Turkey Talk

It's that time of year again.... I talked to Jamie Lewis, our Meat & Seafood Manager, about his tips for cooking turkey, and found out some things I didn't know in the process. Like letting turkey rest before you put it in the oven and after - who knew? Read on for the whole interview, with questions collected from City Market staff.



How do you know what size turkey to order for the number of people you’re serving (plus leftovers)?
The minimum is 1 pound per person, but if you want to have leftovers you should count on 1 ½ pounds per person, or 2 pounds per person for ample leftovers.

What if you’re cooking for just one or two?
The smallest size turkey you can typically order is in the 10-12 pound range, which is a lot of food for 1 or 2 people. However, if you use the leftovers in a lot of different ways, then it’s great. I would recommend buying a turkey breast (or legs, if you prefer dark meat) and cooking that for one or two people.

How do you prepare a turkey for the oven?
Rinse the turkey, pat it dry, and then season it. I like to put fresh herbs like sage and thyme under the skin, some cracked peppercorn, a little lemon or orange zest; you can also do a pat of butter. If you haven’t brined it, salt it inside and out. Let the turkey rest at room temperature for up to 1 hour before putting it in the oven so you don’t shock it and cause the juices to flow out.

Is it hard to brine a turkey?
No, it’s not hard. Basically, you boil the salt, whatever spices you decide to use for flavoring, and sugar in ample water and let it steep, like a tea. You need to find a big enough container to put the turkey and brine in. A small turkey could be brined in a 5-gallon bucket. You could do a larger one in a Coleman cooler. Clean it with hot, soapy water first, then put the turkey and brine in and some ice to keep it cool. You can brine it in 12-24 hours in a cool place. Then rinse, pat dry, and proceed with seasoning, but keep in mind it won’t need much seasoning if you had spices in the brine.

Are there any rules about brining or not brining depending on what kind of turkey you’re getting?
You can brine anything.

What do you think about cooking the turkey breast side down?
I wouldn’t do it personally. It might create more moisture for the turkey breast, but you wouldn’t get a crispy skin that way.

Do you cook stuffing in the turkey, or in a pan?
I definitely cook it in a pan. Turkey takes longer to cook if you put the stuffing in it, so you always run the risk of overcooking the turkey while possibly undercooking the stuffing (which is problematic for food safety reasons).
I do like to put some onions, garlic, orange or lemon peels, carrot and celery in the turkey cavity to flavor the juices. Just don’t overstuff it.

What do you do with the giblets?
I discard them. You can use them to add flavor to the gravy, the neck in particular.

Where do you put the thermometer to do a temperature reading?
You put it in the leg and breast. The temperature should reach 165 before you eat it. Chefs often take the turkey out at a lower temperature, like 158 or 160, because the turkey continues to cook after you remove it from the oven. You should always let the turkey sit 20 minutes before carving it, and you could do another quick temperature reading then. It’s a line you have to walk between not overcooking the turkey and food safety.

Should you cover the turkey with tin foil at some point?
Some people make a tent with tin foil, which would trap steam and create moisture. The local turkeys we’re getting are plenty moist and don’t really need that. It also takes longer to cook with foil because it’s creating insulation.

How do you get a crispy skin?
I like to turn on the broiler at the very end to get a crispy skin.



Happy cooking from Jamie Lewis and the Meat & Seafood team at City Market.