I was wondering can you cook a whole breast of young turkey without a meat thermometer?

Answer 1

Absolutely, about 20 minutes per pound.

Answer 2

How do you think Escoffier did it? Meat thermometers are recent inventions.

To tell whether chicken or turkey is fully cooked I normally "waggle" a leg. A fully cooked bird's leg will move very freely. As you're cooking just the breast you can't do this. So the other method is to poke it (deep) with a skewer to let some of the juices run out. Underdone poultry runs very slightly pink - as long as the juices flow clear and golden the bird is cooked. If no juices run out you've overcooked it!

One key thing to watch out for, if you're using frozen turkey, is to make sure that its THOROUGHLY defrosted before you cook it.

Answer 3

I dont use a thermometer when cooking any meats or joints.
Use a knif and pierce the breast in the thickest part and pull out, if the juices run clear it is cooked. Also 20 minutes per Lb {pound} plus 20 minutes is the guideline.

Answer 4

yeah you could use the old finger test for firmness method. basically the more cooked the meat is the firmer it feels.If you have a pan of hot stock or gravy sitting on your stove you can take the breast out allow it to rest for 15 -20 minutes, slice it and then if need be continue to cook it in the hot liquid

Answer 5

You can, but you shouldn't, especially if you are not an experienced cook. The best way to know when poultry is safely cooked is to take the internal temperature. So get yourself a thermometer.

Answer 6

Of course you can. As with most poultry, you can gauge cooking by 30 minutes per pound. It is important to cook it in a roasting bag or tighly covered to avoid drying the meat out. Since I am a retired chef, hope you trust my answer:)

Answer 7

yes you can, but you have to know what you are doing
if you have to ask this question,you shouldn't try