Weighing a live turkey can be a tricky task, but it’s an important step in determining the appropriate cooking time and ensuring your bird is cooked to perfection. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or a Thanksgiving newbie this guide will equip you with the knowledge and techniques you need to accurately weigh your turkey, regardless of whether it’s alive or already processed.
Methods for Weighing a Live Turkey
1. Bathroom Scale Method
This method is best suited for smaller turkeys or those that are relatively calm and easy to handle.
- Step 1: Place a clean, sturdy box on your bathroom scale and zero it out.
- Step 2: Gently place your turkey in the box and weigh it.
- Step 3: Subtract the weight of the box from the total weight to get the weight of your turkey.
2. Hanging Scale Method
Larger or more challenging-to-handle turkeys are best suited for this technique.
- Step 1: Purchase a hanging scale with a capacity that exceeds the estimated weight of your turkey.
- Step 2: Securely attach the scale to a sturdy overhead support, such as a tree branch or a rafter.
- Step 3: Tie a strong rope or cord around the turkey’s legs and attach it to the hook on the scale.
- Step 4: Carefully lift the turkey until it’s suspended in the air and read the weight on the scale.
3. Estimation Method
You can estimate your turkey’s weight based on its breed and age if you don’t have a scale or if it’s too big or rambunctious to weigh.
- Small turkeys (under 12 pounds): These typically include heritage breeds or young turkeys.
- Medium turkeys (12-16 pounds): These are the most common size for Thanksgiving turkeys.
- Large turkeys (16-20 pounds): These are typically older turkeys or those raised for commercial purposes.
Additional Tips for Weighing a Live Turkey
- Handle your turkey gently and with care. Turkeys can be easily startled, so avoid making sudden movements or loud noises.
- Weigh your turkey as close to cooking time as possible. This will ensure the most accurate weight and cooking time.
- If you’re unsure about the weight of your turkey, err on the side of caution and estimate a higher weight. This will help prevent undercooking.
Weighing a live turkey may seem daunting, but with the right tools and techniques, it’s a simple process that can help you achieve perfectly cooked Thanksgiving turkey. Whether you choose the bathroom scale method, the hanging scale method, or the estimation method, follow these tips to ensure an accurate weight and a delicious, juicy turkey.
The case of the mis-labeled turkey
My local Whole Foods’ “Meat Team Leader” contacted a corporate representative to find out why my turkey had the wrong label. The discussion reached a District Vice-President, who personally called me and promised to look into the situation more thoroughly and get back to me. I had to inform him that no one had yet offered to pay me back for the extra money I had spent.
He did, and gave me a $25 Whole Foods gift card for my trouble.
After contacting the processing center, he also followed up with me to let me know that they had looked into the matter in great detail and had determined that my mislabeled bird was an isolated incident rather than a symptom of a more serious problem. Much appreciated, and I hope he’s right. Please weigh your bird.
Now is the perfect time to purchase your turkey if you plan to dry-brin it so that it will be ready to salt on Monday morning. (Or you could purchase first thing Monday and get it going by mid-day. ) Here’s the recipe, to guide you, along with recipes for savory sides and appetizers.
Why the weight is important
There are many reasons an accurate weight is important — for any kind of food product. For one thing, you need to get what you’re paying for (pretty basic!).
In the case of a turkey, obviously you need to know that you’ll have enough for your guests. One to one and a half pounds of turkey per person is the general guideline when talking about a whole bird. If I had ordered the designated 11-pound bird and I was serving 10 people, that should have been plenty. If it were actually less than 8 pounds, though, it might be a little sparse and not what you want for Thanksgiving.
Then there’s the prep and cooking. A precise weight is required to determine the proper amount of salt to apply in order to achieve succulent, flavorful meat and crisp, golden skin on a dry-brined bird, which involves salting the bird several days before roasting.
The weight of the turkey will indicate the roasting time depending on whether you brined it entirely, partially, or both. It won’t be very accurate because most ovens don’t heat up evenly or maintain a constant temperature for long periods of time, and oven temperatures vary widely. However, the weight will at least assist you in determining when to begin assessing the turkey’s doneness.
It usually takes about two hours and forty-five minutes to cook a 12-pound turkey using our Cooks Without Borders recipe, but I always check it after about two hours, just in case. The food, especially the breast, will quickly go from done to dry and overcooked if you make the mistake of starting the testing too late.
The dark meat should only be cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit or 74 degrees Celsius. At that point, the white meat will already be slightly overdone, which is why many chefs spatchcock. I love the presentation of a whole bird, so I live with less-than-perfect white meat. It’s a choice. It’s still delicious. But not if you go must past that dark-meat-is-done point.
Bodybuilding Nutrition Tip: How to Accurately Weigh Cooked Meat
FAQ
Is a 14 lb turkey big?
What is the weight of a turkey by size?
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Does turkey weight include giblets?