Peppercorn Press

Like everyone these days, our lives are always hectic and as we get closer to the holidays, both Thanksgiving and Christmas, they seem even more so.  We feel that these holidays should be times to relax, and pretend that we don’t have a thousand things pressing upon us when we get back to our lives the following day.

If you are like most people, preparing THE dinner of the season can be stressful and frustrating.  For this reason, we have put together a few simple tips that will assist you in preparing the perfect turkey this season, and hopefully relieve some of the stress you might be feeling so that you can enjoy the day and the meal with your friends and family.

Planning a Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner:

How much turkey do I need?

When choosing your turkey’s size plan on at least one pound of bird per person.  Add extra if you want leftovers.

How to Thaw a Turkey:

A good guideline for unfreezing a turkey is to allow 24 hours of thawing time per 4 to 5 lbs of bird.  The best way to do this is to place the frozen turkey in the refrigerator to thaw.  Keep the bird packaged and place into a large pot or dish to prevent leaks.

Helpful Refrigerator Thawing Chart:

Turkey Weight            Refrigerator Thaw Time

8 to 10 pounds            1-2 days

10 to 15 pounds            2-3 days

15 to 20 pounds            3-4 days

20 to 25 pounds            4-5 days

If you forget to move your turkey from the freezer to the refrigerator in time or you purchase it late, you can thaw it quickly using cold water.  If the turkey is still sealed in its packaging from the grocer, submerge the turkey in cold water, being certain to change the water every half hour.  If the turkey has been removed from its packaging, place it in a shallow pan in the sink under the faucet and allow cold water to flow over the turkey continuously until thawed.

Your turkey is thawed when the leg and wing joints move freely.

Helpful Water Thawing Chart:

Turkey Weight            Water Thaw Time

8 to 10 pounds            4-6 hours

10 to 15 pounds            6-8 hours

15 to 20 pounds            8-10 hours

20 to 25 pounds            10-12 hours

As you can see it does take quite some time to safely thaw your turkey this way, so if it is at all possible, thaw it in the refrigerator where it can thaw at a slower pace but save you some work.

Food Safety

Okay, so here is where we need to talk about food safety.  The following is an excerpt from a food safety article on our website, PeppercornPress.com:

“It is so very important for your health, and the health of your friends and family, to store and handle perishable foods properly.  Proper handling will allow you to enjoy foods at their best and it will dramatically reduce the possibility of food poisoning. 

You should always buy from a reputable retailer.  Remember that first impressions mean a lot.  If the market where you are shopping appears to be “cleanliness challenged” in the areas that you can see, imagine what the areas you can’t see might look like.  Once you are comfortable with your market, and you have decided that it is the place for your needs, still remember to check the expiration dates on all of your selections before purchasing.  Fresh foods should be taken promptly home and stored properly.

In the kitchen work surfaces utensils and your hand must be kept clean by washing frequently with hot water and soap.  You should designate separate cutting boards for raw and cooked foods, as well as separate boards for meats and produce.  If this isn’t possible, cutting boards must be washed thoroughly between each use.

Finally, I can’t say this enough, but “Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands!”  These rules may seem like common sense, but applying them in your kitchen may save someone you love the misery of food poisoning.

Poultry is potentially the most hazardous food as it is especially susceptible to salmonella contamination.  Work surfaces, utensils, and your hands should be washed before and after handling.  Poultry should be completely thawed before cooking and should not be re-frozen.  Poultry should not be stuffed until immediately before cooking.  The stuffing should be cold and should be stuffed loosely in the neck only, not in the cavity.  Cook thoroughly.  The temperature on a meat thermometer should read at least 185 degrees Fahrenheit (85 degrees Celsius.)”

How to Cook a Turkey:

After thawing, begin by preheating your oven to 325 degrees.  Remove the turkey from its packaging and remove the neck, giblets, and any other packages such as gravy mix from the body cavity.  Rinse the turkey thoroughly, inside and out with cold water.  Pat dry with paper towels and place the turkey in the roasting pan.  Tie the legs together with cooking string, and tuck the tips of the wings under the body.

Unstuffed turkeys should be cooked approximately 15 minutes for every 1-pound of turkey.  Stuffed birds will need to be cooked an additional 30-60 minutes (total).

Your turkey is done when a meat thermometer inserted between the thigh and the body of the bird (without touching bone) reads 185 degrees.

At this point, remove the turkey from the oven, cover with aluminum foil and allow it to rest for 20 minutes so the juices settle in the bird.

Leftovers:

Any leftover turkey should be immediately removed from the bones and refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking.  Plan on eating or freezing the leftovers within the next 2-3 days.

Why do we eat turkey on Thanksgiving?

A British legend tells of how Queen Elizabeth I of England was enjoying a roast goose during a harvest festival. When she received news that the Spanish Armada on its way to attack her beloved England had instead sunk at sea, the queen was so pleased that she ordered a second goose to celebrate England’s good fortune.  Because of the Queens request, goose became the bird of choice at harvest time in England. However, when the Pilgrims arrived in America from England, geese were not as plentiful, so roasted turkey replaced roasted goose as the main course because wild turkeys were more abundant.

Thanksgiving Recipes

Find everything you need for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner in the Thanksgiving Recipe Collection by Peppercorn Press.  Don’t let hosting duties drag you down this holiday.  Make this year extra special and create your own traditional Thanksgiving menu with 254 succulent must-have dishes.  Plus, this is a downloadable eBook, so you don’t have to wait to start creating these Thanksgiving recipes.

Thanksgiving Recipe Collection from Peppercorn Press