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Home > Cooking Techniques > Roasting and Carving Turkey

Roasting and Carving Turkey

Cooking Instructions

Carving Instructions

Cooking Instructions

You’ll Need:

  • Fresh Turkey
  • Herbs & Seasonings (Salt, Pepper, Mirepoix, Thyme, Garlic Herb Seasoning Shak’r, etc)
  • Wegmans Organic Basting Oil
  • Large roasting pan with rack
  • Digital thermometer

What size turkey do I buy?

  • For whole turkey – 1 lb per person
  • For turkey breast – ½ lb per person

Prep:

Release turkey legs from oven-safe clamp (if applicable); remove neck and giblets from body and neck cavities. Tuck wings under back of turkey.

Season:

Season cavity with your choice of herbs and seasonings (salt, pepper, mirepoix, thyme, Garlic Herb Seasoning Shak’r, etc.). Drizzle outside of turkey with basting oil; season. Re-clamp legs (if applicable).

Roast:

Preheat oven to 325°. Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in shallow roasting pan. Cover turkey loosely with a “tent” of aluminum foil.

Roast, using times listed on chart. About 45 min before end of suggested roasting time, remove foil tent; baste turkey with drippings. Roast until internal temp of turkey is 165°. Check internal temp by inserting digital thermometer into thickest part of inner thigh area where leg connects to body of bird – but not touching the bone.

Rest:

Let turkey rest 30 min before carving.

Tips:

  • Covering turkey loosely with a foil tent eliminates the need to baste during cooking and prevents excessive browning
  • Allowing the turkey to rest before carving allows the juices to stay in the meat and makes for a moist turkey.
  • Increase cooking time by 15-20 minutes if cooking turkey stuffed. Be sure stuffing temp also reaches 165 degrees.

Roasting Time (Unstuffed Turkey)

8-12 lbs   – 2¾ to 3 hours
12-14 lbs – 3 to 3¾ hours
14-18 lbs – 3¾ to 4¼ hours
18-20 lbs – 4¼ to 4½ hours
20-24 lbs – 4½ to 5 hours

Frozen Turkey Thawing Tips: If you choose a frozen turkey, here are three common (and safe) ways to thaw it:

  • Refrigerator—Thaw 24 hours for every 5 pounds of turkey.
  • Cold Water—Thaw 30 minutes/pound of turkey. Completely submerge wrapped turkey, breast side down, in a large container filled with cold water. Replace water every 30 minutes. Wash container thoroughly with hot, soapy water after thawing.
  • Cooler Method—Thaw approximately 1 hour/pound of turkey. Place wrapped turkey in a large cooler. Close cover during thawing time. Wash cooler thoroughly with hot, soapy water after thawing.

Keep refrigerated after thawing.

how to cook turkey

Carving Instructions

Carving a full turkey is easy if you follow our step-by-step technique.

1. Mise en Place

  • Set up carving station in kitchen (not at the table) to keep the mess contained.
  • Place a damp kitchen towel under your clean, sturdy carving board to help keep it from sliding around.
  • Make sure your knife is very sharp and long enough to slice across full width of meat to be carved.
  • Have ready a long-pronged fork to steady meat as you carve and a clean platter to receive slices.

2. Rest. Transfer turkey to clean cutting board, breast side closest to you. Let rest 30 min.

3. Carve Turkey Segments

  • Breast meat:Steady bird with long, 2-pronged fork. Make 2 long cuts on either side of breastbone; let knife follow curve of ribcage. Separate meat from bones. Use fluid motions, let knife do the work.
  • Drumsticks and wings: Release drumsticks from restraints. Making long smooth cuts, slide knife along close to the bone, following ribcage and wishbone curves.
  • Angle knife down along wishbone sides, cutting through cartilage to separate wings and legs from body.
  • Separate drumstick from thigh: You’ll see a natural “seam.” Make a straight cut, parallel to the drumstick bone.

Slice & Serve

  • Transfer thighs to platter, work knife along bone to separate meat.
  • Slice breast meat: Place skin side up, lengthwise. Starting at thinnest part of segment, slice using long strokes for a cleaner cut, holding knife at slight angle and securing meat with fork as you slice. Choose a longer-blade knife for ease of cutting.
how to carve turkey

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