Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Living Well with the Carrie Connection

No one wants a festive turkey dinner spoiled by uninvited guests  particularly when the "guests" are bacteria that can cause food borne illnesses. Safe cooking and food handling procedures will go a long way toward reducing the risk.

Four basic food safety tips apply not only to turkey, but to everything else that comprises the holiday meal, observes the Soap and Detergent Association. Cleaning is the key. This means washing hands with hot, soapy water before and after food preparation.

Clean and disinfect counter tops and cutting boards, using bleach and water or a disinfectant cleaner. Follow the label directions to use the product properly and get the best results. Dishes and utensils should be kept clean, too.

Combating cross-contamination is another way of keeping food safe. Do not allow the raw juice of turkey or other meats to come in contact with fresh fruits and vegetables.

Cook and chill food properly. Use a good quality meat thermometer to make sure the meat reaches the proper internal temperature. Once cooked, keep hot foods hot and cold food cold. Don't let foods sit at room temperature for more than two hours.

Cooking turkey properly calls for some special considerations. Temperature, not time, is key. Many variables can affect the time. For example, dark roasting pans cook faster than shiny metals; a partially thawed bird requires more time. A foil tent may slow cooking time, while an oven cooking bag can accelerate it.

Place the turkey in an oven set no lower than 325 F. Using a conventional meat thermometer to test in several places, cook until the thermometer measures at least 180 F in the innermost part of the thigh and the juices run clear.

Be aware that cooking a stuffed turkey is risky. Even if the turkey itself has reached the proper internal temperature of 180 F, it does not mean that the stuffing inside the bird's cavity has reached a sufficiently high temperature to kill the bacteria. For optimum safety and satisfaction, it's best to cook the stuffing separately from the bird.

For more information about family contact the Nevada County Extension Service in Prescott.