You are here: Home / News & Events / News Releases / Video News Releases / Script for Turkey Basics

FEATURE SCRIPT – Turkey Basics from USDA's

Be Food Safe Campaign

INTRO: The U.S. Department of Agriculture's "Be Food Safe"

message is important when preparing the traditional turkey

dinner. USDA's Patrick O'Leary has more.

Pat O'Leary, USDA (voice-over): The USDA's Meat and

Poultry Hotline calls them "turkey basics" — the expert's

guidelines for safely storing, handling and preparing the

holiday bird, and avoiding foodborne illness.

Kathy Bernard, USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline: We get a

lot of calls around the holidays because people are preparing

turkeys, often for the first time or for a larger group than

usual. So we give them the basics, which begin with Clean,

Separate, Cook and Chill. Keep hands and utensils clean;

separate raw from cooked foods; cook to safe temperatures

and chill leftovers promptly.

O'Leary (voice-over): A fresh turkey will stay safe in the

fridge for one to two days. A frozen turkey should be stored

in the freezer until it's time to thaw.

Bernard: The best way to thaw a frozen turkey is in the

refrigerator. It'll take about 24 hours for every 4-5 pounds of

bird. You can speed the thawing by placing the wrapped

turkey in a sink of cold water, changing the water every 30

minutes. You can thaw a smaller turkey in the microwave

oven, but then you should cook the turkey immediately after

thawing because some areas do start to cook during the

defrost process.

O'Leary (voice-over): Set the oven no lower than 325

degrees, and have your food thermometer handy.

Bernard: Thorough cooking will destroy any harmful bacteria

News Releases

Meetings & Events

Speeches & Presentations

Communications to Congress

Newsletters & Magazines

Image Libraries

Multimedia

Food Safety Videos

FSIS Video News Releases

Podcasts

USDA Broadcast Media &

Technology Center

1 of 2 12/03/13 04:15 PM
that might be in the turkey, or the stuffing.

O'Leary (voice-over): The safest way to cook stuffing is

outside the bird.

Bernard: We recommend cooking stuffing in a casserole at

325 degrees, until the internal temperature reaches at least

165 degrees Fahrenheit.

O'Leary (voice-over): If you decide to stuff the turkey,

stuff it loosely and check the temperature of the stuffing and

the turkey with a food thermometer.

Bernard: Make sure the turkey reaches an internal

temperature of at least 165 degrees Farenheit by checking

the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh

and wing and the thickest part of the breast. The stuffing

should also reach 165 degrees Farenheit.

O'Leary (voice-over): The finished turkey should sit out no

longer than two hours. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in

shallow containers. For more information call the USDA Meat

and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline. Or ask a food safety

question at AskKaren.gov. For the U.S. Department of

Agriculture, I'm Pat O'Leary.

Last Modified: November 18, 2008

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

2 of 2 12/03/13 04:15 PM