Cooking Tips for Poultry:
Turkeys
For our frozen turkeys thaw first. To thaw properly follow the safe handling and thawing instructions on the bag. Our turkeys are young, so they do not need to be cooked as long one might expect. First you should rub the skin with melted unsalted butter or oil. Then preheat the oven to 450 degrees. After putting the turkey in the oven, reduce the heat to 325 degrees. Our hens (up to 14 pounds) should be cooked 13-15 minutes per pound in a 325 degrees oven. Our toms (16-24 pounds) should be cooked 12-14 minutes per pound in a 325 degrees oven. If your turkey is stuffed add 5 minutes a pound to the cooking times. Baste periodically. Some prefer to cook their turkey, breast side down for the first hour. Cook to an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Let the turkey sit for 15-20 minutes after pulling from the oven, before carving. Figure 3/4 to 1 pound per serving.
Brining a Turkey
Brining means to soak the turkey in a strong salt water solution. The benefits of brining are many. First, the salty soak provides a tenderness cushion for the breast meat, to help it remain moist. Second, the meat of a brined turkey taste pleasantly seasoned. Brining also ensures that all parts of the turkey cook at the same temperature. A brined turkey will cook faster than an unbrined one by about 30 minutes. Brine is a salt and water solution. You should use a coarse or kosher salt. The ratio is 1 ½ cups of salt to 1 gallon of water.
Boneless Stuffed Chicken Breast
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, cook frozen for 45 minutes.
