The perfect turkey

Mark Molinaro

The holidays aren’t complete without the turkey centerpiece. Chef Mark Molinaro from NAU’s School of Hotel and Restaurant Management shares his tips for making the perfect main course this year.

 Follow the steps in the video and you’ll end up with a nice, moist bird.

Molinaro shares more of his culinary tips below:

What’s the best way to thaw a frozen turkey? Defrost the turkey in the refrigerator, calculating one day of defrosting for every 4 pounds of turkey.

How do I know if my turkey is done? Many supermarket turkeys come with a preinserted timer set to pop when the temperature of the bird reaches 178 degrees Fahrenheit. We recommend that you remove the bird from the oven when the breast temperature reaches 165 degrees and the thickest part of the thighs reaches between 170 and 175 degrees.

Does the turkey really need to rest before I carve it? Yes. Thirty minutes or so gives it time to reabsorb the juices; otherwise they’ll dribble out when you slice, and the meat will be dry.