ROANOKE, Va. – After asking people on my Facebook page, I found that 80% of respondents cook turkey on Thanksgiving while 20% cook ham.
What you might not know is how differences in elevations may impact the bird. We don't want your turkey coming out like Catherine's in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. So, we're here to help!
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In higher elevations, the air pressure is lower. This means that water boils at a lower temperature. (At sea level, water boils at 212°F.)
Meat and poultry have very high water content, which makes them susceptible to changes in elevation.
This leads to a longer cooking time, which could lead to a drier turkey. At an elevation of 5,000 feet, it can take 25% longer to cook certain meats and poultry.
Many of us are below the 5,000 foot level. Let's say you have a 22-pound turkey. For each pound, it takes about 13-15 minutes to cook. That puts cooking time between 286 and 330 minutes. 25% of that means it would take 71 to 82 minutes longer.
At Bent Mountain or Hillsville's elevations, it would take an additional 35-40 minutes to cook your turkey. Meanwhile, in Danville, Lynchburg or Roanoke, you're hardly impacted, as each location is only 500 to 1,000 feet above sea level.
Given the extra cooking time, you can cover the turkey to retain moisture. You can also add water to the lower rack of the oven.
The increased evaporation from the added water will put moisture into the air surrounding the turkey. This will help prevent things from drying up.
The USDA recommends having a meat thermometer, frequently checking the temperature of "the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast." A safe temperature is 165°F.
Source: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/shared/PDF/High_Altitude_Cooking_and_Food_Safety.pdf