Four Tips To A Tasty, Safe Thanksgiving Meal
DENVER (CBS4) - Odds are, Thanksgiving dinner will be the biggest meal you will prepare all year. It's also the meal with the biggest risk of food poisoning because of improper food prep and storage. So here are a few tips on keeping your turkey-stuffed stomach free from illness-- today and in the days ahead.
First, wash and don't wash.
Meaning, you should be washing your hands and food prep surfaces frequently. That means over and over again. Think about it, you need to start with clean hands, then clean them each time you handle the raw bird. Plus, anything that comes in contact with uncooked turkey needs to be washed down thoroughly---and repeatedly (even a counter top).
As for NOT washing, you really shouldn't wash your turkey before cooking. That just spreads germs microscopically, plus the heat from cooking should kill any bugs that have taken up residence on the turkey's skin.
The next most important thing relates to above: don't cross-contaminate. In other words, use separate cutting boards, plates, knives, and other utensils when working with raw turkey and other foods. It's amazing how germs can get onto a plate while handling raw turkey and then get sucked onto the raw veggies when you use the same plate again. A simple water rinse won't cut it. Use a fresh plate.
When it comes to cooking, I hope you already have your meat thermometer. Its more reliable than a "pop-up," and certainly more accurate than a clock and your eyeball checking out how well-cooked that turkey is.
The breast meat should be cooked to at least 170 degrees; dark meat to 180.
When you've filled your belly, it's time to clean up before taking a snooze. The max any part of your cooked meal can go unrefrigerated is no more than 2 hours. Let food sit out for three, four, or five hours at room temp, and you've now got a recipe for stomach distress from germs multiplying.
Pack those leftovers away promptly, preferably in shallow containers so the food cools down quickly in the fridge. If you freeze leftover turkey, the general rule of thumb from a taste standpoint is use that turkey within four months.
Now comes the best part of Thanksgiving Day. The days afterward.
Leftovers should be eaten within 3-4 days of the original meal… meaning by next Tuesday, the opportunity for that last turkey sandwich has passed and you've missed the gravy boat
Play it safe. Enjoy!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Dr. Dave Hnida is CBS4's Medical Editor. He blogs about the latest studies and trends in the health world. Read his latest blog entries, check out his bio or follow him on Twitter @drdavehnida
