Jessica Dean's Healthy Living: Thanksgiving Safety
By: KARK 4 Today
Updated: November 22, 2012
Well the turkey is the centerpiece of today's meal, and with good reason...Those birds can be complicated to cook just right.
Food safety experts at the USDA say if you've waited until the last minute to get a turkey -- fresh is best. Unless you plan on bowling with your turkey -- frozen birds may not be thawed in time for thanksgiving dinner. It takes about 30 minutes for every pound of turkey to get your frozen bird defrosted.
To avoid cross-contamination when wrangling with a raw turkey -- keep meats separated from other food. The pop-up timer can be a good indication the bird is ready. But a meat thermometer is the best way to make sure your turkey is cooked completely -- and it must read 165 degrees Fahrenheit. One last safety tip, experts recommend getting leftovers in the fridge within 2 hours to avoid bacteria growth.
If you're cooking two turkeys in one oven -- you don't need to double the cooking time. Just go by the time it takes to cook the smallest one, and the larger one should be done soon after.
Food safety experts at the USDA say if you've waited until the last minute to get a turkey -- fresh is best. Unless you plan on bowling with your turkey -- frozen birds may not be thawed in time for thanksgiving dinner. It takes about 30 minutes for every pound of turkey to get your frozen bird defrosted.
To avoid cross-contamination when wrangling with a raw turkey -- keep meats separated from other food. The pop-up timer can be a good indication the bird is ready. But a meat thermometer is the best way to make sure your turkey is cooked completely -- and it must read 165 degrees Fahrenheit. One last safety tip, experts recommend getting leftovers in the fridge within 2 hours to avoid bacteria growth.
If you're cooking two turkeys in one oven -- you don't need to double the cooking time. Just go by the time it takes to cook the smallest one, and the larger one should be done soon after.
