Cooking Technique Preview

We've heard it over and over again " I cooked it just like the cookbook said and now it's over done!"

Well, cookbooks Lie! Maybe that is a little strong, Cookbooks don't give you the whole story.

Here's the REAL story:

If you cook a roast to the temperature that the book says it's "done" the outer layers of the roast will be much hotter than the inside and that residual heat will continue to cook the roast and make it over done.

The solution to the problem is a simple but a very important device, a meat thermometer. Check the temperature at the halfway point to get an idea of how fast it is cooking. Take the roast out of the oven when it still has a few degrees to rise and place it in a warm, draft-free place By using this simple technique the residual heat will bring it up to serving temperature, the juices will settle down and you'll have time to make the gravy.

Hint for having a "sanitary" thermometer:
•As soon as you puncture a roast you are putting whatever is on the thermometer inside the meat.
•You can protect yourelf from possible contamination by this simple technique, wipe the thermometer with a mixture of bleach and water, let it air dry and then insert.

So, how do you know when to take a roast out of the oven? Here are some guidelines about

University of Illinois is also a good site for additional info about the many ways to cook a turkey. http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/turkey/techniques.html