A food worker is cooking a turkey roast for a catering event and needs to verify doneness. Where should the thermometer be placed to measure the cooking temperature?

• A. In the thickest part of the roast
• B. In the outer edge
• C. In the wing
• D. In the bone

Answer: (A)

Verifying doneness relies on measuring the meat’s interior, in the part of the roast that takes the longest to cook. For a turkey roast, place the thermometer in the thickest part of the roast, with the tip in the center of the meat and not touching bone, fat, or gristle. This location ensures you’re reading the actual internal temperature, which must reach 165°F (74°C) to be safe. Reading near the outer edge can give a falsely high reading because the surface heats faster, and reading in a bone can skew the result due to heat conduction. The wing isn’t representative of the roast’s overall doneness. If the roast is large, check several spots to confirm even cooking, then allow it to rest before carving.