Face it...you roast a turkey every year for Thanksgiving because it's tradition. Yet, you are always battling the over/under cooked turkey dilemma. Why? Because most of us only roast whole turkeys once a year. You can't get really good at something unless you do it often, right? Well, that's why you need a foolproof way to ensure your turkey is perfect on Thanksgiving Day. These are my top 3 tried and true tips for your yearly turkey roasting experience.
1.) CALIBRATE -Make sure you know the REAL temperature of your oven-buy a good oven thermometer and calibrate your oven. By that I mean set your oven to 350 degrees F and put the thermometer in. Let your oven heat fully and run for at least 15 minutes and then check the thermometer, what does it say? If it says anything besides 350 degrees F then make a note of that. If its running hot adjust your temperature setting down, if its running cool, vice versa.
2.) PROBE your bird- they aren't just for aliens. A good quality probe thermometer allows you to roast your bird to a precise internal temperature. This also helps when your oven runs hotter or cooler than the setting on your dial. If you roast your turkey solely on time per pound, you are taking chances that you will have over/under cooked turkey.
3.) DEFROST in time- you can also have a battle on your hands if your turkey is partially frozen when you go to roast your bird. Defrost in a refrigerator for at least 3 days prior. There are quick defrost methods just in case you goof. Leite's Culinaria has a great article on this.
