Turkey Temperature as the End Point in Roasting

A SUCCESSFULLY roasted turkey has tender, juicy, well-done flesh and is easily disjointed with the aid of the carver’s knife. As yet, the best means for telling when a turkey is properly “done” seems open to question, since published methods vary from rule-of-thumb procedures to several different turkey temperature end points. It is evident that additional experimentation is required to establish a standard objective end point which would provide a more scientific test for doneness. This report presents data relating turkey temperature to doneness, obtained through tests conducted in the laboratories of the Bureau of Human Nutrition and Home Economics. REVIEW OF LITERATURE Rule-of-thumb procedures in common use are the careful “spearing” of leg and breast muscles with a skewer or a fork to determine tenderness, and the “working” of wing and leg joints to detect softening of the tendons (Alexander, 1941). Several investigators have recommended temperature end points for . . .