Vol. 19, No. 12

Nov. 18, 1999

Don't try to wing it when
handling holiday turkey

On Thursday, Nov. 25, many American families will sit down to a good, old-fashioned Thanksgiving Day meal. Included in the traditional feast will be mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie, and at the center of it all-a turkey. Americans have been cooking this meal for hundreds of years and think they know how to do it. "Not necessarily," said Sue Snider, UD Cooperative Extension food and nutrition specialist. "If improperly handled, turkey can be a haven for bacteria," Snider cautioned. To avoid the common mistakes, Snider offered four guidelines. Defrosting the turkey A raw turkey can be stored safely in the refrigerator at 40 F for one or two days before use, or in the freezer at 0 F. When it is time to defrost the turkey, use the refrigerator, or submerge the turkey in cold water, but do not lay it out on the kitchen counter, she said. "Bacteria can grow on the surface of the turkey when defrosting on the counter unless it is submerged in cold water," said Snider. "And cooking it does not get rid of some of the toxins bacteria leave behind." To defrost a turkey in the refrigerator, allow one day for every 5 pounds of turkey. If there is room in the refrigerator, keep the bird submerged in water while defrosting. For a quicker defrost outside the refrigerator, submerge the bird in cold water and add ice, or more cold water, every 30 minutes. It takes nine hours to defrost a 16-pound turkey using this method. Cook the turkey promptly after thawing. Preparing the turkey Be extremely careful when preparing the turkey for the oven, Snider said. According to a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), poultry inspection procedures minimize the likelihood of bacteria being present, but some bacteria may linger. Keep raw meat separate from other foods to prevent cross-contamination. Always wash your hands after touching the bird, especially when moving on to prepare something else. Snider also recommends washing the cutting boards, utensils and equipment used during preparations in hot, soapy water. Cooking the turkey Whether it is in foil, in a bag, oven-roasted or cooked on the grill, the important thing to remember is to cook the turkey at an appropriate temperature and cook it thoroughly, Snider said. Do not partially cook a turkey, then store and finish cooking it later. Cooking the bird adequately at a minimum of 325 F is critical, especially when it is stuffed. "I have heard of people who put the turkey in the oven at 200 F and leave it overnight," she said. "They are just asking for trouble because at that temperature bacteria thrive." Snider highly recommends a meat thermometer to measure the temperature. "It's the only sure way you can determine the temperature-especially the temperature of the stuffing inside. You can look at a turkey until its juices run clear, but that's not fool-proof," she said. Cook the turkey to at least 180 F inside. Measure the temperature in the thigh or in the breast, she said. The stuffing should be 165 F, although Snider discourages stuffing the bird because of the bacteria that can lurk in that moist environment. The USDA recommends stuffing the turkey just before cooking it. Mix dry ingredients with the other ingredients immediately prior to stuffing, and remove the stuffing from the bird immediately after cooking. Store the stuffing separate from the meat in the refrigerator. Storing the turkey After the meal, immediately refrigerate the leftovers. Never leave the turkey or any other food out for more than two hours. Keep cooked turkey hot at 140 F or keep it cold at 40 F or below. "Whether it's a special holiday feast or an everyday meal, to be food safe just remember 'Keep it hot, keep it cold and keep it clean,'" Snider said. -Meghan Aftosmis