Turkey Tips

A golden brown turkey may be the centerpiece of your table on holiday gatherings or whenever you feel like serving a special dinner. Whether it is your first bird or your 50th, here's a helpful checklist:

Clean hands and kitchens

For starters, remember to wash and disinfect counter tops, tables and cooking surfaces before and after cooking. Whenever you handle meat, it's a good idea to wear plastic gloves to prevent the spread of bacteria and other organisms. Change the gloves after handling different kinds of meats. Raw and cooked meats should never be placed in the same containers.

To avoid salmonella poisoning or contamination, never allow raw poultry to touch other meats or foods.

Thawing it

One of the first decisions you have to make is fresh or frozen. If you choose frozen, then you must factor in thawing time. Frozen foods should not be left on a countertop or empty sink to thaw. It leads to uneven thawing, where the inner part of the meat is frozen but the outside is room temperature. Bacteria can grow to dangerously high levels when foods are allowed to remain between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit (4 to 60 degrees Celsius) for longer than two hours.

To safely thaw your frozen turkey or other meats, put them in the refrigerator, making sure that raw meats or their drippings do not contact other foods. A general rule: Allow 24 hours of refrigerator thawing time for every 4 to 5 pounds of turkey.

If the fridge is too full, try thawing in the kitchen sink filled with cold water. Leave the meat in its packaging or place it in a leak-proof plastic bag and completely submerge it in the cold water. Do not use hot or warm water. Change the water every 30 minutes during thawing and cook the turkey as soon as it is thawed. When thawing in cold water, allow 30 minutes per pound of turkey.

If using the microwave to defrost, follow the owner's manual for settings and times. Remove the turkey from its packaging and use a microwave-safe dish and lid or plastic wrap. Cook the bird immediately after defrosting, and don't refrigerate or refreeze after thawing in the microwave.

If need be, it is safe to cook a frozen turkey, but the cooking time will be at least 50 percent longer than for a thawed turkey, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Don't forget to take the giblet package out!

Avoid food poisoning

Buy a food thermometer and use it to monitor food temperatures. A whole turkey is safe to eat when it has been cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 F.

Do not use color of the skin or meat to tell if the turkey is done. Stick the thermometer into the innermost part of the thigh and wing and thickest part of the breast. In general, roast the turkey at 325 degrees for about three hours for an 8- to 12-pound turkey and three hours to three hours and 45 minutes for a 12- to 14-pound bird. Use the manufacturer's instructions for frying times on turkeys, and always check the internal meat temperature.

Many people stuff their turkeys with dressing and other foods. However, it is difficult to keep the stuffing and turkey at the correct cooking temperatures. It's safer to cook and serve them separately. The USDA does not recommend buying fresh stuffed turkeys, although frozen stuffed turkeys are okay if the packaging has a USDA or state mark of inspection.

Hot plates, chaffing dishes and food serving trays with portable (Sterno) burners can help insure that hot foods stay hot. The USDA warns that the danger zone for food poisoning (between 40 and 140 F or 4 to 60 C) can be reached fairly quickly, especially if food is left out or on the stove after the meal. Throw away foods that are left out more than an hour at 90 F or higher.

Make sure your refrigerator and freezer have thermometers that allow you to periodically check temperatures. Freezers should be 0 F or lower. Refrigerators should remain at 40 F (4 C) or colder.

Traveling tips for food

If you're taking your feast on the road, you'll need to keep food safety in mind. Remember to keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot. Because it can be difficult to travel long distances while keeping hot dishes above 140 degrees F, the USDA recommends keeping foods cold while traveling. You can heat your dishes after you reach your destination.

Use insulated coolers packed with ice or ice packs to keep food at or below 40 F (4 C). Move the food directly from the refrigerator to the cooler just before leaving on the trip. You'll need to pack a thermometer and periodically check the temperature. Open the cooler lid as little as possible (pack drinks in a separate cooler). Another tip: Wrap a blanket around the cooler and place it in the shade (or out of the direct sun) to help maintain a lower temperature.

After the meal and storing it

Check your supplies of plastic wraps, resealable bags and air-tight plastic containers. All will come in handy for storing or giving away leftovers and for refrigerating or freezing ingredients you'll need to prepare your dishes.

Follow the "use by" dates on packages. Always date the items you wrap so you'll know when to toss them out. Refrigerated leftover turkey and stuffing is safe to eat within three to four days and gravy within one to two days.

If you freeze the leftovers, you can safely eat them for two to six months. And think ahead to make sure you have adequate refrigerator or freezer storage space for your leftovers.

Getting help

Lastly, you don't have to do this alone. If you don't have the benefit of sage advice from your mother and refuse to ask your mother-in-law, the USDA sponsors a meat and poultry hotline at 1-888-674-6854 (e-mail mphotline.fsis@usda.gov). The hotline is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST and on Thanksgiving Day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. but is closed on other federal holidays. Several turkey processors also have hotlines or Web sites available to help answer your questions.

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