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GEORGIA AG NEWS, December 2011
Georgian elected as FFA National officer INDIANAPOLIS — Cain Thurmond of Jefferson, Ga., has been elected to serve as National FFA Southern Region vice president. The election was held during the recent 84th National FFA Convention. Thurmond, the son of Phil and Susie Thurmond, is a freshman at the University of Georgia majoring in agricultural and applied economics. He is a member of the Jefferson High School FFA chapter in Jefferson, Ga., led by Ken Bray, David Calloway and Cliff Tippens. As part of the national officer team, Thurmond and his fellow officers for the next year will collectively travel more than 100,000 miles throughout the country as they engage leaders in business, government and education; and lead personal
growth and leadership training seminars for FFA members. The team will also help set policies that will shape the future of the National FFA Organization and promote agricultural literacy in general. Nominees for national office must first qualify at the state level to represent their state FFA association. At the national FFA convention, candidates participate in five rounds of interviews, take an in-depth written test and complete two writing exercises. A panel of nine state FFA officers comprises a nominating committee that recommends the six national FFA officers to a group of 450 FFA convention delegates. Other national FFA officers are from New Mexico, Minnesota, New York, Wisconsin and Idaho.
•Thomas (Continued from page 12)
At the farmers market, the tomato is picked ripe on the day that is sold to you. I’ve noticed that there are a good number of regulars at the market. These folks come by week after week. Some are anxiously awaiting the first tomato, the first corn and the first picking of okra. Some are buying just enough for a dinner or two, and some are buying boxes and bushels for canning. To all of you (and you know who you are) I want to give my biggest thanks and ask that you keep on supporting our local farmers. For those of you who come by occasionally, I would like to ask that you commit to making a weekly visit to our local farmers markets part of your routine. It is more than just a shopping trip; it’s a social event. You get to talk to the people who grow your food, and while you’re there you run into friends and neighbors. Share some time walking around in the fresh air and sunshine and catch up with what’s going on around town. By immersing yourself in a community activity you become more a part of your community. In the three years that I’ve been managing the Downtown Market, I believe that I have met just about everybody in Gainesville and made many friendships that will last for years to come. So, next year please make a local farmers market a part of your weekly social life. You will benefit, our farmers will benefit and our community will benefit, too. And thank you all for another wonderful year.
•Tips (Continued from page 8)
Even so, you may have to strain the mixture to remove larger portions. For whole turkeys, inject 60 percent marinade deep into the breast muscles, 30 percent into the leg and thigh muscles and 10 percent into the meaty wing section. Do not inject the marinade just under the skin as a water-based marinade will result in the hot oil popping and splattering. Remove any excess fat around the neck to allow the oil to flow through the turkey. Remove the wire or plastic truss that holds the legs in place (if applicable). Cut off the wing tips up to the first joint and cut off the tail. Remove the pop-up timer from the breast (if applicable). Do not stuff turkeys for deep frying. To reduce spattering, thoroughly dry the interior and exterior of the bird. After adding marinades and/or seasonings, place the turkey in a clean roasting pan on the countertop for no
more than 30 minutes to 45 minutes. This allows the marinades and seasonings to permeate the turkey and raises the turkey’s internal temperature so as to create less splatter during the frying process.
Test for doneness Remove the turkey and check the internal temperature with a food thermometer. The internal temperature should be 165 degrees F to 170 degrees F in the breast and 175 degrees F to 180 degrees F in the thigh. Additional safety tips Never leave the turkey fryer unattended during the heating, cooking and cooling process. Keep children and pets away from the cooking area at all times. Allow the oil to cool completely before disposing or storing. Immediately wash hands, utensils, equipment and surfaces that have come in contact with raw turkey. Turkey should be consumed immediately and leftovers stored in the refrig-
erator within two hours of cooking.
Oil selection Only oils that have high smoke points should be used. Such oils include peanut, refined canola, corn oil and sunflower. Canola oil is low in saturated fats and would be appropriate to combine with peanut oil if fat and cholesterol are a concern. Oil filtering These high smoke-point oils allow reusing the oil with proper filtration. Depending on the recipe used, remember to filter the oil . . . not just strain it. Allow the oil to cool overnight in the covered pot. The first step is to strain the cooled oil through a fine strainer. If a breading, spice or herb rub are used in the preparation of the turkey, it will be necessary to further filter the oil through fine cheesecloth. Oil storage Oil should be covered and refrig-
erated to prevent it from becoming rancid. Peanut oil is more perishable than other oils and must be stored in the refrigerator if kept longer than one month. Peanut oil may even be frozen. The oil will thicken when it is chilled, but will return to its original consistency when reheated. The oil will also develop a cloudy appearance that may remain when brought back to room temperature and will only clear up temporarily while heated. The oil may remain in the refrigerator for several months or until signs of deterioration begin.
Oil shelf life According to the Texas Peanut Producers Board, peanut oil may be used three or four times to fry turkeys before signs of deterioration begin. Such indications include foaming, darkening or smoking excessively, indicating the oil must be discarded. Other signs of deteriorated oil include a rancid smell and/or failure to bubble when food is added. More information on deep frying turkey with peanut oil can be found at http:// www.louana.com and www.crisco.com.