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Countdown to
the Thanksgiving Holiday |
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The day before Thanksgiving* |
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Make sure you have all the ingredients
you need to prepare your holiday meal. Check to make sure you
have all the equipment you will need, including a roasting pan
large enough to hold your turkey and a food thermometer. Wet
and dry stuffing ingredients can be prepared ahead of time and
refrigerated separately. This may also be done on Thanksgiving
Day. Mix ingredients just before placing the stuffing inside
the turkey cavity or into a casserole dish. |
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Thanksgiving Day* |
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If you choose to stuff your turkey,
stuff loosely. The stuffing should be moist, not dry, since heat
destroys bacteria more rapidly in a moist environment. Place
stuffed turkey in oven immediately. You may also cook the stuffing
outside the bird in a casserole. Judging cooking time for your
turkey will be easier if the following chart is used. The times
listed are for a fresh or thawed turkey in an oven at 325 °F.
These times are approximate. |
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Timetables for Turkey
Roasting* |
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(325 °F oven temperature) |
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Cooking
Time — Unstuffed |
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Size of Turkey |
Hours to Prepare |
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8 to 12 pounds |
2 3/4 to 3 hours |
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12 to 14 pounds |
3 to 3 3/4 hours |
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14 to 18 pounds |
3 3/4 to 4 1/4 hours |
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18 to 20 pounds |
4 1/4 to 4 1/2 hours |
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20 to 24 pounds |
4 1/2 to 5 hours |
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Cooking
Time — Stuffed |
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Size of Turkey |
Hours to Prepare |
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8 to 12 pounds |
3 to 3 1/2 hours |
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12 to 14 pounds |
3 1/2 to 4 hours |
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14 to 18 pounds |
4 to 4 1/4 hours |
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18 to 20 pounds |
4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours |
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20 to 24 pounds |
4 3/4 to 5 1/4 hours |
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Use a food thermometer to check
the internal temperature of the turkey* |
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A whole turkey is safe cooked
to a minimum internal temperature of 165 °F throughout the
bird. Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of
the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. All turkey
meat, including any that remains pink, is safe to eat as soon
as all parts reach at least 165 °F. The stuffing should reach
165 °F, whether cooked inside the bird or in a separate dish.
When turkey is removed from the
oven, let it stand 20 minutes. Remove stuffing and carve turkey. |
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Proper Thermometer Placement** |
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When cooking whole poultry, the
food thermometer should be inserted into the thickest part of
the thigh (avoiding the bone).
A whole turkey is safe when cooked
to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F as measured
with a food thermometer. Check the internal temperature in the
innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of
the breast. For reasons of personal preference, consumers may
choose to cook turkey to higher temperatures. If stuffed, the
stuffing must reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165
°F.
If cooking poultry parts, insert
food thermometer into the thickest area, avoiding the bone. The
food thermometer may be inserted sideways if necessary. When
the food is irregularly shaped, the temperature should be checked
in several places. |
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Storing Leftovers* |
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Cut the turkey into small pieces;
refrigerate stuffing and turkey separately in shallow containers
within 2 hours of cooking. Use leftover turkey and stuffing within
3-4 days or freeze these foods. Reheat thoroughly to a temperature
of 165 °F or until hot and steaming. |
USDA Food Safety and
Inspection Service (FSIS)
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/ |
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