High-Flying Bird
Conclusions written immediately following the Thanksgiving battle: --turkey debriefing at an altitude of 6,000 feet.
(At high altitudes,) a 16-pound turkey with stuffing under its skin needs to be basted with butter (for browning) one hour before completion, not at the start of cooking.
A meat thermometer inserted at the thickest part of the breast alongside the breast bone should read at completion 150 degrees, not 155 to 160 degrees as at sea level.
At an oven temperature of 350 degrees a turkey of this size should be moist and safely cooked through in 3 hours and 30 minutes.
The turkey only needs to stand for 10 minutes before carving, not 20 minutes as at sea level.
Further adjustments will be reported to the editor after the Christmas campaign.
--STEPHEN GOLDBLATT
Sundance, Utah
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