As part if the safefood annual Christmas food safety campaign people are being encouraged to use a meat thermometer to make sure their Christmas turkey is safely cooked through to 75 degrees Celsius aimed at helping ensure everyone has a safe and tasty Christmas.
Here are some more top tips to make sure your Christmas dinner goes off without a hitch:
1. Get your fridge festive ready
Ahead of the festive rush give your fridge a good clean with warm soapy water and re-arrange the shelves to make space for your turkey – you should store it on the bottom shelf.
2. How much turkey do you need?
Consider how many people you’re cooking for (children eat less than adults) and whether you want any leftovers. Here’s a guide to the size of turkey you’ll need depending on the size of your party.
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- 4-6 people: a 3-4 kg turkey
- 6-8 people: a 4-5 kg turkey
- 8-10 people: a 5-6 kg turkey
3. Give yourself enough time to defrost
If your turkey is frozen, give yourself enough time to defrost it prior to cooking and defrost it on a dish or tray on the bottom shelf of the fridge.
Allow 24 hours for every 4-5 pounds/1.8-2.2kg of frozen turkey. You’ll know it’s completely thawed when the body is soft, the legs can be moved and there are no ice crystals in the cavity.
4. Don’t wash your turkey
Do not wash your turkey as this can spread harmful bacteria to your sink and kitchen surfaces – proper cooking will kill any bacteria. Handle your turkey as little as possible and remember to wash your hands and any surfaces/utensils with hot, soapy water before you handle any other food.
5. How long to cook your turkey?
For cooking times to suit your turkey, safefood have a handy turkey cooking time calculator on their website at www.safefood.net/Christmas.
To check your turkey is safely cooked, take it out of the oven and pop a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meat between the breast and the leg; when it reads 75 degrees Celsius, it’s safely cooked.
If you don’t own a meat thermometer, pierce the thickest part with a clean skewer or fork and check that it is piping hot, with no pink meat left and the juices run clear.
6. Using your leftovers
Always cover any leftovers and place in the fridge within two hours of cooking. Ensure any meat is cooled as quickly as possible – cutting it into pieces will help with this.
Once in the fridge, any leftovers should be eaten within three days. When re-heating food, ensure it is piping hot all the way throughout and only re-heated once.
Check out www.safefood.net/christmas for some inspiration on leftover recipes.