Turkey Safety!
Don't make one of the most anticipated meals of the year turn out to be a bust! Nothing could be worse than your lovingly prepared feast making your friends and family ill. It's not that you don't care, its the fact that it is so easy to create the perfect home for nasty little beasties to grow and thrive.
Being careful is of utmost importance for the health of your loved ones not just for the Thanksgiving meal but every meal of the year.
The National Turkey Federation offers these safety reccomendations:
Do not roast the turkey in a oven temperature lower than 325° F. Poultry should be roasted at 325° F. or higher to avoid potential food safety problems.
Do not roast the turkey in a brown paper grocery bag. Present day grocery bags are made of recycled materials and are not considered safe for food preparation.
Do use a meat thermometer (available at most grocery stores and kitchen shops) to determine the correct degree of doneness. Turkey is done when meat in the thigh reaches 180°F or (meat in the breast in finished at 170°F).
The Evil Side of Stuffing
You probably grew up with your grandmother and mother stuffing the Thanksgiving Turkey, so what's the big deal? The big deal is this, if necessary safety precautions are not taken, you could have some seriously sick guests and a line up at the bathroom.
When Stuffing a Turkey ALWAYS:
Enure the Turkey is completely stuffed, but not overstuffed - stuffing expands as it cooks.
Make sure before serving the stuffing is COMPLETELY cooked with and internal temperature of at least 165 degress. Remember that you are stuffing a raw bird. As it roasts juices from the bird seep into the stuffing which makes it oh-so-tasty, and oh-so-poisonous if not cooked thoroughly.
When Stuffing a Turkey NEVER:
Stuff it the night before to save time. Stuffing the night before is a huge no-no!!! I can't stress that enough.
Bacteria can multiply in the stuffing and cause food poisoning even when the stuffed bird is refrigerated. The cavity of the thurkey insulates the stuffing from the cold temperatures of the refrigerator and acts as an incubator for those nasty little beasties.
About those leftovers...
Q: How long can I keep leftover turkey in the freezer?
A: Leftover turkey, stuffing and gravy should be used within one month after freezing.
Use freezer containers for the best results. Proper packaging is important to the success of frozen leftovers. Otherwise, circulating air in the freezer will create freezer burn – white dried-out patches on the surface of food that make it tough and tasteless. Don't forget to label and date packages and use the oldest ones first.