Talking Turkey on safety and health

First timers and experienced alike - make this holiday season a safe and healthy one for the whole family.
The Department of Agriculture & Markets Commissioner Patrick Hooker and the Department of Health Commissioner Richard F. Daines offer a safe and healthy approach to prevent food borne illnesses and poisonings this holiday time through proper handling and cooking.
“With Christmas right around the corner, it’s important for people to know how to properly prepare their holiday meal, while protecting their families and friends from possible food borne illness,” Commissioner Hooker said. “So please be sure to include food safety on the menu to ensure that your holidays are filled with both health and happiness.”
Among the many ways to catch Salmonella and other undercooked food-related diseases, stuffing raw turkeys, experts say, should be avoided to prevent the spread of bacteria.
Tips to help limit the chance of catching one of more than 250 different diseases that cause food poisoning include thawing turkeys in the refrigerator at 24-hours-per-five-pounds of turkey; cooking stuffing until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit loosely placed inside the turkey and thoroughly cook the turkey at 325 degrees Fahrenheit, allowing the internal temperature of the turkey to reach 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
The recommended cooking times for stuffed and unstuffed turkeys vary depending upon weight. Weighing from eight to 12 pounds, stuffed and unstuffed turkeys should be cooked from two hours and forty-five minutes to three hours and from three to three and one-half hours, respectively.
Leftover turkey and stuffing should be kept for no longer than four days and gravy no longer than two.