Don’t Be a Turkey: Top Five Cooking Tips for a Safe Thanksgiving

Whether it’s your first time cooking Thanksgiving dinner or you’ve been doing it for years, the last thing you want is to leave your family and friends with lingering memories of food poisoning. Every year in the U.S., an estimated one in six people (or 48 million) get sick at Thanksgiving. The culprit also happens to be the star of the show – the turkey. Improper thawing and cooking leads to bacteria growth that can make people sick.

Thankfully, there are some simple things you can do to help safely prepare, cook and store your Thanksgiving meal.

1. Don’t defrost your turkey on the kitchen counter

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, any meat or poultry left at room temperature for more than two hours can reach dangerous temperature levels where bacteria can grow. While the inside of the turkey might still be frozen, the outer layers can pose a risk.

Practice these safe defrosting methods for a perfectly cool bird:

• Refrigerator: Place your frozen turkey in the refrigerator to thaw allowing 24 hours for every four to five pounds. Once completely thawed, it’s safe in the refrigerator for another day or two.
• Cold Water: Submerge your turkey in chilly water for about 30 minutes per pound. Keep it in the original wrapping and change the water every half hour. When thawed, your turkey is ready to cook immediately.

2. Your turkey likes it hot, 165 degrees (internal temp) to be exact

It might be tempting to cook your turkey overnight at a low temperature, but all meat and poultry should be cooked in an oven above 325 F. And while pop-up timers work well, they only measure one location on the turkey.

A turkey is fully cooked when its internal temperature reaches 165 F. It’s best to get a temperature reading with an internal thermometer in three places: the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the wing and the deepest part of the thigh.

3. Raw meat does not play well with other foods

The juices from a raw turkey can cross-contaminate other foods during food prep, so it’s important to keep them separate. When cutting, chopping and handling food, use separate knives, cutting boards and utensils for raw meat than you use for fruits and vegetables.

It’s also best to clean and sanitize surfaces that came in contact with raw turkey. Bacteria is easily spread by your hands on countertops, sinks and tabletops. Wash your hands, wipe the surfaces clean and then sanitize them. To make an easy DIY sanitizer dilute a tablespoon of bleach in five cups of water.

4. Don’t let food wither away on the buffet

Foods on a buffet should follow the two-hour rule unless you’re making efforts to keep them hot and cold. Food sitting at room temperature for more than two hours should be thrown away, one hour if the temperature is above 90 F. If you are replenishing a dish, don’t add fresh food to a half-empty dish that has been sitting. Replace it with a new dish full of fresh food.

To keep the buffet fresher longer, remove your food from the refrigerator or oven as close to serving time as possible. Smaller portions refreshed more frequently will also help maintain consistent temperatures.

Aiming for temperatures of 140 F for warm items and 40 F or cooler for cold items will help to keep bacteria at bay. Following these guidelines will allow guests to enjoy a safe Thanksgiving buffet throughout the day.

5. Put it away, but only for four days

Leftovers are the Thanksgiving gift that keeps on giving. They are best stored in shallow containers in the refrigerator where they’re good for about four days. For safe Thanksgiving leftovers beyond four days, place them in the freezer where they’ll keep their flavor for two to six months.

If leftovers look or smell questionable, it’s best to toss them. A general rule to follow is when in doubt, throw it out.

For more food safety information, you can contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or email MPHotline@usda.gov.

Lehigh Valley Health Network wishes everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving!