How to Check the Internal Temperature of Turkey?

Turkey or dishes made from turkey were staples in my family’s gathering growing up. We don’t just serve it during Thanksgiving but would always find ways to incorporate it into the menu. We usually use it as a replacement for chicken or in our sandwiches and cold cuts. You can say I pretty much grew up knowing turkey, and for me, the best way to serve it is either roasted whole or baked in the traditional oven. Over the years, I have seen members of my extended family deep frying a whole turkey while some have even tried other more traditional ways of preparing it such as smoking it for an extended period of time. But no matter what way you choose, for me, the secret to serving delicious turkey is knowing its internal temperature accurately.

Over the years, I have been following the golden rule of my family when it comes to roasting juicy and delicious turkey. For us, the perfect temperature is 165F in the thigh and that’s our cue that our turkey is done. My go-to tool for temping my turkey is the Typhur thermometer. Its advanced technology allows me to get an instant reading in just .75 minutes. It also has a large digital display that’s easy to see even in a busy and poorly lit room. I am telling you, it can get really hectic in my family’s kitchen when everyone gathers around the kitchen. Having the Typhur thermometer is really a game changer for me, an avid turkey roaster.  Back in the days, I have seen several of my friends jiggle the legs of their turkeys or pull them to see if the juice runs clear. While they claim these techniques work, I really don’t want to have a mangled turkey for Thanksgiving, and I bet you don’t too. So you are probably wondering now, how I actually check the internal temperature of my turkey. Well, it’s actually plain and simple.

Using my trusty Typhur thermometer, I simply follow these steps:

1. Insert your instant read Typhur thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey which is the thigh. You should prick the bird just above the crease between the thigh and where the turkey breast begins. You should feel some resistance while pushing down the probe part of your thermometer into the thigh. When it slides easily, you are poking the wrong part of the turkey and you’re most likely sticking your thermometer into the turkey cavity. When you hit something solid, you are poking at the bone which is also wrong. 

2. Hold your thermometer still and wait for the digital display of your Typhur thermometer to stop moving. By now, you will have an accurate reading of the internal temperature of your turkey. A word of caution though, when roasting a turkey, you may want to pull the turkey out of the oven entirely before checking its temperature. The oven easily loses its heat when opened and will take a while to reach the desired temperature again. This may affect the cooking time of your turkey. My Aunt Linda used to remind us to “take it, close it, check it” while growing up as a bunch of teenagers experimenting with the family’s turkey recipe. 

3. If the internal temperature of your turkey has already reached 165F, then it’s ready to be rested. Tent it loosely with tin foil and let it rest for 15 minutes before serving. However, if the temperature is still below 165F, prop it back into the oven and check for every 20 minutes or so until it reaches the golden number.

Hoping you find these tips helpful until your next party. You see, turkeys shouldn’t be just for holidays or Thanksgiving. It should be something you can easily prepare and enjoy whenever, wherever. Happy roasting!