A whole chicken is cooked when its internal temperature reaches 185F (85C) and a whole turkey when it reaches 170F (77C). The best way to accurately judge doneness is with a meat thermometer. For more information, see our cooking times charts (link) to determine the roasting time you need for a stuffed or unstuffed chicken or turkey.

According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, it is recommended that you cook the stuffing in a separate dish instead of stuffing poultry to ensure maximum safety. Remember, it takes longer for both the stuffing and the meat to reach a safe internal temperature, so cooking an unstuffed bird also saves time. If you do prefer a stuffed chicken or turkey, stuff it loosely just before it goes into the oven and remove the stuffing as soon as it comes out. The stuffing should reach an internal temperature of 165 F (74 C).

Your unstuffed turkey is cooked when the meat thermometer in the inner thigh reads 170F (77C) or 180F (82C) for a stuffed turkey. The legs should move easily when twisted and the juices run clear. A chicken is cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 185F (85C) and the juices run clear. For maximum juiciness, remove the chicken or turkey from the oven, cover it with a tent of foil and let it sit covered for 15-20 minutes before carving.

There are two kinds of meat thermometers available today: oven proof (inserted at the beginning and remains throughout cooking time) and instant-read (inserted into hot food for only a few seconds during cooking time). Both are suitable for poultry. To use an oven-proof meat thermometer, insert it into the inner thigh area near the breast of the chicken or turkey without touching the bone. Instant-read thermometers should be inserted into the thickest part of the meat but not touching bone; it usually produces an accurate temperature readout in about 15 seconds.

We recommend you to thaw your turkey if you can. The cold water method could still work for you given the time constraints.

- Put turkey in a large container and cover completely with cold water
- Change water at least every hour
- Allow 1 hour per pound (2 hours/kg)
- Once thawed, refrigerate immediately, and cook within 48 hours

Once thawed, preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). For a 16 - 22 lbs (7.0 - 10.0 kg) the suggested roasting time is 3 ½ - 4 hours (unstuffed). You should cook a whole turkey to an internal temperature of 170°F (77°C) in the breast and 180°F (82°C) in the thigh.  Remember that cooking times are for planning purposes only - always use a meat thermometer to determine doneness. If you?re unable to thaw, add around 2 hours to the suggested cooking time above. Be aware that if you cook it from frozen you?ll have more juices on the pan, so your turkey will be moist and tender. Some people like that, some don?t.

Let the bird stand for 15 to 20 minutes before carving.

Cut into the thigh to the bone where it attaches to the bird. There should be no redness around the bone and the juice should be running clear.

I recommend baking fresh boneless skinless chicken breast at 350° F for about 30-40 minutes depending on the size of the breasts and your individual oven.  They should not show any signs of pinkness inside and the juice should run clear when they are done.  It is best to bake them on a wire rack in a pan to ensure even cooking. Allowing them to rest loosely covered in a warm place for 10 minutes will help retain their natural juices.

If you're using a propane gas barbecue, I would recommend roasting the bird in a shallow foil pan either on very low or indirect heat. The bbq should remain covered during cooking. You can add wood chips to a smoking pan to get more flavourful results.

It should take anywhere from 2.5- 4.5 hours depending on the size of the bird and bbq temp. A thermometer should read 74C or 165F when it is done.

Your turkey will be fine in the fridge until it is thawed and would even be ok for a few days after it is completely thawed. Thawing times vary depending on the temperature of your fridge, air flow and the size of your turkey.

I prefer to cook my stuffing in a separate casserole dish, using chicken stock to moisten it. Not actually stuffing the bird ensures faster more even cooking with less risk of any part being underdone. I sometimes pour some of the drippings over the stuffing part way through for added flavour.

If you want to make the stuffing ahead of time I leave the liquid out and then add it shortly before cooking.

I do recommend brining a turkey before smoking. It ensures that it is seasoned evenly and retains enough moisture during the smoking process. We do not offer pre-brined turkeys at this time.

There is a recipe on our site 'Tipsy Turkey', which was created for an article that ran last year in the Winnipeg Free Press. This brine recipe there can also be done replacing the whiskey with water if desired. I do plan work on more brining recipies in the future.

A quick and easy Honey Dill Dipping Sauce is as follows:

1/2 Cup           mayonnaise

1/3 Cup           liquid honey

1/2 tsp             dried dill (or 1 tsp fresh chopped dill)

1/4 tsp             Dijon mustard (optional)

Mix all ingredients well and serve.

The bag is made of food-safe paper and it isn't harmful to eat a turkey that has been roasted  with the giblets left in.

I would recommend cutting into the thigh bone where it attaches to the bird. there should be no redness around the bone and the juice should be running clear.

On a propane barbeque I would recommend roasting the bird in a shallow foil pan either on very low or indirect heat. The bbq should remain covered during cooking. You can add wood chips to a smoking pan to get more flavourful results.

On a charcoal kettle barbeque roast the bird directly on the grill in the centre with a drip pan underneath. You should have hot coals on either side and add more coals as required during cooking. The bbq should remain covered with vents during cooking. You can add damp wood chips to the coals periodically to get more flavourful results.

Either way it should take anywhere from 2.5- 4.5 hours depending on the size of the bird and bbq temp. A thermometer should read 74C or 165F when it is done.

On a propane barbeque I would recommend roasting the bird in a shallow foil pan either on very low or indirect heat. The bbq should remain covered during cooking. You can add wood chips to a smoking pan to get more flavourful results.

On a charcoal kettle barbeque roast the bird directly on the grill in the centre with a drip pan underneath. You should have hot coals on either side and add more coals as required during cooking. The bbq should remain covered with vents during cooking. You can add damp wood chips to the coals periodically to get more flavourful results.

Either way it should take anywhere from 2.5- 4.5 hours depending on the size of the bird and bbq temp. A thermometer should read 74C or 165F when it is done.

On a gas bbq place the seasoned turkey on in a  shallow pan on the grill. Cook it with the lid down on low or indirect heat (about 375 F) for 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 hours depending on the size of the bird. The internal temperature should read about 180 F.

Turkey Brine

Ingredients:

4 cup water
1/4 cup sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf
One 12-14 lb fresh turkey

Directions:

Bring 6 first ingredients to a boil and then cool completely.

Place turkey in a non-corrosive pot and cover with brine. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours, turning the bird at least twice.

If you want to simply roast your chicken legs I would recommend leaving the skin on and seasoning them with either salt and pepper or your favourite dry spice blend. They should be roasted uncovered at 350° F for about 45 minutes with a rack in the bottom of the roaster. They will be done when a meat thermometer reads 175°F in the thickest part of the meat or when the juice runs clear and there is no pinkness when you cut into the joint between the leg and thigh.

Alternately you could try my Cacciatore  recipe found here:  http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/turkey-cacciatore-1   substituting chicken legs for turkey thighs; removing the skin but not deboning them.

Foil is poor conductor of heat and will increase your cooking times. I would recommend adding about 10 minutes per pound to your cook times when roasting a turkey in the oven.

Thank you for your email. I recommend thawing a frozen turkey in the refrigerator but leave yourself lots of time. if you are stuck for time you can also use the cold water method or a microwave if it fits inside.

See below:

Safe tips for thawing and prepping a whole turkey

Refrigerator method:

    * Keeps the meat cold until completely defrosted

    * Place turkey on a tray on a bottom shelf in refrigerator

    * Allow 5 hours per pound (10 hours/kg)

Cold water method:

    * Put turkey in a large container and cover completely with cold water

    * Change water at least every hour

    * Allow 1 hour per pound (2 hours/kg)

    * Once thawed, refrigerate immediately, and cook within 48 hours

You can find cooking instructions here:

http://www.grannys.ca/turkey-cooking-instructions#Roasting

I have not heard of buttermilk being used in a buffalo wing recipe unless it was used in a creamy dip. Melted butter can be used in some recipes such as the one we have here.

I like the recipe here as the cheese gives it extra flavour and the added value of calcium. It would probably also work fine if you preferred to omit the cheese.

Turkey Breast (boneless)-250 grams portion/serving

Turkey Breast (bone-in)-350 grams portion/serving

Our frozen turkeys are not injected with a brine.

They can be brined once fully thawed.

You can find a recipe for a brine with rye whiskey that I developed last year here: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/a-fair-fowl-full-of-flavour-79038517.html  . You could replace the rye with water for a more neutral flavour if desired.

I would not recommend cooking your turkey in a crock pot unless you have a special recipe for it; it would likely require some liquid and it would be braised rather than roasted.

You can see our oven roasting and BBQ methods here: http://www.grannys.ca/holiday-turkey

I would recommend putting your turkey into the fridge on the 23^rd on a plate or pan to catch the juice. It could take up to 48 hours to thaw depending on your fridge temperature, air flow and other items in it.

Our turkeys are frozen fresh and will keep for more than a week in the fridge once thawed so there is no concern about thawing it too early.

Your turkey should be done in 4-4 ½ hours based on the weight and following the cooking instructions provided. Oven temperatures do vary and it is a good idea to let the cooked bird rest for at least 20 minutes before carving so I would recommend giving yourself a little extra time. It will hold its temperature for quite a while loosely covered in its roasting pan in a warm spot.

Once your turkey is fully cooked and you have transferred it to a platter you should recover all of the juice and drippings and make your gravy.

The general rule for convection is to reduce the temperature by 25°F so instead of 350° you could roast it at 325°.

I would still tent it for a while and the time may or may not decrease by about ½ and hour depending on your oven. It is best to check for doneness with a meat thermometer if possible.

Our online cooking instructions can be found here: http://www.grannys.ca/turkey-cooking-instructions

If the breast is skin less I would recommend brushing the top with olive oil or melted butter. Season it with salt and pepper and bake it in the oven in a roasting pan with a rack and a couple of cm of water. Bake it at 375F for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, removing the smallest one first. Use a thermometer, if available, it should read 174F; or make sure there is no pinkness inside.

If you are roasting them in the oven you should be sure that they are cooked on a wire rack in a roasting pan so they roast quickly and evenly. An oven temperature of 350-370F is recommended. When the internal temperature reaches 174F with a probe thermometer or there is no visible pink when you cut a piece near a joint, it is done. It should take around 45 minutes.

Leaving the skin on for roasting will ensure it stays moister; the skin can be removed after roasting to reduce your fat intake.

You could try a marinade and recipe like the following which could be done in the oven instead of the BBQ. http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/jamaican-jerk-chicken

I am not sure which Turkey Meat Loaf recipe you are refering to but as a general rule if the thickness of the loaf is the same, cooking times will change very little.

The best way to ensure that it is  done is to use a meat thermometer and take it out at 74C or 165F. You can also cut into the centre and see if it is fully cooked.

I am not sure if you are cooking boneless skinless thighs or bone in skin on thighs so I will talk about both.

• I generally like to oven roast poultry at around 350F on a bake, convection or convection roast setting.
• Convection will speed up the cooking time a little because there is better air flow and heat transfer.
• It is best to roast the thighs in a metal roasting pan on a wire rack to ensure even cooking.

• If you are cooking thighs with the skin on and bone in I would just season them with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and roast them skin side up for about 1 hour. They should probe at 170F with a meat thermometer or there shouldn’t be any pink visible near the bone. You can remove the skin after cooking to reduce your fat consumption.
• For boneless skinless thighs I would coat them in a little olive oil in a bowl and then season them with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and roast them on a for about 45 minutes. They should probe at 170F with a meat thermometer or there shouldn’t be any pink visible in the meat.

I am assuming that you mean a 5kg or 11 pound turkey. It should take about 3- 3 ¾ hours unstuffed to roast it in the oven. You can find more detailed cooking instructions on our web site here:

http://www.grannys.ca/turkey-cooking-instructions

I have included links to some recipes that they might like here:

http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/chicken-enchiladas

http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/chicken-quesadillas

http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/goat-cheese-burgers

http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/easy-turkey-falafel

http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/balsamic-veggie-turkey-pizza

http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/turkey-burrito-casserole

There are many more good recipes for burgers, lasagna, nachos, etc. on our web site.

They may also like our new Breaded Turkey Strips which are also great in wraps, sandwiches or in a salad.

I recommend roasting a turkey with the breast facing up. The heat is able to circulate around the breast meat better and some fat from the skin melts, helping to keep it moist. Breast down, part of the breast would be touching the pan or rack and would cook faster than the rest of the breast.

Slow roasting a turkey overnight is safe as long as the internal temperature of the bird reaches 170°F. You should use a probe thermometer to check; inserting the stem into the thigh not touching the bone.

Many slow roast recipes call for an oven temperature of 250°F but if your recipe works well and you can reach that 170°F internally then I would stick with what works for you.

Here is my simple stuffing recipe: http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/traditional-turkey-stuffing

The video can be found here: http://www.grannys.ca/holiday-turkey

To make it suitable for vegetarians you can replace the chicken or turkey broth with vegetable broth and add melted butter instead of drippings from the bird.

I believe that this is the recipe that you were looking for. If you use low sodium soya sauce it will significantly reduce the amount of sodium in the recipe.

I hope you enjoy it.

Turkey Teriyaki

Garnish these turkey breasts with sesame seeds for added flavour

Ingredients

Directions

Pound turkey to ½ inch (1 cm) thickness; place in large plastic bag. In small
bowl mix together soy sauce, sherry, honey, ginger, orange rind, sesame oil and
garlic. Pour marinade over turkey; refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 8
hours.
Remove from marinade and broil or grill 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until
cooked through. Slice thinly on diagonal and place over rice. Garnish with
toasted sesame seeds, if desired.

A low calorie gravy can be made with pan drippings from a turkey roast the same as with regular gravy but it is important to separate all of the fat and not use any of it. The remaining liquid can be brought to a boil and thickened by adding a teaspoon of corn starch mixed in 2 tablespoons of cold water. Once it returns to a boil it will thicken. If the gravy is too thick it can be thinned out with fat free chicken stock or if it isn’t thick enough you can add more corn starch mixed it cold water. You may add a few tablespoons of red wine and salt and pepper to taste.

You can substitute ground turkey for ground beef in most recipes. I find that adding a little extra finely chopped garlic. onion, celery and carrot and browning it well helps to add more flavour to many ground turkey dishes.

We also have a fairly extensive line up of ground turkey recipes on our web site like the following:

http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/favourite-turkey-loaf

http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/honey-garlic-meatballs

http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/turkey-chilli-and-cheddar-melt

http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/white-turkey-chilli

http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/deluxe-turkey-burgers

When roasting a turkey or chicken I prefer to use a roaster with a rack and do it uncovered because it allows for the best circulation of heat and the roast can cook quickly and evenly. The breast meat doesn’t become overcooked this way and the outside becomes crispy. With a lid on the excess moisture doesn’t escape and the meat steams more than roasts. It produces a different end result; neither is right or wrong they are just different.

There are plenty of great recipes out there to make turkey breakfast sausage patties that are fairly easy. I used to make one for brunch in a restaurant where I used to work that had honey and grainy mustard in it. I will recreate it and put it up on our site soon.

Here is one from Epicurious.com with Pear in it that looks worth trying. I hope you enjoy it.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Turkey-Sausage-Patties-108694

I find that adding a little extra finely chopped garlic, onion, celery and carrot and browning it well helps to add more flavour to many ground turkey dishes. Oregano, paprika and chili powder all help to add flavour too.

We also have a fairly extensive line up of ground turkey recipes on our web site like the following:

http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/favourite-turkey-loaf

http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/honey-garlic-meatballs

http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/turkey-chilli-and-cheddar-melt

http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/white-turkey-chilli

http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/deluxe-turkey-burgers

You can add vegetables around a turkey when roasting it but it does have its challenges. Root vegetables and tubers like carrots, parsnips and potatoes work well. Chopped onions or whole baby onions are a nice addition too. If you have a large turkey you may want to add them later on as they will likely only take an hour or so to cook depending on how thick they are cut. Another challenge is that a fair bit of fat comes off of the skin of the bird and it can make the vegetables overly greasy. What I recommend is taking some of the fat from the drippings of the pan part way through cooking, mix it with your vegetables and then roast them in a separate pan.

If stuffing is mishandled, cross contaminated with raw poultry and then not cooked to a sufficient internal temperature there is the potential of causing a food borne illness.

This is why it is strongly recommended to use a meat thermometer when cooking poultry and to ensure that a stuffed bird reaches an internal temperature of 180F and 170F when unstuffed.

For more information please go here: http://www.grannys.ca/turkey-cooking-instructions .

The best way to tell when a chicken is fully cooked is to use a meat thermometer. When cooking chicken you should ensure that a stuffed bird reaches an internal temperature of 180F and unstuffed chicken or chicken pieces should reach 170F. There are many reasonably priced meat thermometers now available in stores.

For more information please go here: http://www.grannys.ca/food-preparation-safe-handling .

Here are a few stuffing recipes of mine the second one is a little more unique.

http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/traditional-turkey-stuffing

http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/fennel-saskatoon-berry-turkey-stuffing

Here are two stuffing recipes of mine that would work for Easter; the second one is a little more unique.

http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/traditional-turkey-stuffing

http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/fennel-saskatoon-berry-turkey-stuffing

Here are a few Turkey Stir Fry recipes:

http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/turkey-teriyaki-with-savory-udon-noodles

http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/turkey-stir-fry

http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/turkey-sukiyaki

I hope you enjoy them.

Chicken and Turkey necks make excellent soup or stocks. They can be frozen and collected over time until you have sufficient quantities. If they are not agitated too much after being cooked they can be removed whole from a soup so they just add flavour and protein and no bones are left behind.

An unstuffed 12 pound turkey should take about 3 - 3 1/2 hours to cook in the oven. If it is stuffed it may take a ½ hour longer. For more information on cooking your turkey please visit: http://www.grannys.ca/turkey-cooking-instructions

I usually cook my turkey loosely covered with foil for the first few hours at a fairly high temperature (350F) and then remove the foil to let it brown.

You can find times and temperatures for cooking your turkey depending on the size and method (oven or barbeque) here: http://www.grannys.ca/turkey-cooking-instructions

In the oven I find that cooking a turkey at a higher temperature for a shorter time and making the stuffing on the side helps to keep the bird moist. It is best to use a meat thermometer to be sure when it is done. Insert it in the thigh not touching the bone. 170F for an unstuffed bird is what you should be looking for. If you find that the wings are drying out you may want to wrap them with a little foil.

Gravy can be light or dark depending on how dark your drippings and stock are. I sometimes add a ¼ cup of red wine which also makes it a little darker.

You can find a gravy recipe using giblets here: http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/giblet-gravy

You can use chicken or turkey stock; homemade or purchased is ok but I would recommend low sodium if you are buying one. If you don’t like the taste of giblets or want a very basic gravy you can omit them and the sage.

I am assuming that you are referring to whole birds here. Even heat transfer and good circulation enables a bird to be cooked faster and more evenly which ensures a juicier end product. Cooking a bird breast side up on a wire rack allows the heat to circulate from top, sides and inside the cavity. The skin melting on top also helps ensure the bird stays moist. If the breast were touching the bottom of the roasting pan that part would cook first and could dry out before the rest is fully cooked.

Rather than cooking your turkey from frozen I would recommend cooking your turkey for a shorter time in a fairly hot oven to avoid drying it out too much. Preparing the stuffing on the side also speeds up the process. It is important to cook it in a roasting pan with a wire rack and use a meat thermometer to remove it from the oven as soon as it fully cooked. For more detailed information you can go here: http://www.grannys.ca/turkey-cooking-instructions

I recommend cooking a turkey at 350°F (175°C) in a roasting pan with a wire rack covered loosely with foil. I prefer to prepare the stuffing on the side which helps to cook the bird faster and keep it juicier.

Here are a few of my stuffing recipes:

http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/traditional-turkey-stuffing

http://www.grannys.ca/recipe/fennel-saskatoon-berry-turkey-stuffing

They are fairly healthy recipes and you can omit the drippings if you want to make it even healthier.

I recommend cooking a boneless turkey thigh and breast at 350° F for about 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on the size and thickness and your individual oven. It should read 170F internally on a meat thermometer or not show any signs of pinkness inside when done.  It is best to bake it on a wire rack in a pan to ensure even cooking. Allowing it to rest loosely covered in a warm place for 10 minutes will help retain its natural juices.

I recommened cooking a stuffed turky at 350F for about 4 hours. I would loosely cover it in foil for the first 3 hours or so. More dsetailed instructions can be found here: http://www.grannys.ca/turkey-cooking-instructions

I would recommend that a low fat way to enjoy a moist juicy turkey for Easter would be to cook your bird in a roasting pan on a wire rack. More detailed intructions can be found here: http://www.grannys.ca/turkey-cooking-instructions

The excess fat from the skin will end up in the bottom of the pan when the bird is cooked but the skin covering will help keep the meat moist. If you remove the skin when carving the bird you will significantly reduce your fat intake.

Avoiding regular gravy will also reduce your fat intake as the drippings it is typically made from contain a lot of fat. Alternately you could try one of the many fat free gravy recipes out there. This one looks pretty good although I have not tried it myself. http://www.food.com/recipe/basic-fat-free-gravy-103036

Lastly you should avoid side dishes that contain fat.

Brining a turkey is different from seasoning it and roasting it; I think that both methods can produce great results. Through brining liquid and seasoning are absorbed into the meat which will result in added flavour and moisture. It does change the texture somewhat compared to straight roasting.

You can get a moist, juicy and flavourful turkey by oven roasting or barbequing it. Find our recommended cooking methods here: http://www.grannys.ca/turkey-cooking-instructions

You can also find bring instructions here:

www.turkey.mb.ca/brining.html