When you hear the word ‘Thanksgiving,’ the first thing that comes to mind it’s turkey. Finding the perfect size that fits the family can also be challenging.
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Patrick Hersey, Coordinator of the Culinary program at Fanshawe College says fresh turkey is always the best preference. It’s easier, faster, and cooks evenly. He says brining the turkey is one of the most popular ways to flavored the meat.
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“Four liters of water, about a cup of kosher salt, you mix that together, boil it until dissolved, and then soak your turkey,” says Hersey, “that will brine for about 12 hours, the seasoning penetrates the meat, changes the texture, and tends not to dry out as much.”
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Another way to brine turkey is adding a can of beer, or pop to the meat. The acidic and fizzy fluid will make the meat to soften. Something to keep in mind when buying a turkey is the weight. If you don’t want leftovers, then 1 pound per person it’s the right quantity. A family of 4 would want a 5 kilos turkey says Hersey.
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He adds the right temperature to cook a turkey is at 350 F (180 C). Hersey says the time of how long you will roast the turkey will depend, whether is white, or dark meat, but an estimate would be 20 minutes per pound.
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“Dark meat in the turkey takes actually longer to cook because it has a higher fat content; there are a lot of bones in there, so by checking the dark meat you can assume that if the dark meat is cooked, then the white meat will also be cooked. That’s why is important to check the turkey’s thighs,” says chef.
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He says it’s extremely important to double check the temperature inside because if the meat isn’t well done, we run the risk of getting sick, or salmonella.
Another way to brine turkey is adding a can of beer, or pop to the meat. The acidic and fizzy fluid will make the meat to soften. Something to keep in mind when buying a turkey is the weight. If you don’t want leftovers, then 1 pound per person it’s the right quantity. A family of 4 would want a 5 kilos turkey says Hersey.
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He adds the right temperature to cook a turkey is at 350 F (180 C). Hersey says the time of how long you will roast the turkey will depend, whether is white, or dark meat, but an estimate would be 20 minutes per pound.
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“Dark meat in the turkey takes actually longer to cook because it has a higher fat content; there are a lot of bones in there, so by checking the dark meat you can assume that if the dark meat is cooked, then the white meat will also be cooked. That’s why is important to check the turkey’s thighs,” says chef.
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He says it’s extremely important to double check the temperature inside because if the meat isn’t well done, we run the risk of getting sick, or salmonella.
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Many people choose to stuffed the bird with garlic, pieces of lemon, apples, herbs, celery, etc. However, that could sometimes be tricky.
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“The stuffing can be quite dense and when it’s placed in the very centre, by the time that stuffing actually gets to the right temperature, the meat can start to over cook,” says Hersey, “another tip is that if you are roasting your turkey and you notice that is starting to get a little too dark on top, cover it with a piece of tin foil.” 
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“A lot of people find out that when they take the turkey out of the roasting pan sometimes the meat, or the skin will stick to the bottom of the pan, so if you have a couple of onions that have been cut up, sticks of celery, or carrots, put the vegetables on the bottom, and then set the turkey on top of those vegetables,” he adds.
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Preparing a turkey can be stressful, even more if it’s the first time you make it. Hersey says that another simple, practical, and tasty way could only be brushing melted butter on the turkey’s skin, add some crunchy sea salt, and some fresh cracked peppers.
