FOOD SAFETY TIPS FOR FROZEN TURKEY
To ensure proper handling, storage and preparation of frozen turkey, follow these tips from the American Dietetic Association and the ConAgra Foods Foundation:
Buying
- Always look for the "safe food handling" label on packages
- The label will give you tips for proper food handling and cooking
- Make sure the packaging is tightly sealed
- Pick up the turkey and other meat items last and ask to have them bagged separately from other groceries
Storing
- Make sure the refrigerator temperature is set to below 40°F
- To freeze an uncooked, whole turkey, leave turkey in its original wrapping. To freeze uncooked turkey parts, wrap in freezer wrap or tightly sealed freezer bags and mark with the date
- A frozen, whole turkey can be kept for approximately 12 months in a freezer set at or below 0°F
- Frozen turkey parts can be kept for approximately nine months in a freezer set at or below 0°F
- To freeze cooked turkey, wrap in freezer wrap or tightly sealed freezer bags and mark with the date
- Cooked turkey can be kept frozen for approximately two to six months in a freezer set at or below 0°F
- Cooked turkey should be eaten or frozen within three to four days
Preparation
- Wash hands thoroughly for 20 seconds before, during and after handling raw poultry
- Use two separate cutting boards to avoid cross-contamination, one for raw foods and the other for ready-to-eat foods
- Refer to the "safe food handling" label on the package
for proper preparation
- For more information, visit the USDA at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/FactSheets/Lets_Talk_Turkey/index.asp
- Thaw turkey in the refrigerator (never on the counter) or in the microwave using the defrost setting or under cold water
- For safe thawing in the refrigerator, allow about one day for every four to five pounds of turkey to thaw in the refrigerator
- When thawing turkey in the microwave, follow owner's manual. Cook
immediately after thawing because some areas may become
warm and begin to cook during microwaving
- Turkey may also be thawed in cold water in its original airtight packaging or in a leak-proof bag. Submerge the bird or cut-up parts in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes. Estimate minimum thawing time to be 30 minutes per pound for whole turkey
- Do not re-freeze thawed turkey
- Use a meat thermometer to cook to proper internal temperature
- The temperature of a whole turkey must reach 180°F deep in the thigh
- The temperature of turkey breast should reach 170°F
- When cooking a stuffed turkey, the center of the stuffing must reach 165°F. For safety and uniform doneness of turkey, cook stuffing separately
- Refrigerate leftover turkey promptly within two hours
