"Welcome to MSU Extension/Kalamazoo County"
Jeanne Himmelein, Interim County Extension Director
Nazareth Complex
3299 Gull Road
4th Floor, 2nd Wing
Kalamazoo MI 49048
(269) 383-8830
msue39@msu.edu
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* * * * * * * Cooking Methods for Preparing Your Thanksgiving Turkey
As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, many of us will be preparing the traditional, classic turkey dinner. The National Turkey Federation (NTF) recommends turkey be roasted by the Open Pan method in a preheated 325 degree F oven until the internal temperature, as registered on a meat thermometer, reaches 180 degrees F in the thigh or 170 degrees F in the breast. The NTF makes the following recommendations when cooking turkey.
- Do not roast the turkey in a oven temperature lower than 325 degrees F. Poultry should be roasted at 325 degrees F or higher to avoid potential food safety problems.
- Do not roast the turkey in a brown paper grocery bag. Present day grocery bags may be made of recycled materials and are not considered safe for food preparation.
- Do use a meat thermometer to determine the correct degree of doneness.
The following chart recommends cooking methods and temperatures for quality cooked turkey:
| Open Pan – Conventional Oven: | Dry Method - Oven Temperature: 325 degrees F. (minimal cooking temperature). |
| Wrapped in Foil- High Temperature: | Moist Heat Method- 450 degrees F. |
| Oven Cooking Bag: | Moist Heat Method- 350 degrees F. |
| Charcoal Covered Grill: | Dry Heat Method - try to maintain temperatures between 325 – 350 degrees F. |
Visit the NIF Web site at http://www.eatturkey.com for roasting tips and other turkey recipe holiday ideas.
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