Comments on: Enjoy a healthy Christmas turkey! Roast for 40 minutes per kg at 190°C http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/12/15/healthy_christmas_turkey/ Commentary on the measurement muddle in the UK Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:23:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.5 by: Sean Weisthal http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/12/15/healthy_christmas_turkey/#comment-8198 Wed, 02 Jan 2008 11:33:12 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/12/15/healthy_christmas_turkey/#comment-8198 I was referring to larger birds within the context of the item and I was also referring to bathroom scales which you correctly picked up. I was referring to larger birds within the context of the item and I was also referring to bathroom scales which you correctly picked up.

]]> by: Martin Vlietstra http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/12/15/healthy_christmas_turkey/#comment-8120 Mon, 31 Dec 2007 19:01:48 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/12/15/healthy_christmas_turkey/#comment-8120 I am sure that Sean meant bathroom scales and not kitchen scales. On my bathroom scales, I can weigh myself to the nearest 0.2 kg if I use the metric units, but only to the nearest 1 lb if I use imperial units. Using my scales and the method described by Sean we could get an error of almost 1 lb which is 10% for a smallish bird! The reason that my scales only display weights to the nearest pound is that that have four digits - two of which are taken up for the stones part of the measurement and the other two for the pounds part. I am sure that Sean meant bathroom scales and not kitchen scales. On my bathroom scales, I can weigh myself to the nearest 0.2 kg if I use the metric units, but only to the nearest 1 lb if I use imperial units. Using my scales and the method described by Sean we could get an error of almost 1 lb which is 10% for a smallish bird!

The reason that my scales only display weights to the nearest pound is that that have four digits - two of which are taken up for the stones part of the measurement and the other two for the pounds part.

]]> by: Sean Weisthal http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/12/15/healthy_christmas_turkey/#comment-8113 Mon, 31 Dec 2007 15:26:50 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/12/15/healthy_christmas_turkey/#comment-8113 Considering we are talking safety here - one way of finding out the mass of the turkey, if one wants to use lbs and it's not on the label, is to weigh oneself on an accurate set of kitchen scales with and without the bird. The issue tends to be almost the same as new-borns (babies in lb,oz). The tradional habits are passed down each generation. Considering we are talking safety here - one way of finding out the mass of the turkey, if one wants to use lbs and it’s not on the label, is to weigh oneself on an accurate set of kitchen scales with and without the bird.

The issue tends to be almost the same as new-borns (babies in lb,oz). The tradional habits are passed down each generation.

]]> by: michael hughes http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/12/15/healthy_christmas_turkey/#comment-7854 Mon, 24 Dec 2007 21:28:21 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/12/15/healthy_christmas_turkey/#comment-7854 Metric good. Another nice little tip so that you can have stuffing and a well cooked bird; depending on the size of your bird stick a glass bottle in its bottom and stuff around it (open end pointing out). This allows the hot air in the oven to penetrate deep into the bird and so kill those naughty bacteria. Have a great christmas Metric good. Another nice little tip so that you can have stuffing and a well cooked bird; depending on the size of your bird stick a glass bottle in its bottom and stuff around it (open end pointing out). This allows the hot air in the oven to penetrate deep into the bird and so kill those naughty bacteria.

Have a great christmas

]]> by: Ezra Steinberg http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/12/15/healthy_christmas_turkey/#comment-7736 Thu, 20 Dec 2007 18:21:48 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/12/15/healthy_christmas_turkey/#comment-7736 Nonetheless, I notice that Imperial (for both weight and temperature) are given in many parts of the articles. More muddle, to be sure. Nonetheless, I notice that Imperial (for both weight and temperature) are given in many parts of the articles.

More muddle, to be sure.

]]> by: Philip Bladon/SI Metric-Matters http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/12/15/healthy_christmas_turkey/#comment-7729 Thu, 20 Dec 2007 09:04:58 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/12/15/healthy_christmas_turkey/#comment-7729 The ultimate turkey feast: No kilojoules shown. ‘Calories 368 18% of your guideline daily amount’ For example see: http://www.tesco.com/todayattesco/06_03_11_tutf_01.shtml Roast turkey with lemon, thyme and potato stuffing. Each serving contains: ‘Calories 368 18% of your guideline daily amount’ And see: http://www.tesco.com/health/food/food_labelling/labels.page? It’s sad that these GDA energy values are not shown in the SI unit ‘kilojoule’ (kJ). For food 1 Calorie is the same as 1 kilocalorie; this is confusing. It would be helpful to archive ‘Calories’ and ‘kilocalories’ and use only ‘kilojoules’. Philip Bladon /www.simetricmatters.com The ultimate turkey feast: No kilojoules shown.
‘Calories 368 18% of your guideline daily amount’

For example see:
http://www.tesco.com/todayattesco/06_03_11_tutf_01.shtml

Roast turkey with lemon, thyme and potato stuffing. Each serving contains:
‘Calories 368 18% of your guideline daily amount’
And see:
http://www.tesco.com/health/food/food_labelling/labels.page?

It’s sad that these GDA energy values are not shown in the SI unit ‘kilojoule’ (kJ).

For food 1 Calorie is the same as 1 kilocalorie; this is confusing.
It would be helpful to archive ‘Calories’ and ‘kilocalories’ and use only ‘kilojoules’.

Philip Bladon /www.simetricmatters.com

]]> by: Crooked Miles http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/12/15/healthy_christmas_turkey/#comment-7684 Wed, 19 Dec 2007 11:50:36 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/12/15/healthy_christmas_turkey/#comment-7684 It is a sign of progress that although Nigella Lawson and the Food Standards Agency are debating the cooking times needed for turkeys, they are doing so in metric. See http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23428536-details/Health+warning+over+Nigella%27s+express+turkey/article.do It is a sign of progress that although Nigella Lawson and the Food Standards Agency are debating the cooking times needed for turkeys, they are doing so in metric. See http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23428536-details/Health+warning+over+Nigella%27s+express+turkey/article.do

]]> by: Phil Hall http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/12/15/healthy_christmas_turkey/#comment-7637 Tue, 18 Dec 2007 21:27:11 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/12/15/healthy_christmas_turkey/#comment-7637 Very good advice! I would like to suggest one minor variant on the subject of bird weights in fractions of a kilogram. 40 minutes per kg means 4 minutes per 100 g Bird weights are not typically quoted in 250 g intervals So for example the 5.8 kg turkey shown in the picture would need (5 x 40) + (8 x 4) minutes, or in other words 200 + 32 minutes (which can be rounded to 230 minutes, it's not all that precise but the arithmetic gives a reasonable starting point). I would like to stress though that the real safety factor lies in knowing when a bird is properly cooked from inspection. The calculated roasting times are fine (particularly in metric which makes it much easier) but they are only an approximate guide, which is essential for planning purposes. There are many other factors that vary with individual ovens so keep checking at reasonable intervals. Very good advice!

I would like to suggest one minor variant on the subject of bird weights in fractions of a kilogram. 40 minutes per kg means 4 minutes per 100 g Bird weights are not typically quoted in 250 g intervals So for example the 5.8 kg turkey shown in the picture would need (5 x 40) + (8 x 4) minutes, or in other words 200 + 32 minutes (which can be rounded to 230 minutes, it’s not all that precise but the arithmetic gives a reasonable starting point).

I would like to stress though that the real safety factor lies in knowing when a bird is properly cooked from inspection. The calculated roasting times are fine (particularly in metric which makes it much easier) but they are only an approximate guide, which is essential for planning purposes. There are many other factors that vary with individual ovens so keep checking at reasonable intervals.

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