What it is for
Heat unfolds them and they link to each other: they bind, they firm, they build crust. They are one half of the Maillard reaction; sugar is the other.
Where it catches you out
Every protein has its own threshold and none of them are reversible. Egg turns at 82 °C, meat at 70, fish at 55 — once past, there is no coming back.
The knack
Bring the thickest part of turkey meat to 74 °C; do not apply cooked-meat values to raw weight.
Storage and health
How to keep it, and who it suits.
Keeping it
Keep raw turkey refrigerated at 0-4 °C for 1-2 days; freeze at -18 °C for 9 months.
Gluten-free
Plain raw turkey is naturally gluten-free.
Glycaemic index
This ingredient carries no meaningful carbohydrate, so it has no glycaemic index. On its own it will not move blood sugar; what you eat alongside it decides that.
Same family
Eg
EggWhite 62 °C · yolk 65 °C
Be
Red meatMedium 57 °C · collagen melts at 68 °C
Ch
ChickenSafe internal temperature 74 °C
Fi
FishSets at 50–55 °C · dries fast
Ln
LentilProtein 25% · breaks down in 20 min
Ck
ChickpeaProtein 19% · skin dissolves in alkaline water
Wc
White cheesepH 4.6 · 5–7% brine
Bar
Borlotti beans (dry)23% protein · 335 kcal
Kf
White beans (dry)23.4% protein · 333 kcal
Bo
Black-eyed peas (dry)23.5% protein · 336 kcal
Ym
Green lentils (dry)24.6% protein · 352 kcal
Kz
Lamb16.9% protein · 267 kcal
Kuz
Lamb foreshank18.9% protein · 201 kcal
Dk
Beef mince (15% fat)18.6% protein · 215 kcal
Tb
Chicken thigh (skin on)16.5% protein · 221 kcal
Ds
Beef sucuk23.8% protein · 454 kcal
Ps
Pastırma cured beef28.6% protein · 252 kcal
Di
Beef tripe12.1% protein · 85 kcal
Kp
Lamb trotters?
Mm
Sheep intestine?
Ha
European anchovy20.4% protein · 131 kcal
Lv
European sea bass19.5% protein · 128 kcal
Cp
Gilthead sea bream19.1% protein · 130 kcal
Pl
Atlantic bonito20.2% protein · 216 kcal
Md
Mussels (raw meat)11.9% protein · 86 kcal
K4
Fava beans (dry)?
Es
Meat stockCarries gelatine · 4–6 kcal per 100 ml
EggWhite 62 °C · yolk 65 °C
Be
Red meatMedium 57 °C · collagen melts at 68 °C
Ch
ChickenSafe internal temperature 74 °C
Fi
FishSets at 50–55 °C · dries fast
Ln
LentilProtein 25% · breaks down in 20 min
Ck
ChickpeaProtein 19% · skin dissolves in alkaline water
Wc
White cheesepH 4.6 · 5–7% brine
Bar
Borlotti beans (dry)23% protein · 335 kcal
Kf
White beans (dry)23.4% protein · 333 kcal
Bo
Black-eyed peas (dry)23.5% protein · 336 kcal
Ym
Green lentils (dry)24.6% protein · 352 kcal
Kz
Lamb16.9% protein · 267 kcal
Kuz
Lamb foreshank18.9% protein · 201 kcal
Dk
Beef mince (15% fat)18.6% protein · 215 kcal
Tb
Chicken thigh (skin on)16.5% protein · 221 kcal
Ds
Beef sucuk23.8% protein · 454 kcal
Ps
Pastırma cured beef28.6% protein · 252 kcal
Di
Beef tripe12.1% protein · 85 kcal
Kp
Lamb trotters?
Mm
Sheep intestine?
Ha
European anchovy20.4% protein · 131 kcal
Lv
European sea bass19.5% protein · 128 kcal
Cp
Gilthead sea bream19.1% protein · 130 kcal
Pl
Atlantic bonito20.2% protein · 216 kcal
Md
Mussels (raw meat)11.9% protein · 86 kcal
K4
Fava beans (dry)?
Es