JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
'Tis the season for fond memories, gift giving and hosting parties with good food.
The one unwelcomed gift is that of the foodborne illness.
As festive holiday spreads are prepared, remember to keep foods fresh and safe to eat. The consumption of food containing harmful bacteria has the potential to cause foodborne illness.
The following recommendations will help keep loved ones safe from such sickness.
Pre-holiday strategy. Clean out refrigerators prior to going food shopping, ensuring to it down with a bleach rag. Clear out the bottom shelf and make room for the bird and the sheet pan before you go to the grocery store, so that the turkey won't sit out while you try to make room for it after you bring it home. This is both safe handling and proper temperature control of your turkey.
Fresh versus frozen. If a fresh turkey is preferred, it may need to be reserved at the local supermarket in advance. If frozen is the turkey of choice, provide enough time for it to thaw properly in a refrigerator, which could mean four or more full days depending on the size of the bird. The one correct and safe method for thawing is in the refrigerator on a sheet pan for several days. Any other way invites salmonella to grow and spread in the thawed meat while part of the meat is still frozen, and worse, may keep the bird from cooking thoroughly.
Stuffing the turkey. Turkey must cook to an internal temperature of 165 ºF. If the bird is stuffed while it is raw, the stuffing also needs to be brought up to 165 ºF because it is "contaminated" with undercooked turkey juices. Bake the stuffing in a separate, foil-covered roasting pan while the turkey is in the oven. After the bird is fully cooked and out of the oven, mix some of the roasting pan drippings and fat into the stuffing for flavor.
Two distinct advantages to cooking the turkey separate of the stuffing: the turkey cooks faster and more evenly because hot air can circulate inside the body cavity; and more control over the texture of the stuffing.
Food preparers should thoroughly wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before and after handling raw products. Use plastic or other non-porous cutting boards. Cutting boards should be run through the dishwasher or washed with soap and hot water after each use.
Follow the guidelines below for slowly roasting an unstuffed:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 325 ºF.
2. Roast the turkey for approximately three hours for a six-pound turkey; add 10-12 minutes for each pound over six; up to six hours total for a 25-pound bird.
3. Check the temperature of the bird with a meat thermometer about two-thirds of the way through cooking, 165 ºF is done. Always sanitize the thermometer before and after checking the temperature, and between checking the breast meat and the thigh meat.
4. Let the turkey rest for approximately 20 minutes before carving, for juicier and more flavorful meat.
While it is tempting to leave turkey and other foods at room temperature for snacking after a meal, follow these steps to ensure everything is properly stored and cleaned up:
- Refrigerate leftovers within two hours in uncovered, shallow containers so they cool quickly. Once food is cooled, be sure to keep it covered.
- Remove turkey meat from the bone and store separately from the stuffing and gravy.
- Avoid overstocking the refrigerator to allow cool air to circulate freely.
- Reheat leftovers to at least 165 °F.
- Bring gravy to a full, rolling boil and stir during the process.
- Use leftover turkey meat, bones, stuffing, gravy and other cooked dishes within two to three days.
- Make sure the refrigerator temperature is 40 ºF or below; and 0 ºF or below in the freezer. Occasionally verify these temperatures using an appliance thermometer.
- Consider using paper towels, bleach wipes or clean cloths while cleaning up.
For more information about food safety, visit the following websites:
Food and Drug Administration
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention