With COVID-19 in full swing, many families are choosing to have Thanksgiving at home with their immediate family members. That means many chefs will be roasting, deep frying, brining or smoking a turkey for the first time and learning the ropes as they do it. When it comes to turkey, there are all kinds of tricks for keeping it moist and delicious but there are also safety tips that should be taken into consideration to avoid a Thanksgiving Day accident or injury.
Safety Tips for First Time Turkey
These safety tips from womenshealth.com, provide safety basics for preparing your first turkey:
How long does it take to safely thaw a turkey?
Once a frozen turkey is out of the freezer, it must be thawed in a safe way so that it doesn’t accumulate bacteria. Ideally, it will be thawed in a refrigerator over several days. You will need about 24 hours for every four to five pounds of turkey. If you choose to thaw the turkey in cold water, you will need to allow about 30 minutes per pound and change the water every 30 minutes until the turkey is thawed. A turkey thawed in cold water should also be cooked immediately in order to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.
Note: it is safe to cook a turkey from frozen but you will need to allow at least 50 percent more cooking time.
How long should I cook the turkey?
The time it takes to cook a fresh or thawed turkey until it is safe to eat varies, depending on the weight of the turkey – the bigger the turkey, the longer the cooking time. You will want to use a Turkey Roasting Chart to determine cooking times for your turkey.
Once the internal temperature is reached, the bird should be removed from the heat source and allowed to rest for about 45 minutes. Do not cover during this time.
How will I know that my turkey is done?
Whatever cooking method you choose, there is one thing in common: your turkey (and stuffing) must reach 165 °F to destroy bacteria and prevent foodborne illness. You will want to pull the turkey out to rest once it has reached this temperature or you risk drying it out by overcooking. Use a food thermometer to check the temperature of the meat by placing it in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.
Is it safe to cook two turkeys at the same time and does that affect cooking time?
It is safe to cook two turkeys at the same time. As long as the turkeys are about the same weight, you would base the cooking time off the weight of one turkey. Only attempt this is you have enough oven space to allow proper heat circulation.
How do I safely store leftovers?
The longer we leave meat out on the counter at room-temperature, the more chance that it will grow harmful bacteria. Turkey, stuffing or gravy left out beyond two hours is questionable and should be thrown out. What you want to do is break the leftovers into small portions and refrigerate or freeze them within two hours. Any refrigerated leftovers should be eaten within three to four days and reheated to 165 °F or until hot and steaming.
Seek the help of a personal injury attorney
If you or a loved one was injured because of the negligence of another, contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal rights. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times larger with the help of a lawyer. Call the personal injury lawyers at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
