Chef Marco Moreira and George Mendes of
Tocqueville
Restaurant – New York, NY
Adapted by StarChefs.com
- Purchase organic or farm-raised turkey (heritage,
etc.)
- Avoid buying frozen turkey when possible.
- Do not rely on the plastic turkey "poppers"
in supermarket turkeys to determine doneness. When roasting
a turkey whole, roast until a thermometer inserted into thigh
meat reads 145° F.
- Start roasting a turkey at high heat, 450-500°
F for the first hour to brown well, then reduce the oven temperature
to 375° F and cover turkey with aluminum foil to finish
and avoid further browning. Always use a thermometer to confirm
the temperature.
- If possible, butcher the turkey and roast breasts
and legs separately. The breasts are always ready before the
thighs, so you will avoid drying out the breast meat by cooking
it separately.
