Safety tips for cooking a Thanksgiving turkey
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — For those entrusted with the task of preparing it, the Thanksgiving turkey is more than likely thawing in the kitchen already.
But to keep your friends and family fed and healthy this holiday, the USDA is offering some helpful tips. It's reminding people to keep their turkey out of the danger zone by not leaving it out on the kitchen counter to thaw.
According to the USDA, the microwave will also do. So will cold water if the turkey stays in its original packaging and the water is changed every 30 minutes. But thawing the turkey in the refrigerator is ideal.
"If you leave it in the fridge, hopefully, it'll thaw in that sweet spot under 40 degrees Fahrenheit in the fridge. It may take longer and take up valuable fridge space, but it'll be safer," said Dr. Joshua Shulman, the medical director of the Pittsburgh Poison Center.
And once that bird is in the oven, some tend to think the old pop-up timer is good enough to determine whether it's ready to come out. But the pros suggest checking the thickest part of the breast, the inner thigh and the inner wing with a food thermometer.
And remember, 165 degrees is what you're checking for.
"Unfortunately, they're just not reliable enough to say that the turkey is done. The best thing to use is a food thermometer, preferably a digital one. Analogue is OK as long as it's reliable," said Shulman.
KDKA-TV also asked Shulman to answer the $1 million question: Is stuffing the bird really safe?
"It's kind of hard to do it all at once and do it all together safely, and that's why I'm a turkey outside the bird kind of person," Shulman said.
The Pittsburgh Poison Center said this time of year is always busy with people getting sick from food-borne illnesses. If things go terribly wrong with your turkey, the center is open 24 hours to assist you.
