All FSIS
Directives & Notices
Dockets
Docket Comments
Export Information
Training
All USDA
Information For...
Consumers & Educators
Scientists & Researchers
Small/Very Plants
Businesses & Partners
Constituent Groups
FSIS Employees
You are here:
Home
/
Fact Sheets
/
Seasonal Food Safety
/ Top Picks for Thanksgiving
2012 TIPS OF THE DAY
Reheating your Thanksgiving
leftovers
? Reheat safely to 165 °F. You will have until Monday to use them.
Using the old family recipe for a perfect turkey?
It's not safe to cook a turkey in a conventional oven below 325°F.
Cooking a turkey ahead of time? After a turkey is cooked, don't put the whole turkey in the refrigerator to cool;
break the turkey down into smaller portions to cool quickly and safely
.
Planning on stuffing your turkey? If the answer is yes,
the turkey and the stuffing need to reach 165 °F to be safe.
Running out of time? Trying to save time by preparing and stuffing a turkey the night before?
Not a good idea, it's dangerous!
Safest way to thaw your turkey is in the refrigerator. It takes about 24 hours for every 5 pounds.
Make sure your refrigerator is at 40 °F or below
.
Don't let the sell-by-date ruin your Thanksgiving. The sell-by-date tells the store how long to display the turkey for sale, not how long it will last in your refrigerator.
Are you
brining
or
frying
your turkey for the first time? Ask us how to do it safely! Call the
USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline
at 1-888-674-6854.
Wondering when you should buy your fresh turkey? Wait til the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Use the turkey within two days.
Get tips on
Twitter
|
En Español
TOP TURKEY RESOURCES
Recommended Internal Temperatures
Food Thermometer Placement & Recommended Internal Temperatures
|
En Español
Turkey Basics
Turkey Basics: Safe Thawing
|
PDF
|
En Español
|
En Español PDF
Turkey Basics: Stuffing
|
PDF
| |
En Español
|
En Español PDF
Turkey Basics: Safe Cooking
|
PDF
|
En Español
|
En Español PDF
Turkey Basics: Handling Cooked Dinners
|
PDF
|
En Español
|
En Español PDF
Brochure
Let's Talk Turkey–A Consumer Guide to Safely Roasting a Turkey
|
PDF
|
En Español
|
En Español PDF
Want more? Looking for teaching materials?
Check the
Seasonal Food Safety Fact Sheets
page, the master
Fact Sheets index
, or our
list of downloadable educational materials
.
Interactive Knowledge Base: Ask a Food Safety Question
AskKaren.gov
(keyword turkey) |
En Español
Pictures & Videos
Proper placement of food thermometer in whole turkey
(JPG; shown below)
Let’s Talk about Thawing a Turkey
|
En Español
|
ASL
Let’s Talk about Stuffing a Turkey
|
En Español
|
ASL
Let’s Talk about Cooking a Turkey
|
En Español
|
ASL
Thanksgiving Recipes
Special USDA Blog Series: Healthy & Safe Recipes
For more food safety essentials,
Check Your Steps!
Last Modified: November 27, 2012
Safe Food Handling
At-Risk Populations
Meat Preparation
Poultry Preparation
Egg Products Preparation
Seasonal Food Safety
Appliances & Thermometers
Foodborne Illness & Disease
Emergency Preparedness
FSIS Programs & Workforce
Production & Inspection
Food Labeling
To view PDF files you must have
Adobe Reader
installed on your computer.
FSIS Home
|
USDA.gov
|
FoodSafety.gov
|
USA.gov
|
Whitehouse.gov
|
Site Map
|
A-Z
|
Policies & Links
|
Significant Guidance
FOIA
|
Accessibility Statement
|
Privacy Policy
|
Non-Discrimination Statement
|
Civil Rights
|
No FEAR
|
Information Quality