you use a baster to baste your turkey evenly to keep it consistently moist.
Some may choose to brine a turkey, which is a nice way to intensify a bird’s flavor whether it is being baked or deep-fried.
