No need to go cold turkey. There are a lot of great resources to make your Thanksgiving bird the best
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Put turkey trepidation on the back burner. Now's the time to do a little homework before the big day on Thursday.
First off, if you're thawing a turkey, experts say the rule is allowing a whole day of thawing time for every five pounds. And in terms of cooking it, Chef Michael Feker who owns Il Mito in Wauwatosa says 500 degrees is the magic temperature at least to start. Then dial it back to 200 degrees. From there, it's 20 minutes per pound. Chef Feker says to turn the oven off when the internal temperature of the meat of the thigh reaches 155 degrees. He says to then leave it in the oven for about twenty more minutes. By this point, the meat temperature should be 165 degrees. Finally, wait a half-hour before carving after taking the bird out of the oven, which lets the juices reabsorb.
Seasonings and spices for your turkey:
Stuffing:
Gravy:
The USDA says leftovers should be stored within two hours of cooking. The Butterball hotline will be up and running on Thursday. We have a link to the number and other great resources to help you with the big turkey task right here.
Chef Feker has been gracious enough to share some of his favorite recipes with us for this holiday.
- Chef Fekers Thanksgiving Cobb Salad
- Pumpkin Pie
- Turkey Brine
- Perfect Turkey
- Stuffing Recipe
- Chef Fekers Turkey Scaloppini with Pumpkin Cranberry and Balsamic Sauce
Other Helpful Links: