Department Of Consumer Protection Offers Tips For A Safe And Satisfying Turkey Dinner

Main Category: Nutrition / Diet
Article Date: 16 Nov 2007 - 10:00 PDT

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As the holiday season approaches, Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner Jerry Farrell Jr. is urging consumers to take precautions in preparing the holiday bird.

"Like everyone else, I'm looking forward to gathering with family and friends for a great Thanksgiving meal, but I want to offer Connecticut consumers a few key ingredients for keeping the turkey dinner safe as well as delicious," Farrell said.

Whether fresh or frozen, consumers need to be careful about how they store and handle uncooked poultry, including turkey.

"The growing popularity of fresh turkey is terrific for local producers and the taste is great, but fresh turkey brings its own set of safety rules," Farrell said.

You should by your fresh turkey unstuffed, just one to two days before cooking and keep it refrigerated. Be careful to avoid contaminating other items in your refrigerator with juices leaking from the bird. Store the bird at the lowest level in your refrigerator and place a shallow pan underneath the bird to contain any drips.

Always wash with soap and water anything that comes in contact with raw turkey and its juices, including your hands, the utensils and plates, the sink, and countertops.

Shoppers who choose a frozen turkey should keep it solidly frozen until it's time to thaw and cook. Frozen turkeys are best if used within a year of purchase.

"There are three ways to do safely thaw a frozen turkey - in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in a microwave oven," Farrell said. "To avoid possible bacterial contamination, never thaw at room temperature."

Thawing in the refrigerator takes approximately 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds of turkey; a twelve pound turkey takes about three days to thaw and a twenty-four pound bird would take six days.

To thaw in cold water, allow approximately 30 minutes per pound of turkey. Keep the turkey tightly wrapped, and change the water every half-hour. Microwave thawing can be done according to your microwave manufacturer's guidelines.

Whether fresh or frozen, before popping the bird into the oven, always remove the giblets from turkey cavities and cook them separately if desired.

"It's safest to cook the turkey unstuffed, and prepare stuffing on the side," Farrell said. "If you stuff the bird, do so just before roasting, and take extra care to ensure that you thoroughly cook the turkey by using a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the stuffing."

Stuffing that's cooked inside the bird must reach a minimum internal temperature of 165 °F to be considered safe for eating. For an unstuffed bird, the temperature should be a minimum of 165 °F in the innermost part of the thigh and wing, and in the thickest part of the breast. It's strongly suggested that you confirm the internal temperature, even if your turkey is packaged with a "pop-up timer."

Shoppers who prefer a frozen pre-stuffed turkey should only buy those with a USDA mark of inspection on the packaging. Do not thaw your frozen stuffed turkey before cooking; that may allow potentially harmful bacteria to grow. Place the frozen stuffed turkey into the oven and begin roasting while it's still frozen; be sure to completely follow the package instructions for proper handling and cooking.

All stuffing should be removed from the bird immediately after cooking and served in a separate container.

"Don't forget to handle leftovers safely as well," Farrell said. "It's wise to throw out any turkey, stuffing, and gravy that's been left at room temperature longer than 2 hours."

Divide leftovers into portions and refrigerate or freeze in covered shallow containers for quicker cooling. Discard refrigerated gravy after one to two days and meat after three or four days.

http://www.ct-gov/dcp