FOOD SECTION
Turkey Ta IK
T
HE IN D IA N S weren’t the on
is made in advance, store separately
ly ones on hand to greet Col
and stuff just before roasting.
umbus when he landed in the New When cooking stuffed turkey,
World. The turkeys were there, too!
make certain that the stuffing
In fact, fossil evidence shows that
reaches a temperature of at least 165
turkeys have roamed the Americas
degrees during roasting.
for ten million years
Do not partially cook turkey one
The American wild turkey still ex
day and complete the cooking the
ists, but bears little resemblance to
next day. Keep the turkey hot
the tender, broad-breasted bird con
(above 140 degrees) until it is served.
sumers purchase today. Thanks to
Remove all stuffing from leftover
new methods of breeding, nutrition
cooked turkey before cooling and
and packaging, today’s turkey isn’t
storing in the refrigerator. Refriger
even the same bird consumers en
ate food immediately after the meal.
joyed a mere 23 years ago.
Foods may not be safe to eat if held
T o d ay’s market turkey is a
for more than 2 or 3 hours at tem
“ mammoth” bird, weighing about
peratures between 40 and 140 de
three and one-half times as much as
grees. Package leftovers and refrig
the wild turkeys the Pilgrims ate.
erate or freeze.
Moreover, the “ new” turkey con
Heat leftovers thoroughly. Boil
sumes 30 percent less feed and re
broth and gravies several minutes
quires more than one month less
when reheating.
growing time to reach market age
Heat frozen, cooked turkey with
than turkeys of 20 years ago. As an
out thawing or thaw in the refrigera
added plus, today’s turkeys have
tor before using.
about 23 percent more meat than
Grilling Instructiona
turkeys of the 1950s.
Grilling instructions and cooking
Handling tlpa
times are approximate. The cooking
time will vary with the temperature
Proper handling of all food pro
o f the coals and the distance the
ducts, including turkey, reduces any
food is placed from the source of
risk of food poisoning or foodborne
heat.
For larger turkey parts, half
illness. Three very simple rules to re
and whole-bodied turkeys for exam
member: 1) Keep food clean; 2)
ple, a meat thermometer w ill re
Keep cold food cold; 3) Keep hot
move much of the guesswork.
foot hot.
Basically, there are two grilling
Keep food clean
methods for turkey, direct and indi
Begin with a good fresh food pro
rect heat. Direct heat cooking is
duct and keep it clean. To avoid
used for smaller turkey parts, up to
contamination, keep utensils, cut
as large as a h alf breast. Indirect
ting boards, platters, hands and
heat is used for grilling half-bodied
counter tops soap and water clean.
and whole-bodied turkeys.
Before preparing food, wash your
Here is a more detailed explanation
hands thoroughly.
of each method.
Wash everything thoroughly with
Direct heat cooking
soap and hot water after preparing
T o prepare coals, spread single
any raw meats. This prevents bac
layer of charcoal over bottom of
teria from the raw product being
large outdoor grill. Stack in a pyra
transferred to other foods.
mid; light and let burn to glowing
Use separate cutting boards for
coal
stage, about 30 minutes.
raw and cooked foods. Wooden cut
Spread
glowing coals evenly over
ting boards are sometimes a prob
bottom o f g rill. Place grate over
lem because microorganisms can get
coals. Add more coals as needed
in between the fibers in the wood
every 45 minutes during cooking to
and may be transferred to other
maintain heat.
foods. Other materials such as plas
G rill may be covered with a lid;
tic make safer cutting boards.
venting as manufacturer directs, or
Keep cold foods cold,
with heavy-duty aluminum fo il,
hot foods hot
piercing in several places to form
Hot means 140 degrees or higher
vents.
—cold means 40 degrees or lower.
Rinse turkey parts and pat dry.
The temperatures between arc ideal
Brush with sweet sauce or glaze only
for the growth of bacteria and the
during last 30 minutes of cooking to
production of toxins in foods.
avoid over-browning. Cook accord
When purchasing turkey, make it
ing to the following instruction.
one of the last items on your super
G round turkey burgers (3 oz.
market shopping list. Get it home
each): Grill 7 to 10 minutes per side,
and into the refrigerator or freezer
turning once. Use covered or uncov
quickly. Keeping foods cold inhibits
ered grill.
bacterial growth and the production
Turkey fra n k s : Brown on all
of toxins.
sides, turning as needed. Use cov
Accepted methods for thawing a
ered or uncovered grill.
turkey are: l eave turkey in refriger
Turkey wings
to I lb. each):
ator for 3 to 4 days (24 hours for
Leave wings whole or separate into
each 5 pounds of turkey), or cover
two parts. Grill 25 minutes per side.
with cold water, changing water fre
Use covered or uncovered grill.
quently ( 'zi hour per pound of tur
key). Cook turkey as soon as possi
Turkey thighs
to 1 16 lbs.
ble after thawing.
each): G rill 30 to 45 minutes per
Do not stuff uncooked turkey and
side, turning once. Use covered or
hold if in thn r^frionrnfnr If stuffing
uncovered grill.
Turkey drumsticks
to ! 16 lbs.
each): Grill large drumsticks 1 hour;
small drumsticks 45 minutes. Turn
every 15 minutes. Use covered grill
or wrap each drumstick loosely in
heavy-duty aluminum foil, dull side
out. Remove foil during last 30 min
utes of cooking to brown turkey.
Turkey h alf breast (2 to 216 lbs.
each): Grill 1 hour, beginning with
cavity side down and turning once.
Use covered grill or wrap half breast
loosely in heavy-duty aluminum
foil, dull side out. Remove foil dur
ing last 30 minutes o f cooking to
brown turkey.
Indirect heat cooking
To prepare coals, spread single
layer of charcoal over bottom of
large grill. Divide in half. Stack in
pyramids on opposite sides of bot
tom of grill. Create a shallow heavy-
duty aluminum foil drip pan; place
in center of bottom of grill between
pyramids. Light charcoal and let
burn to glowing coal stage, about 30
minutes. Place grate over coals.
Rinse turkey and pat dry. Insert
meat thermometer into center of
thigh next to body and not touching
bone. Position turkey in center of
grill, over drip pan. Add charcoal as
needed every 45 minutes during
cooking to m aintain heat. Cover
grill with lid, venting as manufac
turer directs, or with heavy-duty
aluminum foil, piercing in several
places to form vents. Brush turkey
with sweet sauce or glaze only dur
ing last 30 minutes o f cooking to
avoid over-browning. Cook accord
ing to the following instructions:
Half-bodied turkey (3 to 6 lbs.):
Before cooking, rub body cavity
with salt. Skewer skin to meat along
cut edges to prevent shrinking. Tie
leg to tail with string. Lay wing flat
over white meat and tie string
around breast end to hold wing
down. Grill 20 minutes per pound or
to 180-185 degrees internal tempera
ture.
H'hole-bodied turkey: Before
cooking, rub body cavity with salt.
Skewer neck skin to body. Fold
wings akimbo and tie legs lightly
with string. G rill 11 minutes per
pound or to 180-185 degrees internal
temperature.
Roasting guide
I t ’s really easy to roast a whole
turkey. Remove giblets and neck
from turkey; use for soup or gravy.
Rinse turkey; drain and pat dry.
Rub salt and pepper into neck and
body cavities. Secure drumsticks
lightly with a string. Insert meat
thermometer into center o f thigh
next to body, but not touching
bone. Roast uncovered on roasting
rack in 325 degree oven 20-22 min
utes per pound. Turkey is done
when meat thermometer registers
180-185 degrees, thick part of drum
stick feels soft when pressed with
thumb and forefinger, or drumstick
moves easily. Let turkey stand 20 to
30 minutes before carving.
I f you prefer to stuff the turkey
before roasting, follow these in
structions. Prepare stuffing as re-
cipe directs. Remove giblets and
neck from turkey. Rinse turkey; pat
dry. Rub salt and pepper into neck
and body cavities. Lightly spoon
stuffing into neck cavity; closer with
skewer. F ill body cavity. Secure
drumsticks lightly with a string and
roast as previously directed. Re
maining stuffing may be baked in a
buttered casserole while turkey
stands before carving.
A half-bodied turkey is just
that— half of a whole turkey with
one wing and one drumstick. I f you
can’t find half-bodied turkeys in
your meat counter, ask the butcher
to saw a whole turkey in half and
wrap the remaining h alf for the
freezer. To roast a half-bodied
turkey, rinse turkey; drain and pat
dry. Rub salt and pepper into body
cavity. Tie leg to tail with string.
Lay wing flat over white meat and
tie string around breast to hold wing
down. Skewer skin to meat along
cut edges to prevent shrinking.
Place turkey on rack in shallow
roasting pan, skin side up. Insert
meat thermometer into inside thigh
muscle, not touching bone. Roast in
325 degree oven 2 to 2!6 hours, or
until meat thermometer registers
180-185 degrees, thick part of drum
stick feels soft when pressed with
thumb and forefinger or drumstick
moves easily. Let stand 20 to 30
minutes before carving.
November 17, 1982
Volume X III, Number 6
Section II
w «wirr POTATOI!
Ot
YAM!
5.99‘ :
________ _________ 3k.»99<jS
i
CANADIAN MdNTOSN ADDLES........ lb 49* Î
Mcoroto
PEARS
TEXAS RBBY RIB
comici
CRADIFRBIT .. ..
NA VH for JUICK
ONANCIS
•
3 fc 895. •
U .S .D .A . CHOICE BEEF
Did you know?
Both Columbus and Hernando
Cortez took turkeys back to Europe
and by 1530 they were being raised
in Ita ly , France and England. So
when the Pilgrims arrived in 1620,
- they were already familiar with tur
key. The native wild bird became a
symbol of a bounteous harvest and
a rightful part of our American heri
tage.
ROUND STEAK 5 16.9
U.S.D.A. CHOICE BONELESS
à
BOUND
$^09
TIP BOAST X -
SHERIDAN FRUIT Co.
S E UNION & OAK — 235-9353