How to Fix Cooking Mistakes - Cooking the Turkey
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Holiday Recipes - Cook the Perfect Turkey
Do you need to fix a cooking mistake with your turkey? You want your turkey to be cooked perfectly because it's the center of your Thanksgiving dinner and here's how to fix common mistakes:
How to Fix an Undercooked Turkey
If your turkey seems to be undercooked, chances are, the breast is done but the legs aren't. You can fix this turkey cooking mistake by cutting off the breast meat and put the rest of the turkey back into the oven to bake longer.
If you want to begin serving, you can start with the breast meat. Otherwise, wrap the breast meat in tin foil to keep warm and moist.
How to Avoid an Underdone Turkey
Be sure you allow 20 minutes per pound of turkey for cooking time and then add about 20 minutes to be sure. If you cover your turkey with tin foil and baste it, a little extra baking time won't dry it out.
Cut the skin between the legs and breast before cooking so heat can get down to the inner turkey. I use this tip when baking chicken also. Cutting that skin helps the chicken or turkey to bake more evenly.
How to Tell When the Turkey is Done
Buy a meat thermometer. They aren't expensive. The internal temperature should read 180 degrees on your meat thermometer when put into the thigh and the turkey's juices should run clean when you stick a fork into it. Not red or pink.
How to Avoid a Dry Turkey for Thanksgiving
You certainly don't want your turkey meat to be dry so here are some tips to avoid this pitfall.
I've found that citrus juices make tender meat, no matter whether it's turkey, chicken or beef. The citric acid in the juice breaks down the meat and keeps it moist and tender.
What I do is pour about 1/2 cup of lemon or orange juice over my turkey and this juice falls into the water at the bottom of the pan. I then use it for basting the turkey along the way. Add poultry seasoning and rub melted butter on the top of the turkey after pouring the juice over it.
You can also stuff your turkey with a couple of oranges or lemons. Simply cut the fruit in quarters and stuff into the cavity of the turkey.
Another tip to keep your turkey moist - Bake Turkey in at least 1/4 inch of water. Baste frequently with juices that drip into the bottom of the baking pan.
I cover my turkey with tin foil from the beginning of cooking, although some instructions say not to. I've found that the tin foil keeps the juices trapped inside and the turkey doesn't dry out.
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