With a big piece of meat like a turkey and a whole houseful of people ready for dinner, you want to be sure you get it right! These tips will help you know when the turkey is done.
Is This Turkey Done?
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The holidays are amazing… when else do you get to eat that much delicious food all at the same time? One of our staples for every holiday meal is a turkey. And because we don’t cook turkey very often, we usually need some reminders of how to know when it’s fully cooked and ready to eat!
How Can You Tell When a Turkey is Fully Cooked?
You want the temperature in the center of the meat to be at least 165 degrees F to call the turkey “done.” Some people may prefer to have the turkey cooked to a slightly higher temperature. I don’t recommend letting the turkey cook past 170-175 degrees F, or it will start to get over-cooked and dry.
Can I Use the Pop-Up Timer That Comes in the Turkey?
Well… you can. But you probably shouldn’t. Those pop-up timers can help you know when a turkey is done, but they usually don’t “pop” until the turkey is over-done, which means that your turkey will be dry and chewy.
I typically remove the pop-up timer right before I put the turkey in the brine. Then I put a probe-style thermometer into the center of the turkey breast when I put the turkey in the oven. I set the alarm on the thermometer for 161 degrees F. When the turkey hits 161 degrees, I take it out of the oven, and let the carry-over cooking (from the heat in the meat) bring the turkey up to 165 degrees.
Where Do You Check the Temperature of a Turkey?
Insert a meat thermometer into the center of one side of the turkey breast. You want the tip of the thermometer to be in the middle of the meat, not too close to the outside edge or too close to the bone on the inside.
Do you see where that hole is in the picture above? That’s where the thermometer was while the turkey was cooking. You can also check the temperature on the inside of the thigh, or on the inside of the wing.
What Kind of Thermometer Should I Use for a Turkey?
I prefer a probe-style meat thermometer like this one. I can put this thermometer in the turkey when I put it in the oven. The display sits on the counter, so I can monitor the temperature of the turkey without having to even open the oven door. Even better, this thermometer has an alarm that goes off at a set temperature, so I don’t even have to be in the same room!
You can use an instant-read meat thermometer, too. For this, you’ll need to take the turkey out of the oven and poke a hole in the outside of the turkey to check the temperature. Every time you take the turkey out of the oven, you’re slowing down the cooking time. And every time you poke another hole in the turkey, you’re letting some of the natural juices out of the turkey, so it can start to dry out.
Do I Need to Let Turkey Rest Before Carving It?
Yes, you should let turkey rest for 15-20 minutes before carving. This will help to lock all the juices in the meat, let the meat cool a little, and make it much easier to carve.
Is It Safe to Eat Pink Turkey?
Most of the time, when turkey is cooked to 165 degrees F, the meat will be a white to light brown color throughout. Sometimes, the meat closest to the bones might keep a slightly pink color. A brined turkey is more likely to keep a little bit of pink color. As long as the temperature at the center of the turkey breast, the inside of the thigh, or the inside of the wing is at least 165 degrees F, the turkey is fully cooked.
Do you want some more help with your holiday turkey? Check out our Top 10 Turkey Tips for a successful main course!
Enjoy!
Free Printable for How to Choose a Turkey
It’s never a good plan to run out of food, especially the main course! Check out this article and grab our free printable to make sure you choose the right turkey for your holiday plans.
Our Favorite Tools for Turkey
- Large cooler, for thawing or brining a turkey
- Large roasting pan with meat rack
- Probe-style meat thermometer
- Aluminum foil, to keep skin from burning during cooking
- Electric knife, for easily carving a turkey
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Nice post, I didn’t know that using the pop-up results in a overly cooked turkey. Thanks for posting at the Homestead Blog Hop.