Food Safety Essentials

If it touches raw meat, you'll need to clean it—before and after you prep. Wash all of the following with hot water and soap:

• Counters
• Cutting boards
• Platters and plates
• Utensils (including the meat thermometer)

Don’t forget to frequently wash your hands with soap or sanitizer for at least 20 seconds.
 

To prevent cross-contamination, keep your raw turkey products separated from other foods at all times. This includes:

• Your shopping cart and grocery bags
• Your refrigerator
• Anything you use to prepare (counters, cutting boards, utensils, etc.)

If you’re preparing turkey stuffing, keep it separated from the turkey until right before you cook. Never stuff a turkey the night before.
 

There is more than one safe way to thaw a turkey, but thawing at room temperature is not one of them. Here’s what we recommend:

• You can thaw some turkey products in the microwave, but plan to cook immediately after you finish thawing.
• Whole turkeys should only be thawed in the refrigerator or using cold water. Watch demonstrations of both on our how-to page

Cook all turkey products to 165°F, and if you’re preparing a whole turkey, the temperature should reach:

• 180° F in the thigh
• 170° F in the breast
• 165° F in the center of the stuffing
   

Store your leftovers in separate, airtight containers within two hours of cooking, and eat or freeze all leftovers within three days. If you’re storing leftovers from a whole turkey, carve it before you store it.

The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline can answer your food safety and handling questions year-round.

Call their Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854), or use their Ask Karen feature to submit a question or chat with an expert online.