Warm-up
Take a moment to think about all the ingredients you believe are necessary for cooking a turkey. Consider both the main ingredients and any seasonings or side items that complement the turkey.
Turkey Trivia Questions
Here are some fun trivia questions about turkeys and Thanksgiving, along with their answers:
What is the average weight of a Thanksgiving turkey?
Answer: The average weight of a Thanksgiving turkey is typically between 12 to 14 pounds.
Which U.S. president declared Thanksgiving a national holiday?
Answer: Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863.
What is the most popular side dish served with turkey on Thanksgiving?
Answer: Mashed potatoes are often considered the most popular side dish served with turkey.
What percentage of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving?
Answer: Approximately 88% of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving.
What is the name of the traditional ceremony where a turkey is pardoned by the President of the United States?
Answer: The ceremony is known as the “National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation.”
Which state is the largest producer of turkeys in the United States?
Answer: Minnesota is the largest producer of turkeys in the U.S.
What is the term for the day after Thanksgiving, which is known for shopping sales?
Answer: The day after Thanksgiving is known as “Black Friday.”
What is the traditional dessert served at Thanksgiving, often made with a specific type of squash?
Answer: Pumpkin pie.
Video
Watch the video and solve the vocabulary task first.
Vocabulary
Questions
Now watch the video again and answer the questions.
- What temperature should the oven be set to when cooking the turkey?
- How long does the turkey need to thaw before cooking?
- What steps should be taken to prepare the turkey before cooking?
- What ingredients are used to make the compound butter, and what is the purpose of the compound butter?
- How should the compound butter be applied to the turkey?
- What are some potential issues that can arise with the turkey skin, and how can they be addressed?
- What other aromatics are added to the turkey cavity, and what is their purpose?
- What did John do to the turkey skin before applying the compound butter mixture?
- Why did John remove the plastic hook that came with the turkey?
- How did John secure the turkey legs together?
- What additional ingredients did John add to the roasting pan?
- How did John baste the turkey during the cooking process?
- Why did John add foil tenting to the turkey towards the end of the cooking time?
- How did John determine when the turkey was fully cooked?
Correct answers
- The oven should be set to 450 degrees.
- The turkey needs to thaw for 2-3 days in advance.
- The turkey should be drained of any juices and patted completely dry before cooking.
- The compound butter is made with 1 cup of softened butter, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1.5 teaspoons of cracked black pepper. The purpose of the compound butter is to infuse the turkey with flavor.
- The compound butter should be rubbed both under and over the turkey’s skin to ensure maximum flavor.
- The turkey skin can sometimes become ripped or damaged, which can cause the turkey to dry out. To address this, the butter can be worked into the skin to help seal in moisture.
- Aromatics such as onion, garlic, rosemary, and sage are added to the turkey cavity to infuse the turkey with additional flavor.
- John dried the turkey skin off before applying the compound butter mixture.
- John removed the plastic hook because they did not want to bake anything with plastic inside the turkey.
- John tied the turkey legs together with kitchen twine.
- John added Rosemary, Sage, onions, and a halved lemon to the roasting pan.
- John basted the turkey every 30 minutes by using a baster or pastry brush to soak the skin with the rendered fat and juices.
- John added foil tenting to the turkey towards the end of the cooking time to prevent the tips from burning or singeing.
- John used a thermometer to check the internal temperature of the turkey, aiming for it to reach 165°F.
