Use a meat thermometer for properly cooked turkey | safefood (2024)

FAQs

Use a meat thermometer for properly cooked turkey | safefood? ›

You can use a digital or dial meat thermometer. The turkey is fully cooked when the temperature reaches 75ºC. Always make sure you wash the meat thermometer thoroughly afterwards.

Both the National Turkey Federation and USDA recommend using a meat thermometer to ensure a delicious and safe meal. Accurate temperatures, both in the oven and the turkey are important for quality and safety. A meat thermometer is a cook's best friend when it comes time to prepare a meal.

Hold the thermometer still until the numbers stop increasing. If it is not ready, return it to the oven. According to the Department of Agriculture, a turkey must reach 165 degrees F to be safe, but you can take it out of the oven as low as 160 degrees F because the temperature will rise at it rests.

Insert the probe horizontally, from near the neck cavity. The probe's tip should be about 1/2 to 1 inch (1.3 to 2.5 cm) from the internal cavity of the bird to avoid touching the bone.

What temperature should a turkey be? The food-safe temperature for a turkey is 165°F, and it's best to temp between the thigh bone and the breast. But, as we mentioned above, letting your turkey rest can bring it up to this temperature, so you don't necessarily have to take it out when it hits exactly 165°F.

Roasting the bird slowly, at a lower temperature is the best way to achieve tender meat. You should still prep the bird with butter, salt, and pepper, as described above (or dry-brine it). To cook, set your oven to 325°F and roast for 3½ to 4 hours for a 12- to 14-pound bird.

The color of cooked meat and poultry is not always a sign of its degree of doneness. Only by using a meat thermometer can one accurately determine that a meat has reached a safe temperature. Turkey, fresh pork, ground beef or veal can remain pink even after cooking to temperatures of 160°F. and higher.

The most straightforward approach is to roast an unstuffed turkey, breast-side up, for 13 minutes per pound of turkey at 350°. That works out to approximately 3 hours for a 12- to 14-pound bird (a 12-pound turkey is pretty standard).

Only by using a food thermometer can one accurately determine that poultry has reached a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F throughout the product. Turkey can remain pink even after cooking to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F. The meat of smoked turkey is always pink.

First thing first: The Agriculture Department says that the safe internal temperature for a turkey is 165 degrees Fahrenheit. It recommends confirming this in the thickest part of the breast, innermost part of the thigh and innermost part of the wing. All those should be taken away from any bone.

How long to cook a 15 pound turkey at 350 degrees? ›

Before you cut a thing, let your turkey rest — at least 30 minutes — so its juices don't end up on the cutting board. Use a board large enough to fit the entire bird and preferably with grooves around the edges to catch stray liquid.

To find out if your turkey is done without a thermometer, pierce the mid-thigh muscle with a fork, explains Johnson. "When the juices run clear, and no longer reddish or pink in color, it's a good indication that your turkey is done." In most cases, the deep thigh is the last part of the turkey to be done.

Are Pop-up Timers Reliable? No, pop-up timers aren't known for their reliability. They occasionally may pop before the bird has reached a temperature of 165 degrees F, resulting in an undercooked bird that can make your guests sick. A regular meat thermometer can help you to check the doneness of your turkey.