SALT LAKE CITY — It's Thanksgiving crunch time and as you're getting your feast prepared for turkey day tomorrow, Smith's Chef Jeff Jackson visited FOX 13 to offer some expert advice for the perfect turkey.
Roasting tips for the perfect holiday turkey:
- Make sure to fully defrost your turkey in the fridge. It usually takes 24 hours per 4-5 lbs. If you're panicking because you forgot to defrost your bird, just place it in some water for a quicker thaw time.
- Season it well however you like, whether it be through a wet brine, dry brine, or seasoning at the time of roasting. Butter the exterior and under the skin on the breast. Use kosher or sea salt and pepper on the whole exterior. Use carrot, celery, onion, apples, and lemon to stuff the cavity.
- Roast at 325 in a roasting pan on top of a rack or better on top of roughly chopped veggies and apples. If the skin starts getting overly brown, cover the bird loosely with foil until the meat finishes cooking.
- Turkey roasting time depends upon the weight of the bird. Plan for 13-15 minutes per pound. Turkeys range from 10-25 pounds generally, so cooking time is anywhere from 2 ½ to 5 hours.
- Most importantly, use an instant-read thermometer to monitor the temperature. Remove the turkey from the oven and close the oven door to preserve the heat inside. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the breast until it hits the bone. Back it off a bit away from the bone and read the thermometer there. Also insert the thermometer into the thigh. The thermometer should be parallel to the turkey below where the leg attaches to the body.
- Cook until it reaches 155 degrees. Once it does, remove it from the oven and allow it to rest 25-30 minutes. As it rests the internal temperature should reach the required 165 degrees. Use the juices collected in the pan to make your gravy. Slice and enjoy!
Carving a turkey can be an intimidating task but Chef Jeff assured it really is simple to get a Thanksgiving platter ready to serve to guests.
He starts by separating the legs and thighs from the rest of the turkey, using a knife when necessary to cut through any joints.
Next, start on the breast of the turkey, starting with a knife to cut parallel to the middle of the turkey and curving slightly to go around the wishbone. The breast should easily separate from the rest of the turkey and then you can slice many pieces for everybody to enjoy.
There are still good bits of dark meat along the turkey once the breast and legs are removed. Chef Jeff uses his hands to gently seperate and gather other pieces of dark meat.
