I’ve been writing these columns for a long time. Each year around this time I feel the
need to write about Thanksgiving food safety. But, I’m also aware that each year many people don’t follow this advice. Perhaps it’s because “this is how your mom (or
grandmom) taught you” or “this is how we’ve always done it”. Others may say “but
that’s how we like it.”

So, this year, I’m want to (once again) share these again, tell you why these are
recommendations and offer some alternatives and the let you make your own food
safety decisions. So, here are the top three Thanksgiving Food Safety “Rules”

#1 Don’t stuff the turkey. For many years the USDA, FDA and even the National Turkey
Federation have been recommending cooking the stuffing outside of the turkey in a
casserole dish. This reduces the risk for a foodborne illness caused by cross
contamination or undercooked poultry/stuffing.

The big problem here is when you stuff a turkey, the stuffing goes deep into the center of the bird. This will be one of the last places to become heated. So, it’s harder to get the stuffing to a safe temperature. Cooking till the stuffing is safe may cause other parts of the turkey to be overcooked and dry.

I know people like stuffing that’s been cooked inside the turkey. It’s moister and has
more turkey flavor. If you really want to cook stuffing in the turkey, it needs to reach
the safe minimum temperature of 165 degree F. This goes for the turkey itself, too, it’s
best to check the temperature in four places: deep in the stuffing, the thickest part of
the breast, the innermost part of the thigh and the innermost part of the wing. Use an
instant-read digital thermometer and insure it has reached at least 165 degrees F in all those places. Always use a thermometer to make sure the turkey is fully cooked even if the turkey has a pop-up temperature indicator. Don’t trust the pop-up timer.

If you still want to stuff the turkey—here are a couple more pieces of advice. Don’t stuff until just before you put it in the oven. To save time, you can chop the ingredients ahead of time. Combine the wet and dry ingredients just before using. Don’t pack the stuffing in, keep it loose.

#2 Don’t wash the turkey. Again, this is another recommendation that has been around for many years. Washing a turkey is risky because it can spread bacteria. When water splashes off the raw turkey can spread all over you, the kitchen towels, the counter tops and near-by food. This is especially concerning if that near-by food are things like salads, dips, fruits and vegetables that won’t be cooked.

I know, sometimes you just feel better---especially if you’re thawing a frozen bird, there may still be some ice in the bird or blood that you want to get out. So, if you still want to rinse the bird, clear the sink and counter area and make sure to fully clean the sink and near-by surfaces with soap and water afterwards and then sanitize using a sanitizing solution.

#3 Keep pumpkin pie in the refrigerator. All homemade and bakery pumpkin pies made with fresh ingredients (especially the milk and eggs) should be refrigerated. The reason is that bacteria will grow rapidly when the pie is kept at temperatures between 41° F and 135° F for more than four hours.

The one exception is store-bought pies displayed and sold unrefrigerated in grocery stores and big box stores. These commercially produced pies may have shelf-stable ingredients and anti-microbial preservatives. These may also be made with recipes that have been tested and proven to be shelf-stable due to low-water activity. These pies typically do not need to be refrigerated. Pies of this type should have a sell-by date which indicates how long the pie will remain safe to eat stored at room temperature. It is never wrong to store these pies in the refrigerator once they are brought home. However, if you buy a pie from a local bakery, odds are it won’t contain these stabilizing extras. Small-batch pies like these should be treated as homemade and kept in the fridge.

RESOURCES: 

https://www.riskyornot.co/episodes/694-relying-on-a-pop-up-thermometer?rq=turkey

usda.gov - Keep Food Safety in Mind Thanksgiving

usda.gov Your Safe Thanksgiving Guide

https://blogs.extension.iastate.edu/answerline/2022/11/22/storing-pumpkin-and-pecan-pie-refrigerate-or-not/

https://extension.umaine.edu/food-health/2023/03/30/keeping-pies-safe/

Don't Wash Your Chicken Search Results

Syracuse is a Family and Consumer Science team member and can be reached at NC Cooperative Extension, Brunswick County Center 910-253-2610 or by email at clsyracu@ncsu.edu