Safe Holiday Food Preparation

As the holidays approach the Newtown Health District urges residents to heed some simple advice to avoid problems with bacteria: thoroughly cook turkey and stuffing and do not drink unpasteurized eggnog or cider. The key to proper thawing, cooking, and storing leftovers involves two interrelated elements – time and temperature.

Consumers need to treat every turkey (like chicken) as though it is contaminated with salmonella and campylobacteria, organisms that can sicken or even kill people. Improper handling, including both storing and cooking a turkey, may allow these bacteria to grow and multiply. The temperature danger zone for bacterial growth is between 45 degrees and 140 degrees. Bacteria will thrive in raw or cooked turkey (or red meat) in this temperature range. Maintaining your turkey’s temperature below 45 degrees or above 140 degrees is critical; exposure time between these two temperatures should be kept to an absolute minimum.

In order to keep your thawing turkey out of the temperature danger zone, there are two widely accepted safe ways to defrost. The best way to defrost is in the refrigerator. A 20 pound turkey will take 2 to 3 days to defrost in the refrigerator. The second acceptable way is under cold running water. The bird should be completely immersed in the water during this process. However, it is important to note that the defrosting turkey should not be left to sit in stagnant water in the sink for extended periods of time such as overnight. Allow 40 minutes per pound thawing time.

A fresh turkey should be held in the refrigerator only 2 to 3 days before cooking.

While cooking the turkey, it is important to bring the internal temperature up to 165 degrees. A food grade thermometer is the only way to make sure the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. If you stuff your bird, be sure the stuffing also reaches 165 degrees.

As you finish your meal and the turkey begins to cool on the outside, that internal temperature is still high. It is important to cool all parts of the turkey as quickly as possible to keep it out of the temperature danger zone. In order to cool those parts quickly, all meat should be removed from the bones, placed in multiple containers (so no individual container contains a significant mass), and immediately refrigerated.

Gravy and dressing should similarly be broken down into smaller containers to accelerate cooling. The internal temperatures of the turkey, gravy, and stuffing should all be down to 45 degrees within 4 hours. When you are ready for those leftovers, eating them hot or cold is fine. Properly cooked and cooled turkey can be eaten as is. Warmed leftovers should be reheated quickly to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. It is best to reheat only once.

Remember the importance of time and temperature:

Do not let raw turkey touch other foods, and thoroughly wash everything it comes in contact with.

Thaw frozen poultry (and meat) in the refrigerator.

Cold turkey (raw or cooked) should be stored at 45 degrees or lower.

Hot turkey should be cooked to 165 degrees internally; kept warm at 140 degrees.

Avoid temperatures between 45 degrees and 140 degrees; minimize transition time when cooking, cooling, or reheating.

Reduce the volume of leftovers immediately; place in multiple shallow containers and refrigerate.

Rapidly reheat to 165 degrees internally.