Ideal temperature for killing bacteria is more of a spectrum than a hard set number. 165°F is the USDA recommendation because it's idiot-proof. Guarantees that all bacteria will be instantly killed.
But if you pull the bird at 165°F, you've already overcooked the meat and dried out all the juices. Personally I take my poultry out at 150°F, let it sit and naturally rise to 155-157°, and so long as it stays at or above 155 for more than 90 seconds, it's perfectly safe to eat. The number is more like 45 seconds IIRC but I double it just to be safe. Been doing it this way for over a decade and it's never gotten anyone sick.
I agree. Smoked a turkey breast today. 155f, pulled and wrapped in foil and placed in the microwave (as a sealed metal box, not actually used the microwave) for 30 minutes while the sides cooked. You can warm a cup of water before if you really want to keep the heat
My ham has been in the oven for 2 hours and the core temperature is only 70... I don't think it will be ready when "dinner" starts in an hour and a half...
To be fair, this is the first time I've cooked holiday food in my own oven in my own residence... I've never cooked a ham this big before.
Usually the hams you get at the store are already cooked (check to be sure) and you just want it hot. That should give you a little wiggle room there! Whereas a pulled pork or something needs to be brought up to temperature to be technically edible, then held at that temperature for a while so it can be delicious
At this point I'm just going to assume the core was still slightly frozen or close to it when I put it in. I left it to thaw for several days in the refrigerator...
Agreed, which is why I bought a digital thermometer and prob my bird multiple times in different locations and depths to make absolutely sure of this.
Turkey takes hours depending on the size and weight. Chicken is a bit less.
Ducks are usually about five or six pounds and very fatty which means they cook a bit faster than most other birds. I don't normally roast them myself, I cut them into chunks and make a duck soup or stew.
..... and a critical skill for any would be Thanksgiving chef out there .... LEARN TO MAKE TASTY SAVOURY GRAVY! It doesn't matter how well you cook your turkey, chicken or duck, if you don't make a good gravy with it, it won't be fun for anyone.
Do you have a link to the video? or at least a description so that we can find it? I'm always on the lookout for new ways to make gravy ... to me it's the key to any big feast.