HOW LONG DO I NEED TO COOK MY TURKEY?
Purchase and use a meat thermometer, professional chefs
with years of experience wouldn’t think of not
owning this tool!
The best thermometers are the “instant read” type, either analog or digital. These are not thermometers which you stick in
the raw bird and leave in place while cooking.
About an hour before the end of the roasting time on the chart,
place the thermometer in the heaviest part of the thigh (make
sure the thermometer is not touching bone and check the temperature. The thermometer may take 1 minute to reach the actual temperature of the meat.
When the temperature reaches 155 degrees, remove from the
oven and tent loosely with foil. The temperature will continue to
rise as the turkey rests. Resting the meat is an important step,
the meat juices redistribute into the meat and keep the turkey
moist.
EAT FRESH! EAT LOCAL!
WOODSTOCK FARMERS’ MARKET
Turkey Talk 2013
A Quick Turkey Guide and Answers to
Many Frequently Asked Questions!
Note: The old fashioned way of wiggling the leg to see if
the turkey is done will give you an indication that the meat
is done but by the time the leg is loose the turkey will be
sadly overcooked
Approximate Turkey Cooking Times
UN-STUFFED TURKEY
4 to 8 lbs.
8 to 12 lbs.
12 to 14 lbs.
14 to 18 lbs.
18 to 20 lbs.
20 to 24 lbs.
1-1/2 to 3-1/4 hours
2-3/4 to 3 hours
3 to 3-3/4 hours
3-3/4 to 4-1/4 hours
4-1/4 to 4-1/2 hours
4-1/2 to 5 hours
STUFFED TURKEY
8 to 12 lbs.
12 to 14 lbs.
14 to 18 lbs.
18 to 20 lbs.
20 to 24 lbs.
3 to 3-1/2 hours
3-1/2 to 4 hours
4 to 4-1/2 hours
4-1/2 to 4-3/4 hours
4-3/4 to 5-1/4 hours
Market Hours
Open Tuesday-Saturday, 7:30am-7pm
Open Sunday, 9am-6pm
Closed Mondays
Woodstock Farmers’ Market
979 W. Woodstock Rd. Woodstock, VT 05091
Call Us at 802-457-3658
Menus also available at:
www.woodstockfarmersmarket.com
HOW BIG A TURKEY DO I NEED?
TURKEY ROASTING METHODS
In general, you should allow 1 pound of uncooked turkey per person. If you
would like leftovers add ½ pound per person to the turkey. If your guests
prefer mostly white meat you have two choices: buy a turkey using the 1
pound per person rule plus an additional small (3 pound) turkey breast (they
cook quickly and provide juicy meat for sandwiches); or add an additional 4 to
5 pounds to the 1 pound per person total. While these numbers may sound
high, on average turkeys are 1/3 bones, 1/3 dark meat and 1/3 white meat!
Example: 10 people
Mostly white meat eaters:
Purchase a 14 to 15 pound turkey OR a 10 pound turkey plus a 3 pound turkey
breast.
Eaters who like both dark and white meat:
Purchase a 13-14 pound turkey
On smaller birds (under 10 pounds) the percentage of breast is lower and the
percentage of bone is higher.
Example: 6 people
Mostly white meat eaters:
Purchase a 10 -12 pound bird or a 3-5 pound turkey breast
Eaters who like both dark and white meat:
Purchase a 10-12 pound turkey
Uncooked, boneless turkey breast – at least 1/3 pound per person
Uncooked, bone-in turkey breast, ¾ pound per person
Roast Turkey—All Methods:
Unwrap the turkey in the sink and give it a good rinse. The giblet bag is in the neck
cavity, not the body cavity. Take it out before you cook your bird. Season the turkey inside
& out with salt & pepper. If you are stuffing your turkey, do not do so ahead of time! Stuff
it right before it goes into the oven, to minimize the risk of bacterial growth in the stuffing!
You can put herbs, spices, chunks of onion, celery, cut up lemons or oranges in the cavity
if you don’t want to stuff the bird with edible stuffing. These “aromatics” flavor the bird as
it cooks & the gravy afterward. Truss the turkey with kitchen string (tie it up in a neat
package), & put it in a pan that’s big enough to accommodate it (you don’t want its feet &
wings hanging over the side). If you are using a disposable foil pan, put it on a rigid cookie
sheet & lift it by holding that, not the pan—the pan can’t be trusted with the weight of the
turkey.
IS BRINING MY TURKEY A GOOD IDEA?
Method 3 - Dry-Rubbed:
Pre-heat oven to 425, and put the rack in the lowest position. Brush turkey with oil, then
sprinkle on generous amounts of your favorite Rub, patting it onto the oiled skin with your
hand. Sprinkle in the cavity for good measure. Follow roasting directions under method 1.
Brining is a new and popular method that involves soaking the turkey in salt
water overnight for moistness. Our thought is that Misty Knoll turkeys are
moist enough on their own. Brining can be a fun way of adding flavors to your
turkey— you can essentially make a kind of “tea” using interesting herbs, spices and seasonings. But then comes the logistical question of where to store a
five-gallon bucket of water and raw turkey where it will stay below 40 degrees
and the dog can’t get into it.
Method 1 - Plain and Simple:
Pre-heat oven to 425 & put the rack in the lowest position. Prepare turkey for roastingas
mentioned above. Pat the breast dry, then rub with softened butter, salt & pepper. Put in
the oven for 20 minutes, then lower the oven heat to 325 & roast according to the directions on the other side of this page, basting with pan juices every half hour until done. If
the skin gets too brown, cover with a double layer of foil.
Method 2 - Herbed, Self-Basting:
Pre-heat oven to 425 & put the rack in the lowest position. Chop a combination of
rosemary, sage, thyme & parsley, for a total of about a quarter cup, & add to a cup of
softened butter, 2-3 cloves minced garlic, salt & pepper. With your hand, carefully
separate the skin of the breast from the meat, being careful not to tear the skin. Wiggle
your hand around under there, working the skin loose over the legs as well if you can.
Scoop the herb butter up in your hand & smear it around under the skin. Then smear the
rest on outside of the bird. Follow roasting directions under method 1, basting only if you
feel like it.
Making Gravy:
Put the giblets & neck in a pot, cover with 6 cups of water, some chopped carrots, onion,
celery & a bay leaf, simmer for 1-2 hours to make stock. When turkey is done, remove it
from the roasting pan onto a platter or cutting board to rest (rubber dishwashing gloves
work very well for this purpose! You get a good grip on the bird, & they’re insulated
enough that your hands won’t burn). Pour all the pan juices into a glass measuring cup,
skim off & discard most of the fat. Put a couple of spoonfuls of fat back into the roasting
pan & add an equal amount of white flour. Whisk into a paste. If using a disposable pan,
transfer paste & as much of the crusty stuff as you can into a medium size pot. If using a
roasting pan, set directly over a low flame on the stovetop. Whisk in your hot giblet stock
and stir until thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.