Turkey Tips: Learn to Prep the Perfect Bird

Nov. 20, 2007 — -- Thanksgiving is bearing down on us and some are still fretting over how to perfect their holiday dinners. But you can make sure your fowl comes out perfectly. Check out "Good Morning America" food editor Sara Moulton's tips and learn everything you need to know to ensure you Thanksgiving dinner is delicious.

It's best to thaw the turkey in the refrigerator. A good rule of thumb is that a turkey needs 24 hours to thaw for every 4 to 5 pounds.

If you've run out of time you can defrost the bird in cold water. In the water, the turkey should thaw 30 minutes for every pound and cooks should be sure to change water frequently.

Many think the next step after thawing is washing the turkey. But you shouldn't because rinsing the turkey completely contaminates everything around it with salmonella. If you feel you MUST wash off the bird, you can. But you need to clean the sink, countertop and everything else that's touched raw meat with a little bleach water afterward. You'll need one tablespoon of bleach diluted in a gallon of water.

Though many cooks do, it's safer actually not to stuff the bird. Stuffing needs to get to 165 degrees when it's being cooked. But to get to that temperature inside the turkey, the rest of the turkey will be overcooked.

Some people really prefer the taste of stuffing that's been cooked inside the turkey. So, if you insist on cooking it inside, you should just scoop it out, cover it and put it in the oven before the turkey dries out.

Also, do not buy prestuffed turkeys. You should stuff the turkey right before and ingredients mostly should be precooked.

For first time ever, the government has lowered the recommended temperature needed to cook a turkey. It figured out 165 degrees is best. The internal temperature of turkey and stuffing should both reach at least 165 degrees, according to the USDA. An instant-read thermometer can help you keep track of this.