 The holiday season is a time of joy and celebration that
brings together family and friends, often to enjoy delicious meals. If you are
preparing a traditional turkey feast, the following tips will help you enjoy
a safe holiday dinner and will give you suggestions for what to do with your
leftovers.
If you purchase your turkey frozen you will need to thaw
your bird properly to minimize risk of foodborne illness.
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You can thaw your frozen bird in the refrigerator.
Allow about 24 hours per 5 pounds of turkey. (That means a 20-pound
frozen turkey for Thanksgiving has to start defrosting the previous
Sunday.)
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Once thawed, you should only continue to refrigerate
the turkey for another 1 or 2 days, so plan accordingly.
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If you forget to thaw the turkey in time, don't
worry; simply submerge the whole turkey in COLD water (using
a leak-proof plastic bag is recommended), changing the water every
30 minutes. This will generally take 30 minutes defrosting time
for each pound of frozen turkey.
Follow recipe instructions for turkey and stuffing cooking
times and temperatures.
Be sure you use a meat thermometer stuck in the
thickest part of the meat to ensure turkey reaches a temperature of 180 F. Even
if the bird comes with a pop-up thermometer, check the temperature with a meat
thermometer.
It is safest to cook stuffing separately. If you
choose to cook it in the bird:
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Stuff the bird loosely just before you put it
in the oven (about ¾ cup of stuffing per pound of poultry).
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Make sure that the center of the stuffing reaches
165°F, using a meat thermometer.
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If the turkey is done before the stuffing is
fully cooked, remove the stuffing and heat it on the stovetop to
165°F.
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To store leftovers safely the Food Safety and Inspection
Service of the USDA recommends the following:
It is also important to eat your leftovers in a timely
manner
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Leftover turkey, stuffing, and other cooked dishes
will only stay safe to eat in the refrigerator for 3-4 days,
so you may want to freeze any portions you can't finish by then.
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Gravy lasts only 1-2 days in the refrigerator
but can also be frozen and enjoyed at a later date.
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In the freezer cooked turkey pieces stay safe
to eat for 4 months while stuffing and gravy are safe to eat
for 1 month.
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Inadequate heating in the microwave or conventional oven
can contribute to foodborne illness. All Thanksgiving leftovers should
be reheated thoroughly to an internal temperature of 165 F.
- Always bring gravy to a roiling boil before re-serving.
- If you are reheating in the microwave oven,
cover food and be sure to rotate the dish so it heats evenly.
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Leftovers
Here are a few tried and true favorites for you to make
with those delicious Thanksgiving leftovers:
- Turkey Sandwiches are always a hit. Add some
cranberry relish and a slice of Swiss cheese for a real treat or try
a Healthy
Turkey Reuben.
- Casserole made with turkey pieces, cream of
celery soup, pasta noodles, chopped celery and onion, and melted cheddar
cheese on top. This Turkey
Divan is a quick one dish casserole with rice and curry for a flavorful
twist.
- Turkey
Soup served with ice-cold milk and some crusty dinner rolls.
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Happy Holidays!
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