|
Continued from Page 2
Storage
Put turkey products in a refrigerator that maintains 40 F, or
freeze at 0 F. Freezer storage times are for best quality. If frozen
continuously, turkey products will be safe indefinitely.
|
Turkey Item
|
Refrigerator Storage
|
Freezer Storage
|
| Fresh whole turkey |
1 to 2 days
|
12 months
|
| Fresh turkey parts |
1 to 2 days
|
9 months
|
| Ground turkey, giblets |
1 to 2 days
|
3 to 4 months
|
| Cooked turkey |
3 to 4 days
|
4 months
|
| Cooked turkey dishes |
3 to 4 days
|
4 to 6 months
|
| Turkey broth, gravy |
1 to 2 days
|
2 to 3 months
|
Safe Defrosting
The USDA recommends three ways to defrost turkeys: in the refrigerator, in
cold water and in the microwave. Never defrost turkey on the counter or in
other locations. It's best to plan ahead for slow, safe thawing in the
refrigerator. Allow about 1 day for every 5 pounds of turkey to thaw in the
refrigerator.
Turkey may be defrosted in cold water in its airtight packaging or in a
leak-proof bag. Submerge the bird or cut-up parts in cold water, changing
the water every 30 minutes to be sure it stays cold.
Turkey defrosted in the microwave should be cooked immediately after
thawing because some areas of the food may become warm and begin to cook
during microwaving. Holding partially cooked food is not recommended
because any bacteria present wouldn't have been destroyed.
Color of Turkey
Raw turkey skin color is off white to cream-colored. Under the skin the
color ranges from a pink to a lavender blue depending on the amount of fat
just under the skin. When testing for doneness of cooked turkey, rubbery
pink meat and pink juices are a sign that the turkey needs additional cooking.
If the turkey has reached an internal temperature of 160 F, the juices
have no pink color and the meat is tender but has a pink color, it should
be safe to eat. The pink color in safely cooked turkey is due to the
hemoglobin in tissues which can form a heat-stable color. This can also
happen when smoking, grilling or oven cooking a turkey.
SAFE COOKING
The USDA recommends the internal temperature, as registered on a meat
thermometer must reach a minimum of 180 F in the innermost part of the
thigh before removing from the oven. However, all bacteria are killed at
160. Let your palate be the judge. Once past 160, when the juices run
clear, the bird is safe to eat. I asked the FDA how they came to recommend
cooking to 185 degrees when they state clearly that all bacteria known to
be in the turkey is killed at 160 degrees. Their spokesperson said that "it
tasted better." I said, "Says who?" She said, "A committee." That figures.
Continued on Page 4
Smoky's 5th basic position for really great barbecue'n.
'According to Smoky' is © by C. Clark Hale
who is solely responsible for its content. Comments
should be addresses to cchale@bellsouth.net
|
