Center City Chef Gives Thanksgiving Food Safety Tips
By Hadas Kuznits
PHILADLEPHIA (CBS) -- Folks all around the region are putting the finishing touches on their Thanksgiving preparations.
Bank and Bourbon chef Thomas Harkins says when you set out the Thanksgiving meal, keep an eye on the clock.
Kuznits:) "How long can you keep stuff out at room temperature?"
"You have about four hours," said Harkins.
(Kuznits:) "Four hours and then it's gotta go."
"Yeah."
(Kuznits:) "For basically any food?"
"Correct."
But don't put anything back in the refrigerator too soon; he recommends letting food cool a little bit before packing up the Tupperware.
"Because you don't want to stick something blazing hot in your refrigerator when you have milk, eggs, cream, and everything else, because that'll raise the temperature of the refrigerator," said Harkins.
And he says when you're ready for leftovers, only reheat what you will eat and make sure it's warmed to 165 degrees.
"If you're gonna reuse it especially, you don't want bacterial growth on the turkey at a certain temperature," he said.