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How to prepare aturkey

Preparing a turkey is often the centerpiece of a special meal, whether it's a holiday gathering or a festive celebration. The thought of cooking a whole turkey might seem intimidating at first, but with the right techniques and some helpful tips, you can achieve a succulent and flavorful roast that will impress your guests. In this article, we will guide you through the step-by-step process of preparing a turkey that is juicy, tender, and bursting with delicious flavors.

Ingredients and Tools:

To prepare a turkey, you will need the following ingredients and tools:

Whole turkey (size depends on the number of servings)

Salt

Pepper

Herbs and spices (such as thyme, rosemary, sage, and paprika)

Butter or oil

A roasting pan with a rack

Meat thermometer

Kitchen twine

Aluminum foil

Step 1: Thawing the Turkey

If using a frozen turkey, ensure it is completely thawed before cooking. Place the turkey in the refrigerator, allowing approximately 24 hours of thawing time per 4-5 pounds of turkey. Remember to remove any giblets or neck from the cavity if they are included.

Step 2: Preparing the Turkey

Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Rinse the turkey under cold water, both inside and out, and pat it dry with paper towels. Season the turkey generously with salt and pepper, both on the outside and inside the cavity.

Step 3: Adding Flavor

Enhance the flavor of your turkey by adding a blend of herbs and spices. You can create a simple herb rub by combining chopped fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, and sage with salt, pepper, and a pinch of paprika. Rub this mixture over the entire surface of the turkey, including under the skin.

Step 4: Trussing the Turkey

To help the turkey cook evenly and retain its shape, trussing is recommended. Using kitchen twine, tie the legs together, tucking the wings under the body. This will help promote even cooking and prevent the turkey from drying out.

Step 5: Adding Moisture and Browning

For a moist and flavorful turkey, consider basting it with melted butter or oil before placing it in the oven. Brush the turkey all over with the melted butter or oil, coating it thoroughly. This step helps keep the meat moist and promotes a beautiful golden brown color during roasting.

Step 6: Roasting the Turkey

Place the turkey on a roasting rack inside a roasting pan. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, without touching the bone. Cover the turkey loosely with aluminum foil, ensuring it is tented to allow airflow. The foil will help prevent excessive browning and keep the turkey moist.

Roast the turkey in the preheated oven based on the weight of the bird. As a general guideline, plan for approximately 15 minutes of cooking time per pound of turkey. However, the most accurate way to determine doneness is by using the meat thermometer. The turkey is cooked when the thermometer registers 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh.

Step 7: Resting and Carving

Once the turkey reaches the desired temperature, remove it from the oven and let it rest for about 20-30 minutes. This resting period allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more flavorful and tender turkey. Tent the turkey loosely with foil during this time to retain the heat.

When it's time to carve, carefully remove the twine and separate the legs and wings from the body. Slice the breast meat and thighs, placing the carved pieces on a platter for serving.

Preparing a turkey may seem daunting, but with the right steps and techniques, you can create a mouthwatering roast that will be the highlight of your meal. By following the steps outlined above, from thawing the turkey to adding flavor, roasting, and carving, you'll achieve a juicy and flavorful turkey that will impress your family and guests. So, gather your ingredients, prepare your turkey with confidence, and enjoy the satisfaction of serving a delicious roast that will make any occasion special.

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Letter to Industry: Marketing of Animal Food Substances as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS)

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is issuing this letter to clarify to animal food component suppliers, animal food makers, and the public when a food material is marketed as Generally Recognized As Safe, or GRAS, then it does not automatically mean that FDA has reviewed or agreed with the regulatory condition of the material. Under sections 201(s) and 409 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, if the planned use of any substance results or could reasonably be expected to result in the material becoming a component or otherwise affecting the characteristics of any substance, the substance would be a food additive and is subject to premarket review and acceptance by FDA, unless its use is GRAS, or otherwise excluded in the definition of a food additive.

A GRAS substance is not subject to premarket review and approval by FDA.  A firm can promote a substance intended for use in animal food based on its own determination that the intended usage is GRAS.  A firm marketing an animal food substance on this basis does this at its own risk.  If FDA decides the intended use of this substance is not GRAS, the material and company marketing it for this particular use may be subject to enforcement action by FDA.

Although not required to do so, companies that have decided that the intended use of a substance in animal food is GRAS could participate in FDA’s GRAS telling pilot program.  On June 4, 2010, FDA announced that it would begin a voluntary pilot program for GRAS alarms for substances added to animal meals.  This program relies on a 1997 proposed GRAS notification principle.  Under FDA’s pilot application, a company can submit to FDA a notice of its claim that a specific use of a substance in animal foods is exempt from the statutory premarket approval requirements for food additives dependent on the notifier’s determination that such use is GRAS.  FDA will assess these notices and will inform each participant (notifier) in writing either that the notice gives a sufficient basis for the GRAS determination (i.e., a “no questions” letter) or that FDA has identified concerns as to whether the intended use of the substance is GRAS.  These letters will be made accessible to the general public on FDA’s website.

A “no questions” letter from FDA is not equal to an affirmation by FDA that the planned use of the substance is GRAS because FDA neither receives nor reviews the comprehensive information that supports the notifier’s GRAS claim.  FDA continuously evaluates the security of substances from the food source, and the agency may become aware of further info about a substance that is advised that raises questions about the protection of a planned use of that substance.  If, after issuing a “no queries ” letter in reaction to your notifier, FDA queries that the GRAS status of their usage of that material, the agency may counsel the notifier and other interested parties of these queries.  In this case, FDA generally expects to advise that the notifier by letter that the agency has identified concerns regarding whether the intended use of the substance is GRAS.  This type of letter would be put in a publicly available file so that other interested persons are aware of FDA’s position.  When appropriate, FDA may take action, including seizure or injunction, to remove from the marketplace an unapproved food additive.

For further info about FDA’s GRAS notification pilot program, for example links to the June 4, 2010, detect and 1997 proposed rule, visit: Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) Notifications.  Questions about FDA’s GRAS telling pilot program may be directed to the Department of Animal Feeds at FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) in 240-453-6879.

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Veterinarians On Socialization Classes for Kittens

A kitty ’s head is a terrible thing to waste.  “It all started when my clients in puppy classes desired equivalent attention to their cats,” says Dr. Kersti Seksel, a veterinary behaviorist at Seaforth, New South Wales, Australia.  “Kittens deserve an education too. ” So, about a decade ago, she started offering what she called Kitty Kindy.  The 1 hour to 90 minute class meets twice and is exclusively for kitties seven to 14 weeks. “I’ve had cats my whole life, and haven't heard of anything so ridiculous,” says a manager of a pet shop in Madison, Wis. “It's ’s a concept for yuppies who have nothing else to do. ” To be sure, he’s not the only person who thinks this way.

A few years back, Dr. Illona Rodan heard about Seksel’s tutoring for tabbies; she immediately imported the program from Down Under to her feline clinic in Madison.  “that I ’m sure people thought I was a bit crazy,” she states.  “But I understood these courses would save lives.  The number one cause of death in indoor cat’s isn’t heart or kidney disease or cancer, it’s people who give up on their cats’ bad behaviour. ”

Surprisingly, Rodan had no issue registering feline students.

“I learned how to instruct Jasper to fetch,” proudly borrows James Schuelke, a 27-year old mill worker in Madison who took the class in the fall of 2003.

Even though he says Jasper’s since forgotten how to fetch, Schuelke says that he ’s happy he went to kitty class.  “I learned about why you shouldn’t play with your cats using your fingers. ”

“It may be cute if they’re little kittens, but it’s not so cute when an adult cat is biting hard on your palms,” instructs Angela Martin Licari, a certified veterinary technician who shares the teaching responsibilities with Rodan.

Veterinary behaviorist Dr. Karen Overall, a researcher in the psychiatry department at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pa.says, “Allow me to share a tragic fact that understand one talks about; countless cats don’t receive the kind of physical exam they should.  In fact, cats don’t, on average, don’t see the vet as often as puppies. ”

Signs of cardiovascular disease in cats are a murmur and rapid heart beat.  When a cat is traumatized, there’s no way to determine what the true heart rate is to hear a murmur.  Vets have to guess if high blood pressure is a consequence of stress or whether it’s a symptom of underlying disease.  In the same way, the wall off blood glucose levels may be a indication of diabetes, but might also be due to the ordeal of visiting the vet.

Typically, those Kitty Kindy’s take place in a vet office.  Seksel says, “At this young age, all you need to do is shed some treats at the carrier.  Kittens are happy to jump indoors.  Now, a visit to the vet office is similar to a party; there are treats and toys, and other cats to play with. ”

Rodan, who's also a past president of the American Association of Feline Practitioners, states Freddy was a kitty who began scratching in all the wrong places.  The owners were angry at Freddy.

Rodan says, “At least with dogs, if you neglect ’t find assistance from your veterinarian for behavior issues, there’s your dog coach.  For cats, folks never had an alternative ” now, there is one.  And even better, that person is a vet or someone working in conjunction with your vet.  As part of the course we answer specific questions, but we surely describe that all cats will need to scratch.  We talk about scratching posts.  Freddy had an article, which explains why the owners couldn’t understand what was happening.  However, the post was carpeting, and Freddy didn’t like using it.  When the owners replaced it with a post wound together with sisal and re-located the kitty scratching post away in the litter box, then Freddy was quite pleased to make use of it. ”

Rodan says that if she wasn’t accessible as a resource, the situation may have worsened, and the bond between the family and Freddy might have disintegrated, with Freddie landing in a refuge.

Rodan is so sold to the concept of courses for kitties; they’ve been included in the American Association of “Feline Practitioners Behavior Guidelines,” that she co-authored with Overall (free to obtain: https://www.aafponline.org/resources/guidelines/Feline_Behavior_Guidelines.pdf).  With vets around America reading these guidelines, kitty courses are bound to catch on.

Maybe.  1 vet sure doesn’t think so.  “Cats don’t want to go to school,” state Dr. Marilyn Mikiciuk, an internal medicine specialist in Alsip, IL, and former president of the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association.  She states that she ’s also concerned about infectious diseases being passed from kitten to kitten.  “You’re starting a Pandora’s Box,” she warns.

Rodan response is that cats have to be vet checked prior to enrolling.  What’s , all kitties are hand-inspected for ringworm and fleas till they’re permitted to interact with all the other students.  In case a litter box is used during a class, it’s immediately trashed.

Seksel, that has been supplying the classes the longest claims, “that I ’ve never had a health problem.  In reality, it’s potential that these kittens really construct their immune systems stronger with vulnerability to other people. ”

Mikiciuk isn’t convinced.  “Imagine if one (kitten) test is negative for feline leukemia, the cat enters the class, and then a second test a couple weeks later demonstrates favorable?  It can happen you know. ”

“Rubbish,” states Dr. Ian Dunbar, of Berkeley, Calif. “Sure, that may happen.  Anything could happen.  The truth is that more cats die since they scrape in the wrong places or miss the (clutter ) box compared to of feline leukemia. ”

Dunbar, a veterinary behaviorist and certified applied behaviorist is credited with pioneering the idea of puppy kindergarten classes in the late 1970s to the1980s.  He states in a few ways socialization classes might even be beneficial for cats.  “They’re inside their entire lives, and that’s nice so they don’t get killed by automobiles.  However they want things to do.  Being socialized to venture out to the world on a harness or in a carrier is wonderful. ”

“Of course, pretty much anything you can train a puppy to do you can train a cat to do ” except that the cat will probably do it better,” Rodan says and laughs.

“The great majority of indoor cats endure terminal coughing,” adds Overall.  “Some cats choose their anxieties out on the curtains or onto themselves (behavior issues like compulsively licking ), but just vegetate, transforming into overweight couch potatoes.  They eat, and if you’re lucky, they use the litter box. ”

It’s not only a matter of teaching cats tricks.  In her course with Rodan, Vicky Freyber of Madison taught her kitty, Cali, to stay from her houseplants.

Sherri Ruppel at Chicago adds, “I know if I had the chance to socialize Bates if he was young, he'd be less anxious and a lot more sociable now.  It'd be worth a whole lot, I suggest Bates is fine ” however he’s sure not happy if something out of the ordinary happens, or perhaps when I have traffic. ”

Don’t worry about applying for a scholarship, the kitty classes are usually inexpensive.  Rodan doesn’t bill her own clients a fee, others pay $10.

Seksel agrees and says graduates of her Kitty Kindy tend to be sociable and better understood by their owners.  Who knows, maybe some day Americans will import Vegemite, too.

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AVMA Honors Congressman Kurt Schrader With 2013 Advocacy Award

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is pleased to recognize U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.) Using its 2013 Advocacy Award for his efforts in championing legislation which benefits the health and welfare of this country ’s creatures and supports the veterinary profession in Congress.  AVMA’s President Dr. Douglas G. Aspros introduced Rep. Schrader together with the award this morning in Washington, D.C.

“While the veterinary profession has many friends over the halls of Congress, the AVMA Advocacy Award admits that individual who has made considerable efforts to progress AVMA’s legislative schedule and advocated on behalf of the veterinary profession,” said Dr. Aspros.  “Dr. Kurt Schrader has shown since day one in Congress to be a diligent and conscientious lawmaker who firmly works to advance initiatives and policies beneficial for the veterinary profession, food safety and animal welfare and health.  Rep. Schrader is a dependable and dependable resource for fellow lawmakers who seek his counsel on topics regarding veterinary medication and small business management, also it gives me great pleasure, on behalf of the profession, to honor him with this award. ”

One of his many accomplishments for the field of veterinary medicine, Rep. Schrader in March introduced a billH.R. 1125--that could make the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) tax-exempt.  This crucial program makes it possible for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide eligible veterinarians with tuition reimbursement in exchange for their service in rural areas of the nation in which there's a lack of food safety and public health veterinarians.  If the program were tax-exempt, the USDA could grant more veterinarians a chance to participate, reducing its deficit circumstances.

In April, Rep. Schrader introduced the Chemical Medication Freedom Act, which will amend the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) allowing veterinarians to transport and distribute controlled substances in the usual course of veterinary practice without needing another registration with the Drug Enforcement Administration.  By amending the CSA in statute, the bill would remove all ambiguity with regard to the way the law is enforced, providing veterinarians the legal capability to utilize the medications they have to treat their animal patients outside of their brick-and-mortar clinics.

Rep. Schrader cosponsored two of AVMA’s high priority statements for animal welfare this Congress, including the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act, which would bar anyone from knowingly attending or inducing a minor to attend a creature fight, along with the Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2013, which will amend the Horse Protection Act by providing federal regulators with additional enforcement authority to prohibit the abusive action of soring horses.  He also continues to advocate for key provisions of veterinary importance to be contained from the House’s version of this Farm Bill, such as a push at the last Congress to establish the aggressive veterinary services grant program that would develop, execute, and sustain health care services.

Rep. Schrader, along with fellow veterinarian and Congressman Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) , based the Medicine Caucus in March, that is directed at educating members of Congress and their staff on the significance that veterinary medicine has in research, public health, animal health and welfare, food safety and the market.  He plays an important role in the House Agriculture Committee, where he serves as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Horticulture, Research, Biotechnology and Foreign Agriculture, and sits on the House Small Business Committee.  To learn more on this congressman, visit his official biography.

To find out more on AVMA’s Advocacy Award, such as the criteria and selection procedure, visit AVMA’s website.

The AVMA, founded in 1863, is one of the earliest and largest veterinary medical organizations in the world, with over 84,000 member veterinarians worldwide engaged in a vast array of professional activities and dedicated to the art and science of veterinary medicine.