Released November 3, 2009

MADISON, Wis.–To make sure every bite of your holiday turkey is as safe to eat as it is delicious, University of Wisconsin-Extension food scientist Barbara Ingham offers some suggestions.

“Whether you choose a fresh or frozen turkey is up to you,” says Ingham. For both fresh and frozen, allow one pound of turkey per person. If the turkey is fresh, buy it only one to two days before you plan to cook it, and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to place it in the oven. Place a fresh turkey in a pan or on a tray to catch any juices that may leak.

Do not buy fresh pre-stuffed turkeys. If your turkey is frozen, keep it frozen until you’re ready to thaw it.

“There are three ways to safely thaw your turkey: in the refrigerator, in cold water in the sink, or in a microwave oven,” advises Ingham.

She offers these methods and safety tips for thawing your turkey:

–Refrigerator (40°F or below): Thaw on a tray or in a pan to prevent drips. Once completely thawed, turkey may be stored in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days before cooking.

–In cold water: Thaw securely wrapped turkey, making sure the water is not able to leak through the wrapping. It’s usually best to keep the turkey wrapped in the original package, unless there is a leak. Keep turkey submerged. Change water every 30 minutes. Cook immediately after thawing. Do not refrigerate or refreeze.

–Microwave thawing produces a poor quality product. Check your microwave oven owner’s manual to thaw a turkey in your microwave. Once thawed, cook immediately. Do not refreeze or refrigerate a turkey after microwave thawing.

–Size of turkey:
4 to 12 pounds–thaw 1 to 3 days in the refrigerator or 2 to 6 hours in cold water; 
12 to 16 pounds–3 to 4 days in the refrigerator or 6 to 8 hours in cold water; 
16 to 20 pounds–4 to 5 days in the refrigerator or 8 to 10 hours in cold water; 
20 to 24 pounds–5 to 6 days in the refrigerator or 10 to 12 hours in cold water.

To be safe, the turkey should be stuffed immediately before cooking, says Ingham. “Resist the temptation to stuff a bird and leave it in the refrigerator overnight.

If you wish, you can prepare the stuffing the day before your holiday meal and store it in the refrigerator so that getting the bird into the oven on the day of your feast is an easy task. Loosely pack stuffing into the cavity so that the mixture heats quickly and evenly.”

Because stuffing is slower to heat than turkey meat, cooking a stuffed bird will result in overcooking. For more even cooking, bake stuffing outside the bird–the meat will be ready sooner and will be more tender and juicy.

When you roast your turkey, set the oven temperature no lower than 325°F. Place the turkey or turkey breast on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. A small amount of water in the bottom of the roasting pan (one-half cup), or lining the pan with aluminum foil, will make clean-up easier.

“You may wish to season the bird before roasting and baste the skin as the turkey roasts,” says Ingham.

Timetables for Turkey Roasting (325°F oven temperature)

Use these timetables to determine how long to cook your turkey. These times are approximate. Always use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of your turkey and stuffing.

Thawed, unstuffed
cooking time:

4 to 8 pounds (breast)–1.5 to 3.5 hours; 
8 to 12 pounds–2.5 to 3 hours;
12 to 14 pounds–3 to 3.5 hours;
14 to 18 pounds–3.5 to 4.5 hours;
18 to 20 pounds–4.5 to 5 hours; 
20 to 24 pounds–4.5 to 5 hours

Thawed, stuffed
 cooking time

4 to 6 pounds (breast)–not usually applicable; 
6 to 8 pounds (breast)–2.5 to 3 hours;
8 to 12 pounds–3 to 3.5 hours;
12 to 14 pounds—3.5 to 4 hours;
 14 to 18 pounds–4 to 4.5 hours; 
18 to 20 pounds–4.5 to 5 hours; 
20 to 24 pounds–4.5 to 5.5 hours.

Guidelines for knowing when the turkey is done

–Cook a whole turkey, or a turkey breast, to 165°F. To check for doneness in a whole turkey, insert a food thermometer in the thickest part of the inner thigh without touching the bone. Check for doneness in a turkey breast by inserting a food thermometer in the thickest part of the breast. Note: Turkey meat will be safely cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165°F; however, the meat may still be slightly pink. Some people prefer cooking turkey to a higher temperature (whole turkey to 180°F or breast meat to 170°F) for meat that is more well done.

–Stuffing must also reach 165 °F; the turkey is often “overdone” by the time the stuffing reaches a safe temperature.

–Research has shown that you should not rely on a “pop-up” temperature indicator to ensure doneness. Use a thermometer instead.

–For quality, let the turkey stand for 20 minutes before carving to allow juices to set. The turkey will carve more easily.

It is safe to cook a turkey from the frozen state, but the cooking time will take at least 50 percent longer than recommended for a fully thawed turkey. To cook a frozen turkey, remove the bird’s wrapping and follow the manufacturer’s directions to remove a gravy packet, if present. Place the turkey on a rack in an oven pre-heated to at least 325°F. The time required for cooking will depend on the size of the bird.

A 12- to 13-pound bird will take approximately five hours to cook from the frozen state; a larger bird will take longer. The giblets can be removed after about three hours, when the turkey is partially thawed. The plastic piece that holds the legs in place is heat stable and does not need to be removed for cooking. Cook the turkey to 165°F or higher. To check for doneness, insert a food thermometer in the thickest part of the inner thigh without touching the bone.

Always thaw a stuffed turkey before cooking; do not cook it from the frozen state. Do not stuff a frozen turkey, the stuffing will slow the cooking time and may result in an unsafe product.

For more information, visit http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Lets_Talk_Turkey/index.asp

Ingham offers a few more optional cooking hints:

–Do not rinse turkeys, or other meat, before cooking; this only spreads germs. Use paper towels to gently remove pin feathers or coagulated blood.

—If your roasting pan does not have a lid, you may place a tent of heavy-duty aluminum foil over the turkey for the first 1 to 1.5 hours. This allows for maximum heat circulation, keeps the turkey moist and reduces oven splatter. To prevent over-browning, foil may also be placed over the turkey after it reaches the desired color.

–For last-minute information on cooking your holiday feast, call the Meat and Poultry Hotline, 1-888-674-6854 or log onto http://www.fsis.usda.gov.

Other hotlines that are staffed even on Thanksgiving are:

–Butterball (800) 288-8372 or http://www.butterball.com

–Purdue Customer Hotline (800) 473-7383

–Reynolds Turkey Tips Hotline (800) 745-4000

Spanish-language resources on the following topics are also available at

http://origin-www.fsis.usda.gov/En_Espanol/Hablemos_Acerca_del_Pavo/index.asp

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http://fyi.uwex.edu/news/2009/11/03/put-safety-first-when-preparing-holiday-turkey/

Source: Barbara Ingham, 608-263-7383,
 bhingham@wisc.edu