this sounds rather interesting but what I want to know is when do you stuff the bird? I've never prepaired a turkey before but if I'm correct in assuming you stuff the turkey with the stuffing or do you cook that separate? If you do stuff the turkey I wonder when you would put it in? When you remove the bag? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Helen Whitehead" <[email protected]> To: "cooking-in-the-dark" <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, November 15, 2010 5:56 PM Subject: [CnD] Cooking Turkey From The Frozen State From LindaLarson
This week I'm honored to pass along an article from a study conducted by O. > 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. > > E-Mail: [email protected] > > Windows Live Messenger: [email protected] > > Skype: honeybunny1958 > > _______________________________________________ Cookinginthedark mailing list [email protected] http://acbradio.org/mailman/listinfo/cookinginthedark _______________________________________________ Cookinginthedark mailing list [email protected] http://acbradio.org/mailman/listinfo/cookinginthedark
