When planning your T-day feast, I bet that food safety is nowhere near the top of your list. Luckily WebMD has you covered. So before you become caught up with your guests or in front of the stove, here are some highlights of tips for review.
- Defrost your bird properly. If you will be cooking a frozen turkey this year you need to properly thaw the bird prior to cooking it. Don't thaw it on the kitchen counter! Allow for 24 hours of fridge time per 5 lbs. for thawing. If you opt to thaw your bird in water, use a cold water bath in your sink and change the water every 30 minutes. This may seem time consuming, but it is fast.
- Keep guests (and sticky fingers) out of the kitchen. Thanksgiving occurs just as the cold and flu season begins, so keep your guests away from the food while it is being prepared. This is why appetizers are so important!
- Cook foods to the proper temperature — and use a thermometer. Cooking food to the proper temp will ensure that all harmful bacteria has been killed. Make sure to cook your turkey, stuffing, and side dishes to at 165ºF.
- Refrigerate leftovers within two hours of preparation. When food sits outs for more than two hours in the danger zone — above 40ºF and below 140ºF — it is prime for bacterial growth. Nobody wants bacteria with their leftovers.
Happy thawing, cooking, and eating!
Diane von Furstenberg
Juan Antonio Lopez
Minnetonka
Great tips!
1Thanks for the tips Fit. I need these since I will be preparing the meal myself this year!
2Here are a few more tips to make sure you don't get sick:
1) Let leftovers cool down a bit before putting them in the fridge so they don't bring the temperature of the surrounding foods up. Also, put leftovers in small containers so they cool down quickly in the fridge (I like the Ziploc disposable/reusable containers because they are stackable and fairly flat).
2) Wash your hands as often as you can. Especially since you're probably preparing turkey. Use soap and hot water and be sure that you wash up after touching your bird. Also be sure to clean any surfaces that your raw turkey comes in contact with. Use a solution of about 1 tbsp bleach to about 1/2 gallon of water and rinse it thoroughly.
3) Don't neglect your veggies! Wash them thoroughly with a solution of baking soda and water (it gets rid of pesticide residue and washes germs off too). Rinse them with plain water before you use them so you get all the baking soda off.
4) If you're putting your stuffing IN your bird, make sure it reaches an internal temp of 140. Lots of times, people don't let the stuffing get warm enough and you don't want undercooked stuffing (especially if you put eggs in it). Also, don't stuff your turkey until right before you stick it in the oven so it doesn't breed bacteria.
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