2. When thawing a frozen turkey use your refrigerator. Other defrosting methods (see “quick defrost” paragraph below) increase your risk for foodborne illness. To defrost, place the packaged turkey on a plate or in a plastic bag to collect juices. For every 5 pounds your turkey weighs, defrost for 24 hours. For example, a 10-pound turkey would require 2 days of defrosting.
If you do find yourself in a bind and need a quick defrost, a water bath is an option. Though, be sure to follow steps very closely to prevent foodborne illness. Leave the turkey in its packaging and submerge in a large pot of cold water. For every pound it weighs, keep submerged for 30 minutes (while changing the water every 30 minutes). Therefore, a 10-pound turkey would defrost in a water bath in 5 hours, with a total of 10 water changes.
3. Regardless of how your turkey is defrosted, cook it immediately. This becomes especially important with cold water baths, as this technique increases the risk for raising the turkey’s temperature into the food safety danger zone of 40-140°F.4. To prepare a fresh or thawed turkey for cooking, remove the neck and giblets from the body cavity. Rinse the turkey with water and dry with paper towels. Remember to use soap and hot water to wash your hands (for at least 20 seconds). Also, make sure to sanitize counters, sinks and anything else that came into contact with the raw turkey and turkey juice.
5. Cook your turkey until a digital thermometer inserted into the innermost part of the thigh reaches 180°F and thickest part of the breast reaches 170°F (without touching bone). This is recommended even if the turkey has its own pop-up thermometer!
6. If you are stuffing your turkey, do so right before roasting rather than hours before. Prevent overstuffing and pack only ¾-cup stuffing per pound of turkey. Cook until the stuffing’s center reaches 165°F. If stuffing fails to reach this temperature before the bird is finished cooking, remove and bake in a casserole dish until it reaches 165°F. Refrigerate leftover stuffing separately from turkey.7. If your turkey is finished before mealtime, hold it safely in a 200°F oven. Simply cover to maintain moistness and ensure its temperature never drops below 145°F.
8. Place leftover turkey and side dishes in the refrigerator within an hour of serving. For large amounts, divide and store into shallow containers. This allows food to chill faster, keeping it safe. Enjoy your post-Thanksgiving turkey for 3-4 days if kept in the refrigerator or up to 4 months if kept in the freezer.
For more food safety tips for the holiday season, visit the Food Safety page of BigY.com!