Food Safety While Hiking, Camping

& Boating

Countdown to the Thanksgiving Holiday

USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline

1-888-MPHotline

(1-888-674-6854)

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the public health

agency in the U.S. Department of Agriculture responsible for ensuring

that the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products

is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged.

Food Safety Information

United States Department of Agriculture

Food Safety and Inspection Service

USDA Photo

As Thanksgiving approaches, cooking the traditional turkey dinner gives rise to anxieties and questions. What

 kind of turkey should I buy? Should I buy a frozen turkey or a fresh one? How do I store my turkey?

A few simple steps will not only ease your holiday fears, but will ensure a delicious and a safe meal for you, your

family, and your friends. The following information may help you prepare your special Thanksgiving meal and help

you countdown to the holiday.

Plan Ahead

Plan your menu several weeks before the holiday.

Shopping early will ease the countdown tension for

your Thanksgiving meal. Ask these questions to help

plan your meal. Do you want a fresh or frozen

turkey? Do you have enough space to store a frozen

bird if purchased in advance; if not, when should you

purchase a turkey? What size bird do you need to

buy?

Fresh or Frozen

If you choose to buy a frozen bird you may do so at

any time, but make sure you have adequate storage

space in your freezer. If you buy a fresh turkey, be

sure you purchase it only 1-2 days before cooking.

Do not buy a prestuffed fresh turkey.

Use the following chart as a helpful guide:

WHAT SIZE TURKEY TO PURCHASE

Type of Turkey

Whole bird

Boneless breast of turkey

Breast of turkey

Prestuffed frozen turkey

Pounds to Buy

1 pound per person

1/2 pound per person

3/4 pound per person

1 1/4 pounds per person

–- keep frozen until

ready to cook

Size of Turkey

4 to 12 pounds

12 to 16 pounds

16 to 20 pounds

20 to 24 pounds

Number of Days

1 to 3 days

3 to 4 days

4 to 5 days

5 to 6 days

Thawing

In the refrigerator

Place frozen bird in original wrapper in the

refrigerator (40 °F or below). Allow approximately 24

hours per 4 to 5 pounds of turkey. A thawed turkey

can remain in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.

THAWING TIME IN COLD WATER

In cold water

If you forget to thaw the turkey or don’t have room in

the refrigerator for thawing, don’t panic. You can

submerge the turkey in cold water and change the

water every 30 minutes. Allow about 30 minutes

defrosting time per pound of turkey. The following

times are suggested for thawing turkey in water.

Cook immediately after thawing.

Size of Turkey

4 to 12 pounds

12 to 16 pounds

16 to 20 pounds

20 to 24 pounds

Hours to Defrost

2 to 6 hours

6 to 8 hours

8 to 10 hours

10 to 12 hours

THAWING TIME IN THE REFRIGERATOR
Food Safety Questions?

The USDA is an equal opportunity

 provider and employer.

Reviewed; no changes November 2010

Countdown to the Thanksgiving Holiday

FSIS encourages the reprint and distribution of this publication for food safety

education purposes. However, USDA symbols or logos may not be used

separately to imply endorsement of a commercial product or service.

In the microwave

Microwave thawing is safe if the turkey is not too

large. Check the manufacturer’s instructions for the

size turkey that will fit into your oven, the minutes

per pound, and the power level to use for thawing.

Cook immediately after thawing.

Preparation

The day before Thanksgiving

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.

Thanksgiving Day

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.

Use a food thermometer to check the internal

temperature of the turkey.

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.

Storing Leftovers

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.

COOKING TIME - UNSTUFFED TURKEY

COOKING TIME - STUFFED TURKEY

Size of Turkey

8 to12 pounds

12 to 14 pounds

14 to 18 pounds

18 to 20 pounds

20 to 24 pounds

Hours to Prepare

2 3/4 to 3 hours

3 to 3 3/4 hours

3 3/4 to 4 1/4 hours

4 1/4 to 4 1/2 hours

4 1/2 to 5 hours

8 to 12 pounds

12 to 14 pounds

14 to 18 pounds

18 to 20 pounds

20 to 24 pounds

3 to 3 1/2 hours

3 1/2 to 4 hours

4 to 4 1/4 hours

4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours

4 3/4 to 5 1/4 hours

Ask Karen!

FSIS’ automated response

system can provide food safety

information

24/7 and a

live chat

during

Hotline

hours.

AskKaren.gov

PregunteleaKaren.gov

Call the USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline

If you have a question

about meat, poultry, or

egg products, call the

USDA Meat and

Poultry Hotline

toll free at

1-888-MPHotline

(1-888-674-6854)

The hotline is open

year-round

 Monday through Friday from 10

a.m. to 4 p.m. ET

(English or Spanish).

Recorded food safety

messages are available 24 hours a day.

Check out the

FSIS Web site at

 www.fsis.usda.gov.

Send E-mail questions to MPHotline.fsis@usda.gov.

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.

Timetables for Turkey Roasting

(325 °F oven temperature)