Local Chef Offers Tips On Cooking Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey
By Hadas Kuznits
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- With Thanksgiving taking place this week, it's time to start thinking about cooking that turkey.
Thomas Harkins, executive chef at Bank and Bourbon, says the first step is to get the proper size turkey. So, how many pounds per person?
"At least a pound and a half," Harkins says. "You've got to remember, when you cook the turkey, it's going to shrink."
He does not recommend cooking your turkey with the stuffing in it.
"Because people think that the breast is just about done and the legs aren't, the legs are still a little raw," Harkins says. "All the raw juices are going into the turkey and it's just sitting in the stuffing, now."
And here's a tip for when you're ready to put it in the oven:
"I usually like to buy a disposable pan," he says, "because it's such a big clean up day that day, and the last thing you want to be doing is cleaning the roasting pan. It's worth the $3. Trust me!"
Listen to a podcast of Chef Harkins' turkey cooking tips.
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