THINGS TO DO WHEN ROASTING A TURKEY

1. Always make sure that the turkey you buy will fit in the oven you use!

2. Be sure to buy a turkey equipped with Volk's Pop-Up Timer^®! Check with your local grocery store to find out if their in-house brand of whole turkey comes equipped with the Timer.

3. The following name brands of whole turkey come equipped with the Pop-Up Timer:
   1. Perdue;
   2. Honeysuckle White;
   3. Wampler;
   4. Shady Brook Farms;
   5. Jennie-O;
   6. Foster Farms;
   7. House of Raeford;
   8. Carolina Turkey;
   9. Norbest.

    

4. When purchasing your turkey, plan on about .75 (three-quarters) pound per person (weight in the package) to allow plenty for everyone with not very much left over. If you'd like more leftovers, plan on 1 to 1.5 lbs. per person.

5. If you've purchased a frozen turkey or if you've frozen your turkey, thaw in the refrigerator. Refrigerators can take 2-5 days, depending on the weight of your bird. Allow at least one day of thawing for every four pounds of turkey.

6. When you're ready to begin roasting, remove the wrapper and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Reach inside your turkey and remove the neck and the giblets from the body and neck cavity.

7. Drain the juices, thoroughly rinse the bird inside and out with cold water. If you prefer stuffing, stuff the neck and body cavities lightly. Stuffing expands during cooking. (USDA recommends preparing stuffing outside of bird in a separate dish.)

8. Place your turkey, breast side up, on a flat rack in an open roasting pan about 2 inches deep.

9. Brush the skin with vegetable oil or margarine to prevent skin from drying. You can also place pats of margarine under the breast's skin.

10. Further basting is optional. Please note that regularly opening the oven door to baste your turkey can lower the ambient temperature and possibly lengthen roasting time.

11. Take this time to thoroughly wash all utensils and work surfaces in hot, soapy water following contact with uncooked turkey and juices.

12. Don't forget to wash your hands!

13. "Pop" your bird in the oven and roast at 325 degrees F. See the roasting time schedule below for cooking times.

14. When the skin is light golden, about 2/3 done, cover the turkey breast loosely with foil to prevent overcooking. If you do this, make sure you leave a space in the foil open so that you can easily see the Pop-Up Timer.

15. You can also cover the tips of the drumsticks with foil to prevent drying out.

16. Start checking your bird 1/2 hour before you expect it to be done.

17. Your turkey is fully cooked when the Timer's buttonhead pops up.

18. When done, let your turkey cool for 15 to 25 minutes before carving.

Roasting Times

This schedule is only an estimated guideline for a turkey roasted at 325 degrees F on a flat rack in a shallow open pan, about 2 inches deep. Start checking for doneness 30-40 minutes before recommended time of completion.