Turkey Handling and Food Safety

Turkey Handling and Food Safety

By: RecipeCove.com

Holiday dinners can create fabulous memories. Here are some basic guidelines which will help ensure that those holiday memories do not include a bout of food poisoning.

Cleanliness:

The first concern when dealing with raw turkey is cleanliness. Following the preparation of your turkey all work surfaces, dishes and utensils should be washed with hot soapy water. Bleach is a great disinfectant for cutting boards. Don’t use washcloths or sponges as they can transfer bacteria to other surfaces. Disposable wipes/cloths or paper towels are much safer. Frequent hand washing also helps eliminate the possibility of contamination.

Cutting boards are a particular source of concern. Separate cutting boards should be used for meat and fruits and vegetables. While many people are fans of wooden cutting boards they are difficult to clean and can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Tempered glass cutting boards are great for raw meat as they are extremely easy to clean.

Thawing:

Properly thawing a frozen turkey goes a long way in preventing contamination. Ideally, frozen turkeys should be thawed in the refrigerator. Of course, this can take a few days and many people forget to start the process in time. The next best alternative is to thaw the turkey in cold water. The water must be extremely (icey) cold and the turkey should remain in the original package (as long as the package does not have any holes). The water should be changed every 30 minutes to ensure that it stays cold.

Turkeys can be thawed in the microwave but it must be cooked immediately after removal from the microwave. Do not defrost it in the microwave and then put it back in the refrigerator to cook later.

Stuffing:

Stuffing a turkey can lead to all kinds of problems. While many experts will advise us not to stuff our turkeys, most of us cannot imagine a turkey dinner without the stuffing from the bird. There are a few things you can do to reduce the possibility of contamination when stuffing your turkey. First, NEVER stuff the turkey in advance. Stuff the turkey immediately before placing it in the oven. Remember, a stuffed turkey takes longer to cook than an unstuffed turkey. Second, use a meat thermometer to check the turkey AND the temperature of the stuffing. The stuffing should reach a temperature of 165⁰F. Finally, enjoy the leftover stuffing but use it without 2 days and make sure that it is thoroughly reheated when serving. Never freeze leftover stuffing.