r —Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Nov. 20, 1976 56 Ladies Have Lancaster Home Economist LET’S TALK TURKEY If Ben Franklin had his way back in Colonial days, the turkey and not the bald eagle would now appear on the Great Seal of the United States. America gave turkey to the world but the wiry, wild creatures of Colonial days are not the same as today’s meaty, plump, tender birds. With some of the biggest turkey-eating days just around the comer, it’s time to “talk turkey” so here are some tips on buying. Classes Of Turkey. There are three classes of turkeys. Size, age and sex determine the class. Age influences tenderness which' in turn helps to determine the cooking method. First is the fryer-roaster, a young, immature bird, usually less than 16 weeks of age-and weighing 4 to 8 pounds ready to-cook. The meat is very tender, but generally not as much meat in relation to bone as older turkeys because the fryer—roaster is still growing. A second class is turkeys labeled young hen or young tom. They are usually under 8 months of age and range in weight from 8 pounds to over 20 pounds. A third class is fully matured, less-tender turkeys which are rarely found in retail stores today. They are used mostly in further processed products. Retailers are more likely to class turkeys on the basis of weight rather than age. Mark Of Quality. For assurance of quality, look for a shield-shaped U.S. Grade mark. Using the U.S. Grade as a guide, you can be sure of the kind of quality for which you are paying. Turkeys are often advertised as being “inspected”—which means the birds were examined before and after processing and the facilities are operated in a sanitary manner. It has nothing to do with quality. All graded birds are inspected but not SERVICE IS OUR BUSINESS READY MIX CONCRETE FOR EVERY PURPOSE A DIVISION OF A. G. KURTZ & SONS INC. •Crushed Stone •Ready Mixed Concrete •Asphalt Paving • QUALITY CONTROLLED CONCRETE • RADIO EQUIPPED FLEET « MIX UNIFORMITY THRU AUTOMATION • SATURDAY MORNING DEUVERY Prompt Courteous Service DENVER RD#3 . . . PHONE 215-267-7591 You Heard? By Doris Thomas all inspected birds are graded. The inspection label is a round mark, the grade label is a shield-shaped mark. Inspection represents wholesomeness, grading represents quality. Plan For Thawing Time. Plan your schedule far enough <n advance to allow time for proper thawing of the turkey. There are three recommended thawing procedures so choose one that best suits your needs. One way is to puncture the original moisture-proof wrapper and thaw in the refrigerator. Allow two to four days for defrosting (about 24 hours for every 5 pounds). Another method is to place the bird, still in its original wrapper, under cold running water. Allow six to eight hours for-a medium size bird. Room-temperature thawing is recommended if proper methods are used. Leave the turkey in the original wrapper and place in a closed paper bag. The paper bag permits complete thawing with safe surface temperature. Large turkeys will require about 16 hours. DO NOT thaw frozen, pre stuffed turkeys. TURKEYS WITH CONVENIENCE FEATURES Today’s turkey’s come with a variety of con venience features. You may already appreciate time saving, self-basting turkeys, ready-stuffed birds and boil in-the-bag slices with gravy. But food researchers con tinue to seek new ways to make cooking easier. One new item is a turkey that cooks in its own clear bag. The package has a seam, held together by special glue, which breaks open a haf-hour before the turkey is, done to permit browning. Since the package turkey cooks by the steam method, cooking time is reduced. However, the packaging prohibits stuffing the bird and storing the giblets inside the turkey. Another convenience item on the market is a turkey with a built-in thermometer that pops up when the turkey is fully cooked. However, these thermometers aren’t entirely reliable and you should use them only as a guide. Your holiday turkey doesn’t have to be traditional. Try some of the new turkey products on the market. THANKSGIVING DINNER SERVE IT SAFELY The dining room table may seat only 6 or 8, but somehow, families find ways to stretch the food and the table space at Thanksgiving. That’s part of the tradition! Entertaining a large family gathering is fun but it needs to be done safely, too. Roast turkey—the favorite Thanksgiving entree— is a perishable food. Always thaw a frozen turkey in the refrigerator. If you must thaw it more quickly, put in a waterproof plastic bag, seal tightly, and defrost in cold water. Thawing frozen poultry at room temperature gives bacteria a chance to grow. This is especially true with large frozen turkeys because of the long time it takes them to thaw com pletely. Cook turkey thoroughly, to an internal temperature of 180-190 degrees F. Never partially cook it and finish cooking later. Bacteria can survive m partially cooked poultry. Cook turkey stuffing inside a warm turkey, cook until the meat thermometer in serted into the stuffing reaches at least 165 degrees F. Never stuff turkey the night before cooking. Do not thaw commercially frozen stuffed poultry before baking. Put it directly into the oven. Refrigerate turkey lef tovers immediately. Remove all stuffiogf store Do not let these foods stand separately. *' at room temperature more Scalloped oysters— than two hours, another holiday favorite in Can perishable foods such some households—are also as seafood, poultry, and highly perishable. Keep cooked meats be kept HOT them refrigerated or frozen (above 140 degrees F)? until just before cooking. In Bacteria grow best in serving, keep them HOT lukewarm foods. Never let (above 140 degreesF). Serve these foods stand at room quickly; refrigerate lef- - temperature more than two tovers immediately. hours. Can you prepare and serve Holiday meals are fun but the food to avoid foodbofhe need careful planning. How illness? Your family may many people can you safely enjoy meals every day serve? And, how much tune without problems, but on will it take to prepare the holidays when large groups food? Don’t try to feed more get together, the types and people than you can handle. larger quantities of foods . present different problems. [Conhnued on Pa * e 57 1 You may not have enough refrigerator space Bacteria cair cause food poisoning. All they need to grow is the right com bination of time, tem perature, and moisture. Foodborne illness can cause diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and other unpleasant symptoms which can last several hours or even days. With young children and elderly people, the results can be more severe. Often, people mistake foodborne illness for simple “bug” or virus. The real cause may be food that was not properly handled, prepared, or served. This can be prevented. Can perishable foods such as cream pies, seafoods, and dishes made with eggs, fish, meat, and poultry be kept COLEi (below 40 degrees F)? FEED STORAGE AND FLEX AUGER DEUVERY SYSTEM The Original Flex Auger Delivering Up To 2400 lbs. Per Hr. OR The NEW "Hi-C" Flex Auger Delivering Up To 6000 lbs. Per Hr. Agri Equip., Inc. offers complete • SALES • INSTALLATION • SERVICE AUTHORIZED DISTRIBUTOR ON ALL CHORE- TIME EQUIPMENT RD2 Ephrata, PA 17522 (Farmersville) FARMERS - DEALERS TONS OF NEW BELTING -1" TO 6' WIDE. RUBBER, COTTON & NYLON 2 TO 8 PLY-ALL LENGTHS SOLD SINGLY OR URGE LOTS MANY VARIOUS USES AROUND THE FARM 1 LB. TO 1,000 LBS. *l.OO per lb. 1.000 to 2,000 lbs. * .75 per lb. 2.000 lbs. and up . 5 .50 per lb. 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