IS YOUR HOLIDAY TURKEY IN JEOPARDY?
 Defrosted on the counter, prestuffed, slow-baked,
partially cooked, stored whole without carving? If any of these situations sound
like your usual Thanksgiving dinner preparation plans, you may
be putting your turkey in jeopardy. Over the last six years, USDA's
staff on the Meat and Poultry Hotline have faced many challenges
trying to save Thanksgiving turkeys that have been prepared in
questionable ways. "It's difficult to advise consumers
on Thanksgiving day that the turkey they have worked so hard to
serve may not be safe to eat." There are several problems that Hotline
staff members hear every year. Read on to see if you may unknowingly
be creating any of these scenarios.
MISTAKE #1 — DEFROSTING AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
"We've always done it that way...There's no room in the
refrigerator...We forgot it was in the trunk of the car...It's
in a cold basement." While
there are many reasons why consumers find themselves with turkeys
defrosted at room temperature, some planned and some unplanned, the
result is the same - a potentially unsafe turkey. Bacteria grow rapidly
at room temperature. Bacteria will begin to grow on the outside of
the bird that defrosts first. These surface bacteria can multiply
to dangerously high levels that cooking may not destroy.
INSTEAD
Plan on 1 day of refrigerator defrost time for every 5 pounds of
turkey. A 10-pound turkey will take approximately 2 days to defrost
in the refrigerator, a 15-pound turkey 3 days and a 20-pound
turkey 4 days. Some callers worry that a frozen turkey will spoil
if left in the refrigerator for 4 days. Don't be concerned. Even
after a turkey fully defrosts, it is safe in the refrigerator
for an additional 1 to 2 days. If you forget to take your turkey
out of the freezer early enough, don't panic. You are not in
hot water yet, especially if you remember to use the cold water
technique. Even a 20-pound frozen turkey can be defrosted in
10 hours using the cold water defrost method. Submerge the wrapped
bird in cold water, adding ice or new cold water every 30 minutes.
MISTAKE #2 — PRESTUFFING A TURKEY THE
NIGHT BEFORE
It's okay to prestuff holiday stockings, but not Thanksgiving birds!
Stuffing a turkey the night before is risky business. The cavity
of the bird actually insulates the stuffing from cold temperatures
and can keep the stuffing in a temperature range that encourages
bacteria growth.
INSTEAD
Prepare dry stuffing ingredients the day before. Tightly cover
and leave at room temperature. The perishables - butter or margarine,
mushrooms, oysters, cooked celery and onion, broth - should be
refrigerated. Combine the dry and wet ingredients and stuff the
bird immediately before the turkey goes into the oven.
MISTAKE #3 — COOKING AT LOW TEMPERATURE
OVERNIGHT
Every year, Hotline staff members worry about "how low consumers
will go" when it comes to oven temperature settings. One Thanksgiving
Day, Hotline staff talked with numerous families who calmly slept
the night away while bacteria were busily multiplying on their
turkeys in 100°F. ovens. Cooking below 325°F. is unsafe
because low temperatures permit the bird (and stuffing) to remain
in the "danger zone" (140°F.) too long. While in
this "zone" bacteria can grow and some produce heat-resistant
toxins.
INSTEAD
Cook perishable foods at an oven temperature no lower than 325°F.
MISTAKE #4 — PARTIALLY COOKING A BIRD
THE DAY BEFORE
Some time-savers are safer than others. Partially cooking a turkey
is not one of them. Interrupted cooking
can actually increase the possibility of bacteria growth. The
turkey may be heated long enough to activate bacterial growth,
but not long enough to kill it.
INSTEAD
Cook turkey completely in one operation. Several other ideas for
SAFE time-saving include: 1) Using oven cooking bags. 2) Baking
stuffing separately from the turkey. 3) Cooking and carving turkey
1 to 2 days before the holiday and storing it in the refrigerator
for reheating on the big day.
MISTAKE #5 — COOKING A TURKEY AHEAD
OF TIME AND LEAVING IT WHOLE IN THE REFRIGERATOR
Cooking the turkey a day or two before the holiday is fine, but
refrigerating the bird whole, without carving, is another form
of turkey jeopardy. A cooked turkey, stuffed or unstuffed, is too
big and too dense to cool down quickly and efficiently in a home
refrigerator. In addition, reheating the turkey the next day in
a slow oven to prevent drying out could allow even more growth
of potential food poisoning bacteria.
INSTEAD
Roast the turkey 1 to 2 days before the holiday. Use a meat thermometer
to make sure that the bird reaches 180°F. Remove stuffing
immediately after taking bird out of the oven. Allow the turkey
to sit for 20 to 30 minutes so that the meat juices can settle.
Carve the bird into appropriate serving slices. Arrange turkey
slices in shallow baking pans. Cover and refrigerate. Reheat
Thanksgiving Day in a conventional oven or microwave. Make sure
the meat and stuffing are reheated to "steamy hot" (165°F.).
USDA'S MEAT AND POULTRY HOTLINE
USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline answers questions on the safe storage
and handling of meat, poultry and other perishable foods. You
may speak with a food safety specialist -- in English or Spanish
-- from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern time on weekdays year
round. An extensive menu of recorded food safety messages may
be heard 24 hours a day. Dial the nationwide toll-free number,
1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854). The toll-free number for the
hearing impaired (TTY) is 1-800-256-7072.
(The Hotline is closed on Federal government holidays, with the
exception of Thanksgiving Day. Hours of operation on Thanksgiving
are 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time.)
Call - 1-888-674-6854
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