Today, as families across America prepare the meal that every single one of us looks forward to all year long (I know I do!), I shudder to think of all the food safety violations being made! From cross contamination to time temperature control; from undercooked turkey meat to (what many people forget about) undercooked stuffing! It grosses me out. As a culinary student, one of the most beneficial parts of the program I went through BAR NONE was the food safety-sanitation course. Feeding people is a dangerous business -- be it in a restaurant, or in one's own home. After seeing some rather disturbing raw poultry pics on Facebook this morning, I thought I would take the time to sit down and share with those of you that read this (bless your hearts!) my top 3 turkey safety tips.
1. IF YOU TOUCHED THE RAW TURKEY, WASH YOUR HANDS BEFORE TOUCHING ANYTHING ELSE! Don't wipe your hands on your pants or the kitchen towel you plan on using to dry the dishes with later on; don't just rinse them under cold water; don't think using the hand sanitizer is enough. After handling any uncooked meat, wash your hands with anti-bacterial soap under WARM (not HOT) water by rubbing them vigorously together. As you do this, sing "Happy Birthday" in your head (or out loud, if the mood suits you!). When you have finished the song, you may turn off the water and dry your hands with paper towel (then follow with the hand sanitizer, if you feel it necessary!). Please do not handle the turkey, then grab the paper towel, then go searching through your spice rack, then set the table .... Wash your hands first. PLEASE. I cannot stress this enough! In my kitchen, I actually use latex gloves for handling poultry of any sort. When I am done, I strip off the gloves and STILL wash my hands. Salmonella is serious business.
2. BE SURE TO SANITIZE ANY SURFACE THAT THE TURKEY MAY HAVE TOUCHED! This starts in the refrigerator, believe it or not. I place any meat I have in the refrigerator on sheet pans (or cookie sheets) that can be easily removed and washed in case of any leakage. It is really disgusting when you have a thawing turkey in your fridge on the top shelf, hovering just above a pumpkin pie you might have baked the previous day, or next to some raw salad ingredients you might have hanging out, only to discover as it thaws that there was a teeny tiny hole in the packaging it came in and you have "juices" dripping all over the place. It's not good enough to wipe it out, or rinse it. If this horror-show happened in my fridge, I would remove everything inside, tossing anything the contaminate may have dribbled on, and scrub every nook and cranny with bleach solution. It is best to keep the potential hazard contained (either in a bowl or on a pan), and on the lowest shelf in your fridge, FAR AWAY from fresh veggies.
Then, when you are finally ready to roast your bird and you take the turkey out, whether you had it in your sink, on a cutting board, or (GOD FORBID!) directly on the surface of your counter ............ SANITIZE. This goes along with washing your hands: cross contamination is a MAJOR cause of food born illnesses.
3. COOK THE BIRD TO 165! The little pop out timers that come in the Butterball you bought at the store??? NOT to be trusted! They belong in the garbage. It is important to insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh (the dark meat takes the longest to cook), taking care that it does not touch the bone. Before you do this, be sure to calibrate your meat thermometer. This is VERY easily done by filling a glass with ice, then with water. Dip the thermometer into the ice water, and it should read 32F (or 0C): that's freezing. If it does not, you can calibrate it by adjusting the nut directly under the temperature display. If you have one with a battery & it does not read 32F, you need to replace the battery. It's that simple. OH! And if you are one of the extremists that feels it is absolutely necessary to put the stuffing inside of the cavity .... The STUFFING also needs to be 165 before it is safe to eat. Why? All those rosy pink juices that add "flavor" could just as easily get you sick EVEN if the meat is done.
By following these 3 VERY IMPORTANT rules, you will greatly decrease the chance of getting any of your loved ones sick this holiday season.
Happy Thanksgiving!!!! :-)
