Food safety is important year round, but during the holiday season we generally prepare larger meals, leave food out of the refrigerator for longer periods and overload refrigerators — all actions that can lead to foodborne illness.

When planning for holiday meals or parties, keep in mind conditions of your planned activity and choose foods accordingly. For example, keep hot foods about 140º F and cold foods below 40º F. On the buffet table, keep hot foods hot with chafing dishes, Crock-Pots and warming trays. Keep cold foods cold by nesting dishes in bowls of ice. Do not leave the food at room temperature for more than two hours. Do not plan to serve hot or cold foods if you can’t keep them hot or cold.

Plan your holiday menu before heading out to the grocery store. Make the grocery store your last stop. Do not leave food in the car for extended amounts of time. Instead, take food directly home and place in the refrigerator or freezer to keep the food at safe temperatures.

When buying large pieces of frozen meat, such as turkey, remember that it takes several days to safely thaw. The United States Department of Agriculture advises that for every five pounds of turkey allow 24 hours in refrigerated temperatures for adequate and safe thawing. Plan the date of purchase and allow adequate refrigerator space for thawing.

If you are rushed for time, thaw it in a microwave oven. However, it could still take one to two hours on the defrost cycle. Shield bony areas to prevent cooking during the defrost cycle and rotate the turkey several times during defrosting. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions for thawing food in your microwave oven. Cook immediately following the thawing process.

When preparing a turkey, be sure to remove the giblet package in the cavity prior to cooking. Also, cook the turkey prior to stuffing. Add stuffing after the turkey is cooked or cook it separately. If the turkey is stuffed before cooking, some of the stuffing may never get to high enough temperatures to kill the bacteria that is normally killed during routine cooking of the turkey.

Roast turkey in an oven at a temperature of 325º F or hotter. To check if the turkey is done, insert a meat thermometer in the large meaty muscle on the inside of the thigh, without touching the bone. Dark meat turkey pieces have reached safe temperatures when the thermometer reaches 180º F or above. The National Turkey Federation recommends allowing whole turkeys to stand 10 to 20 minutes before carving.

To ensure safety, serve the holiday meal and then refrigerate or freeze leftovers within two hours. Harmful bacteria that can cause foodborne illness can multiply to unsafe levels on perishable foods left at room temperature for more than two hours.  Put leftovers in small containers to allow rapid cooling in the refrigerator. Large containers of food cool too slowly and thus may allow bacteria to reproduce and grow to unsafe levels. If you cannot use leftovers within 4 to 5 days, place in freezer. Bring leftover gravy to a rolling boil before serving. Use frozen turkey, stuffing and gravy within one month. Use leftover turkey kept in the refrigerator within 1 to 2 days.

Talking Turkey

USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline
1-888-674-6854
www.AskKaren.com

Butterball Turkey Talk Line
1-800-288-8372
www.butterball.com