Why does the temperature of resting turkey increase for a while?
I have seen many references to the temperature of turkey increasing for a while when resting. This would seem to contradict the first law of thermodynamics.
Best Answer
Not at all.
If we measure the temperature of a “lump of meat” that’s to be roasted, we place the tip of the probe at the center or the thickest part of the roast. Oven temperature is usually way hotter than the temperature we are trying to reach at the core, which means the outside will be nice and crisp (see Maillard reaction).
Meat is a relatively bad conductor of heat, so you get a quite steep temperature gradient, or plainly said, the outside starts browning while the center is still cool. Part of the art of roasting meat is to achieve the balance between juicy and cooked interior and browned, but not burnt exterior.
But back to your question: When you pull your turkey from the oven, it will have the aforementioned temperature gradient. As we all know, this will tend to even out and for the coldest spot (where the probe is), it means getting warmer (while the outer areas get cooler, just as stipulated in the first law of thermodynamics). For a cook, it also means to factor in this so-called “carry-over cooking” and pull the bird slightly before the desired core temperature is reached. Note that in cooking and baking, temperatures of dishes are typically given for the coldest spot.
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Quick Answer about "Why does the temperature of resting turkey increase for a while?"
Generally, the larger the mass of the meat, the more the temperature at the core will rise during resting. This carryover cooking is due to the latent heat that is already traveling through the meat toward the cooler center.Will a turkey temp rise while resting?
According to the Department of Agriculture, a turkey must reach 165 degrees F to be safe, but you can take it out of the oven as low as 160 degrees F because the temperature will rise at it rests. 1. Use a digital, instant read thermometer for the most-accurate results.Can you let a turkey rest too long?
Can You Rest A Turkey For Too Long? In theory, yes. It's best not to let the bird rest for longer than 1 hour, because past a certain point, the meat will begin to cool off. So if you want to serve a piping-hot turkey dinner, a resting period of 45 minutes to 1 hour is preferable.How long does it take for turkey temperature to rise?
Note also that there is usually at least a 10-degree increase in temperature that comes in the 30 minutes between removing the bird from the oven and carving it.Does turkey go cold when resting?
Every year we field the same question from readers: Won't my turkey get cold if I let it rest the standard 30 minutes before serving? The answer: not in the least. Letting turkey rest is essential to allow its juices to redistribute so that the meat is juicier when you carve it.Turkey Tips - Verifying Pull Temperatures in Your Turkey
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