Peter Snyder, Jr., Ph.D. about a new way to roast your Thanksgiving
turkey:
put it in the oven frozen solid. Dr. Snyder is the president of the
Hospitality Institute of Technology and Management
in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Cooking Turkey From the Frozen State
Introduction
A common problem on Thanksgiving is waking up on Thanksgiving morning and
realizing that the turkey has not been thawed, and there is not enough
time
to
thaw the turkey in the refrigerator or in flowing water at 70ºF, which
takes
hours.
However, there is a very simple solution - cook the entire turkey from the
frozen state. The FDA Food Code allows this, and turkey hotlines suggest
it.
The following is a HACCP-based procedure for cooking a 12-to-13-lb. frozen
turkey.
Method
Start 5 to 5 1/2 hours before you want to serve the cooked turkey. Set the
oven temperature at 325ºF. It is much better that the turkey be done 30
minutes
before mealtime than to rush and serve an undercooked turkey. Remove the
wrapping from the turkey and put the turkey on a rack on a pan that has
been
covered
with foil to make cleaning easy. You can also cook the turkey in a
covered
roasting pan if you have one.
Put the turkey in the oven. Do not worry about the bag with the heart,
liver, etc. in the neck cavity or the neck in the center of the turkey.
They can be removed during cooking, after the turkey thaws. There will be
Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter jejuni on the turkey. However, because
it
is
frozen, there is no drip, and transfer to hands or counter is not a
significant risk.
Cooking the turkey on a shallow pan on a rack assures even cooking.
Cooking
in a pan with sides shields the bottom of the turkey from heat, and the
cooking
on the bottom will be non-uniform.
In the first 2 to 2 1/2 hours, the legs and thighs get up to approximately
100ºF. The breast, about 1 inch into the flesh, is still at the soft ice
point,
about 25ºF. At this point, begin to monitor breast temperature with a
tip-sensitive digital thermometer as it thaws. You may also use a dial
roast
thermometer.
Insert it into the breast, because it is the slowest cooking part.
After about 3 1/2 hours, the legs and thighs will be around 150 to 160ºF,
and the breast, about 40 to 50ºF. The bag of heart, liver, etc. and the
neck
can
be removed at this time, to be made into stock, if desired.
At 4 1/2 to 5 hours, the turkey is nicely cooked. Check the temperature.
The
leg and thigh should be tender and at a temperature of 175 to 185ºF, while
the breast will be moist at a temperature of 160 to 170ºF. The pop-up
timer
(if there is one) should have popped. Cooking turkeys to these
temperatures
is adequate to assure the reduction of Salmonella and Campylobacter jejuni
to a safe level. .
Discussion and Conclusion
This is an excellent way to cook turkey. Actually, cooking a turkey from
the
frozen state has benefits over cooking a thawed turkey. Cooking can be
done
in a roasting pan, but it is unnecessary. If one thaws a turkey in a home
refrigerator, there is a significant risk of raw juice with pathogens at
high
levels getting on refrigerator surfaces, other foods in the refrigerator,
countertops, and sink, thus creating a hazard and a need for extensive
cleaning
and sanitizing.
The second benefit is that, because the breast has greater mass, it takes
longer to thaw. Therefore, the thigh and leg are well cooked and tender,
while
the breast is not overcooked and dried out. The breast will cook to a
juicy
160-to-165ºF endpoint without difficulty.
Summary
Cooking turkey from the frozen state produces an excellent, juicy, tender,
and safe product. There is no need to remember to thaw the turkey four
days
ahead
of time, and cooking a frozen turkey minimizes risk of pathogen
cross-contamination from juices from the raw bird.
To assure a quality and safe turkey, monitor the final temperature with a
tip-sensitive digital thermometer, and always wash your hands before
touching
and handling the cooked turkey.
Reference: FDA. 2005. Food Code. U.S. Public Health Service, U.S. Dept. of
Health and Human Services. Washington, D.C.
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fc05-toc.html.
I think this is an excellent way to cook a turkey for the holidays or any
time. As Dr. Snyder states in the article, there won't be any danger of
cross
contamination from dripping juices and the result is superb because of the
physics of the turkey.
I did ask him about stuffing the turkey. He said that when the giblet bag
is
removed , the turkey can be stuffed. You may need to wear silicone
gloves to protect your hands because they turkey will be hot. As always,
don't overstuff the turkey and be sure to remove all of the stuffing when
the
bird is done. Take the temperature inside the middle of the stuffing: it
should be 165 degrees F. And think about heating up the stuffing before
putting
it in the turkey according to the directions in the
Stuffing Science
article for more safety.
Leslie wrote and asked me about using this method to cook larger turkeys,
19-20 pound birds. Dr. Snyder says, "the old data from the USDA would say
add
2 hours more at most, so 5 hours becomes 7 hours. Do have a way of hot
holding ready, in case it gets done a little ahead of schedule. It is okay
to hold
hot so long as it is above 130F. If it goes below 130F, then one still has
a
very safe 4 hours before there is any risk at all."
I use this method when preparing turkeys. The result is a tender, juicy
bird
that is perfectly cooked.
Later.
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