The kitchen dos and don'ts of Thanksgiving turkey preparation

A tasty Thanksgiving turkey meal is usually followed by days (or weeks) of sandwiches and other leftovers.

But how long should you cling to those remnants of the holiday spread?

Preparing, serving and storing food safely is key to staving off outbreaks of some forms of food poisoning that happen more frequently in November and December, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And the National Fire Protection Association calls Thanksgiving the "peak day" for home cooking fires.

Here is what you need to know about Thanksgiving and food safety.

What is the safest way to defrost a frozen turkey?

The simplest way to thaw a frozen turkey is in the refrigerator, said Donald Schaffner, a microbiologist at Rutgers University where he is chair of the department of food science.

"A good rule of thumb is 24 hours for every 4-to-5 pounds of turkey," he said. "If you use cold water thawing, you should allow 30 minutes per pound of turkey and change the water about every 30 minutes ... you should do this with the turkey in its original packaging."

Schaffner said keeping the bird in its original packaging can prevent pathogenic bacteria on the surface of the turkey from moving around the kitchen and sink.

Follow instructions carefully when using a turkey fryer

As turkey fryers have become more popular, so have burns to people using them around Thanksgiving, said Dr. Robert Schwaner, medical director of the department of emergency medicine at Stony Brook University Hospital.

One big mistake is dropping a frozen turkey into the oil-filled fryer, which can result in flames shooting up from the vat.

"People get burned all the time," Schwaner said. "When you put the turkey in the vat, people splash themselves but if there is any frozen water, the vat will boil over."

He said other mistakes people make include putting the fryer too close to a house or filling it with too much oil.

Do I need to wash the turkey?

No, Schaffner said. "It’s not going to remove that many germs and it’s going to take the germs and spread them around the rest of the kitchen."

How do I make sure the turkey is cooked enough?

If you don’t already have one, invest in a tip sensitive digital thermometer, he said. You should stick it into the thickest part of the turkey and make sure it’s at least 165 degrees.

What happens if I eat undercooked turkey?

Raw turkey can have bacteria such as salmonella, C. perfringens and campylobacter which can cause vomiting, diarrhea and other symptoms of food poisoning, according to the CDC. C. perfringens can also be found in foods that have been cooked but left out and not refrigerated. Symptoms may not appear for 24 or 48 hours after ingesting food contaminated with the bacteria.

How long should the Thanksgiving meal stay on the table?

The rule of thumb is no more than two hours, starting when the food is removed from the stove and brought to the table, Schaffner said.

How should I store leftovers and how long do they last?

Fill containers with only about 2 inches of food and cover them lightly with a lid or parchment paper before putting them in the refrigerator, Schaffner said, because this allows the heat to escape and food to cool down. You should try to eat refrigerated leftovers in about three days. Frozen leftovers will last longer but may lose some flavor.

He said people interested in more information should go to FoodSafety.gov, a government website that has extensive information on cooking temperatures, food preparation and storage.

By Lisa L. Colangelo

lisa.colangelo@newsday.com@lisalcolangelo

Lisa joined Newsday as a staff writer in 2019. She previously worked at amNewYork, the New York Daily News and the Asbury Park Press covering politics, government and general assignment.