How to safely cook your turkey this Thanksgiving, and how long you can eat Thanksgiving leftovers
If you're looking forward to a delicious — and safe — Thanksgiving dinner with loved ones, it's important to follow proper precautions when cooking.
"A Thanksgiving meal, particularly involving a turkey, requires careful attention to food safety to prevent contamination and foodborne illness," food safety expert Darin Detwiler, a professor at Northeastern University, told CBS News. "A raw turkey can introduce harmful bacteria into your kitchen, including salmonella and campylobacter ... These bacteria can spread through juices from the turkey onto countertops, utensils and other foods, leading to cross-contamination."
Every year, foodborne illness causes 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths nationwide, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
Luckily, there are "simple steps we can all take at home that will help reduce the risk of foodborne illness," the USDA notes on its website.
Here's what to know to perfect your bird for the big day.
What internal temperature should you cook turkey to?
No matter how you're cooking your turkey — roasting, deep frying, smoking or something else — the minimum internal temperature should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit for safety, according to the USDA.
Hitting this temperature helps ensure any bacteria like E. coli, listeria or salmonella is killed off before you feast.
Where in the turkey should you put your thermometer to measure internal temperature?
The innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast are the best places to check the internal temperature of a turkey with a food thermometer, according to the USDA.
You should measure the temperature even if your turkey has a "pop-up" temperature indicator, the agency recommends.
"Take care to ensure the thermometer does not touch any bones while measuring the temperature, as this will give an inaccurate reading," its website notes.
How to tell your turkey is done if you don't have a meat thermometer
"Using a food thermometer is the only reliable way to verify that the turkey has reached this safe temperature," said Detwiler. "Visual cues, such as color or texture, are not sufficient to determine doneness because undercooked poultry can appear cooked in some cases."
The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Services provides a Turkey Thawing Calculator and Turkey Cooking Calculator on its website help home chefs gauge how long their turkey needs to cook.
But, a lot of variables can affect the roasting time of a whole turkey, including whether or not it's stuffed, if the oven temperature is accurate, what the roasting pan is made from and more, the service notes.
To ensure any harmful bacteria in your food has been killed before you eat it, use a food thermometer to verify its temperature.
"Ensuring the turkey reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit protects against foodborne illness and keeps your meal safe for all guests, particularly vulnerable populations like children, elderly individuals, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals," Detwiler said.
How long are Thanksgiving leftovers safe to eat?
Leftovers should be refrigerated within 2 hours of serving to prevent food poisoning, according to the U.S. Food Safety website.
"Cooked turkey and dishes made with turkey, such as a casserole, can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or can be frozen to store longer," the website notes, adding all leftovers should be reheated to at least 165 degrees before serving.
If you store leftovers in the freezer, they will remain "of best quality for up to two to six months," according to the USDA.
"Avoid reheating leftovers more than once to reduce foodborne illness risk," Detwiler said.