Since turkey is a relatively low-fat meat, it's important not to overcook it. It's easy to go from "just right" to "dry". Your turkey probably came with roasting instructions, and they're a good starting point.
Roger Bassett, who owns Reading Terminal Market's Original Turkey, says you need to roast the breast (white meat) to 165 ° Fahrenheit, and the thigh (dark meat) to 180°. To prevent the breast from overcooking, he likes to "tent" the breast with aluminum foil until about half an hour before the turkey is finished roasting.
But remember: Roasted meats continue cooking for about 15 minutes after being removed from the oven. If you roast until the desired temperature is reached, you'll end up with an overcooked turkey. So remove it from the oven a little before the target temperature is reached.
While the turkey sits, it also settles. There will be steam in the meat from the bird's natural juices and it needs to dissipate. If you try to slice the turkey before this settling occurs, it won't go as well.
Center City's Marathon Grill chain serves roast turkey every day. Executive chef Luke Eschbach gave us some carving tips.
After the turkey has been out of the oven for 15 ro 30 minutes, you can safely carve. Before you begin, he says you can show the finished whole turkey to your dinner guests. They'll probably be enjoying a preliminary course at this point. He does not recommend trying to slice it on the dinner table, which will likely be crowded with too many other items. Also, he says, trying to take slices from the whole bird at the table means dodging the shape of the turkey as well as your guests.
Turkey Carving Tips
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