Chef Pat Mould Gives Tips For The Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey
Chef Pat Mould stopped by as part of the News Junkies Cafe' and, in honor of Thanksgiving, gave us some tips about what to do to make the perfect turkey for your Thanksgiving holiday.
Here are the best tips for your turkey:
1. Getting enough turkey for everyone you are cooking for amounts to around 1 pound per person. If you like leftovers, get a few pounds more.
2. Defrost your turkey in the refrigerator. It takes about 4 to 5 days to do this, so plan ahead. Put it in cold water if that is not possible.
3. Once defrosted, it needs to be on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
4. Make sure to pull out the giblet bag when you are ready to cook it.
5. Always be sure to clean up where the turkey has been to avoid contamination.
6. When baking the turkey, sear the outside of it for 30-45 minutes at 450 degrees. Then reduce the temperature to 300 degrees and then slow cook it until finished.
7. The turkey is done when the temperature of the meat is 165 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh. The turkey continues to cook after you pull it out. (it will probably be around 4 hours or so of cooking time)
8. The juices are still flowing in the turkey after you pull it out of the oven, so make sure to let it sit for a while before you start to carve it up.
9. Make sure to not have the turkey sitting out for any longer than 4 hours, just to avoid problems with bacteria.
Mould also mentioned that injecting the turkey is a great way to keep the moisture in the bird as it cooks.
Check out the complete conversation with Chef Pat Mould below: