buying a turkey - Knowledge Search
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Read the Label | Inspection and Grading | Look and Feel | Quantity to Buy | Shopping Tips
Read the Label
When buying a whole turkey, turkey parts, or any type of turkey product, it is important to read the label to ensure that you selecting a product that fits your requirements.
roasting, turkey, cooking, baking, Thanksgiving
Thawing
Two common methods of thawing a frozen turkey are the refrigerator method and the cold water method. To properly and safely thaw a turkey, the refrigerator method is recommended.
Rotisserie Grilling Turkey | Rotisserie Review | Turkey Doneness
For general guidelines on rotisserie grilling, see Rotisserie Grilling Basics.
Rotisserie Grilling Turkey
Whole Turkey | Turkey Parts
Rotisserie Grilling a Whole Turkey
It is important to first follow the proper setup procedures for the grill when cooking food with rotisserie grilling.
How Much Turkey?
The following table allows for second helpings and leftovers.
WholeTurkey
Pre-StuffedTurkey
Bone-InTurkey Breast
BonelessTurkey Roast
12 to 16 ounces per person
Allow 1¼ to 1½ pounds per person
Allow ½ to ¾ pound per person
Allow ½ to ¾ pound per person
Fresh vs.
brine, turkey, how to, preparing a turkey, brining
Classification Criteria | Classes of Turkey | Types of Turkey
Classification Criteria
Turkey (as well as all other poultry) is described and classified using a number of different criteria, which are described below.
Miscellaneous Turkey Products
Boneless Turkey Roast, Whole
Whole turkeys are available that have been deboned and packaged. A netting is usually placed around the turkey before it is packaged to help hold the shape.
Turkey breast roasting times are important to creating delicious turkey recipes with turkey breast. For more details on roasting and other cooking methods, see Turkey Cooking Guide. Also learn more about turkey preparation with the complete Turkey Guide.
Turkey Parts
Turkey is often cut into parts, packaged, and sold fresh or frozen. Turkey breasts, drumsticks, thighs, and wings can be sold this way. The breast section of a turkey is quite large and it is often cut into smaller cutlets that are thinly sliced.
Safety First | Turkey Deep-Fry CookersSelecting the Oil | Measuring the Oil | Preparing the TurkeyPreparing the Cooker | Placing the Turkey into the Cooker | Cooking the Turkey
Deep-frying, also known as deep-fat frying, is a process of immersing food in a deep pot containing hot oil, which cooks the food quickly, producing a crispy surface over a tender and moist interior.
Ground, Cut, and Chopped Turkey
Ground Turkey
Just like beef cuts that are ground into hamburger, turkey can be ground and used in the same way. Ground turkey consists of white or dark turkey meat, or a combination of both.
Turkey Sausages
Sausage made of turkey meat is much lower in fat than sausages made from other types of meat. Turkey sausages are flavored with numerous herbs and spices. Some varieties are smoked and others are not.
Barbecuing Turkey | Smoking Turkey | Barbecuing and Smoking Tips
Barbecuing Turkey
Many people often use the terms barbecuing and grilling interchangeably, but they are two completely different cooking processes.
Whole Turkeys
Fresh, Hard-Chilled, Frozen
Any turkey labeled "fresh" in a food store has never been allowed to be cooled to a temperature lower than 26°F. Turkeys that are hard-chilled are cooled to temperatures between 0°F and 26°F.
Shopping | Stuffing | Marinating | Grilling and Broiling | Barbecuing and SmokingDeep-Frying | Doneness | Nutritional | Food Safety | Storage
Shopping Tips
When shopping for a whole turkey, it is best to purchase at least one pound per person.
The proper turkey cooking times and the correct turkey cooking temperature are extremely important when cooking turkey. The optimum flavor and tenderness of turkey can be consistently achieved when care is taken to follow the recommended turkey cooking time and temperature guidelines.
Turkey Meat Nutritional Value | Turkey Products Nutritional ValueTurkey Cooking Nutritional Tips
The USDA recommends 2 or 3 servings of meat, fish, or poultry per day. A serving of any type of cooked meat is equal to 3 ounces and is about the size of a deck of cards.
Marinating turkey can be done in order to add flavor to the meat as well as to tenderize it. The proper combination of acidic ingredients and seasonings should be maintained in order to achieve both.
Procedure for Roasting a Turkey | Roasting Time Guidelines | Roasting a Turkey in an Oven-Safe Roasting Bag
Roasting is a dry heat cooking process and is one of the most popular methods used for cooking turkey.