Biggest Food Safety Mistakes We Make When Preparing a Thanksgiving Turkey
The first step to hosting Thanksgiving is to make sure you procure yourself a turkey. You can pick up a frozen bird at any supermarket, or you can get a fresh turkey at many turkey farms throughout New Jersey.
There’s Lee Turkey Farm in East Windsor, Spring Valley Turkey Farm in Old Bridge, and DiPaola Turkey Farm in Hamilton Township to name a few.
Personally, I’ve never cooked a Thanksgiving turkey, however, I’ve seen it prepared and the mistakes that have been made during preparation.
For instance, there’s nothing worse than miscalculating how long the turkey needs to cook. You’ve got a house full of hungry people, and you realize that the bird is not going to be cooked on time. This is not a good feeling for anyone. They’re already irritated because someone started a political conversation, and now they’re hangry, not a good combination.
In a recent article, the Huffington Post talked about the biggest Thanksgiving turkey mistakes, according to food safety experts. For those fixing a turkey for the first time this holiday season, there are many mistakes that you want to avoid without exception.
Not Washing Your Hands
Health and safety manager at Tulane University, Ray Campbell, says you should “Wash your hands at least 20 to 30 seconds each time you handle the turkey and it’s in a raw state.”
Thawing Your Turkey Anywhere But The Fridge
“Bacteria, germs, and other harmful pathogens grow at an alarming rate when the turkey is thawed at room temperature.”
Cooking Frozen Turkey
Some of your turkeys will be overcooked, while others will be undercooked. Be sure to thaw all the way.
Allowing Your Thawing Turkey Juices to Drip Into Your Fridge
Place the turkey on a tray to catch any liquid and avoid cross-contamination.
Washing Your Turkey
Don’t do it. Washing your bird has more health risks than if you were not to wash it.
Stuffing the Turkey
While older generations swear by stuffing the turkey, Campbell says,“When you put a very spongy bread stuffing inside the bird, as it cooks, the water evaporates, and you get evaporative cooling, but the stuffing inside of the bird where a lot of the pathogens hideout will remain slightly cooler than the environment around it.”
Whether you’re the preparer or the guest, I hope you have a safe, satisfying, and happy holiday.
4 Types Of People You Will Find At Thanksgiving Turkey Trot
The Costume Runner
Here is the spectacle runner, who is decked out in a giant turkey costume. They can’t breathe let alone run, but they certainly can waddle. If this person finishes actually runs and finishes the race, it is usually by Christmas time. Nonetheless, you must respect the fact that lots of thought and deliberation went into this decision. It may even take longer for the person to get properly fitted in the morning to get ready for the trot than it does for the actual turkey to cook.
Leon Halip/Getty Images
The I Need To Win And Beat The Best Time Ever Runner
With all due respect, this runner is there an hour early stretching, even though they already completely stretched at home prior to eating a full protein breakfast. This participant is fully rested, fully hydrated, and plans to smoke you like you are the turkey. Furthermore, while you are trucking through the first mile, gasping for breath, this runner is going to pass, but going the other direction. That is because this person finished the race already and is simply running back to the starting line as their “cool down.” We get it, your cross-country skills are superhuman, and you now own the Turkey Trot best time. Just don’t be the person that beats the day’s honoree.
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The Still Awake From Last Night "Runner"
It’s common knowledge that the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving is one of the biggest party nights on the planet. It’s a special occasion where people come out of the woodwork and return to their hometown. The local pubs may make their annual quota based on Thanksgiving Eve sales. It’s great fun for sure, as long you have a responsible ride home. For some though, they have not even been home yet. It’s much more convenient to walk two blocks to the left to the downtown starting line at sunrise than it is to trek a half of a mile down Main Street to sleep it off for a few hours. This person looks and smells like the party. If there are woods adjacent to the 5k running route, you will usually find this runner in there immediately.
The Socialite Runner
Many towns that host Thanksgiving races are deep with tradition and local history. The families that call this place home often go back generations. Somehow, your grandmother had the same 4th grade teacher that your daughter currently has. The socialite is there to talk to everyone. They are in full-blown campaign mode, yet they are not running for anything. They simply love everything that has to do with their hometown and their mission for Thanksgiving Turkey Trot, is to see literally everyone, and spread some spirit. You have to respect that.
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