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Food Safety Advice for Busy Thanksgiving Hosts
/ Hostesses
Posted on November 20, 2010
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 Seasoned chefs and
rookies hosting their first Thanksgiving gatherings are
all feeling undeniable pressure this time of year. The
sentimentality and anticipation of this American holiday
make it one that no cook wants to ruin for families and
guests, and preparing a turkey, the cornerstone of most
Thanksgiving meals, that does not disappoint can be
daunting. USDA's Food Safety & Inspection Service (FSIS)
has a few pointers for anxious cooks to ensure that your
turkey (or chicken, goose, or other poultry) is cooked
safely and remembered for the right reasons—not because
someone developed a foodborne illness.
"During this busy
time of year, it is important to remember that safety
comes first," recommends Dr. Elisabeth Hagen, Under
Secretary for Food Safety. "When preparing Thanksgiving
foods, take a minute to make sure you have a food
thermometer and plan ahead so that you can fully and
safely enjoy this holiday meal."
One Week in Advance: Get your turkey ready to
cook!
Cooks buying a frozen turkey should make their
purchase a few days in advance to allow time for
thawing. If you plan to buy a fresh turkey, don't buy it
too soon. Fresh, unfrozen poultry should be kept in the
refrigerator no more than two days before cooking. This
is also a good time to make sure you have a food
thermometer for the big day. If not, pick up one at the
store when you purchase your turkey.
The optimal, but most time consuming, place to thaw
poultry is the refrigerator. Leave the frozen bird in
its original wrapper, and place it on a tray to catch
any juices that may leak from the package. Bacteria in
meat juices can cross-contaminate other foods that will
be eaten without further cooking or that are already
cooked, possibly causing foodborne illness. Allow
approximately 24 hours of thawing time for every four to
five pounds of frozen poultry. Thawed poultry can remain
in the refrigerator for 1-2 days before cooking.
If it's the day before Thanksgiving and your turkey
is still in the freezer, or if there's no room in the
refrigerator for thawing, don't panic! You can thaw your
turkey by the cold water method. Submerge the turkey in
a container with enough cold water to cover the bird,
and change the water every 30 minutes. Calculate 30
minutes per pound of poultry for thawing time.
As a last resort, cook your turkey or chicken from
the frozen state. It will thaw and cook in one step, but
it will require 50% additional cooking time. The
drawback: you can't stuff a frozen bird.
One to Two Days in Advance: Pick your stuffing
method.
Turkey's most constant accompaniment, stuffing,
requires the same food safety caution in its preparation
as the bird itself. Bread stuffing, stuffing made from
cornbread or rice, stuffing cooked inside the bird or
browned in a casserole, or any other variation that your
family likes is safest when prepared just before
cooking. The dry and wet ingredients for stuffing can be
prepared separately ahead of time and chilled, but not
mixed until time to cook. The stuffing should be moist,
not dry, because heat destroys bacteria more rapidly in
a moist environment.
Baking stuffing outside the turkey in a casserole
dish is the safest method and provides busy cooks with
more flexibility to prepare ahead. If you don't plan to
stuff your turkey, it is safe to prepare and immediately
freeze or bake the mixture. Never stuff poultry with
frozen or pre-cooked stuffing! When needed, cook frozen
stuffing directly from the frozen state without thawing
first, and heat frozen or pre-baked stuffing to a safe
internal temperature of 165 °F before serving.
Thanksgiving Day: Heat it up!
Place your raw bird, stuffed or unstuffed, in a
preheated oven set to 325 °F or higher. The turkey must
reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F, as
measured with a food thermometer in the innermost part
of the thigh, the wing, the thickest part of the breast,
and the stuffing in order to destroy bacteria that could
be present. Bacteria can survive in poultry or
stuffing—whether cooked inside or outside the
turkey—that has not reached 165 °F, and it may cause
foodborne illness.
All poultry meat, including any that remains pink, is
safe to eat as soon as all parts reach at least 165 °F.
For personal preference, cooks may choose to cook
poultry to higher temperatures. When whole, stuffed
poultry is removed from the oven, let it stand 20
minutes before removing the stuffing and carving the
bird.
Right after Dinner: "Chill out" immediately.
After dinner is a wonderful time to relax with
guests, but busy cooks should not "chill" until the
leftovers do. Bacteria spread fastest at temperatures
between 40 °F and 140 °F, so quickly chilling food after
a meal reduces the risk of foodborne illness.
After Thanksgiving dinner, cut the leftover poultry
into small pieces. Place the stuffing and poultry in
shallow containers and refrigerate (40 °F or below) or
freeze (0 °F or below) the poultry and stuffing within 2
hours after cooking. Use refrigerated leftovers within
three to four days, or freeze them. Reheat leftovers to
a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F or until
hot and steaming.
(Source: USDA)
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