Tips for a Safer Thanksgiving Dinner

Imagine the terrible looks you'll get from the in-laws after making them sick from food poisoning. This might be one that's hard to live down. Take the time to learn about proper food safety procedures. Linda Larsen has a very detailed article on Food Safety at http://busycooks.about.com/od/cookinglessons/a/foodsafety.htm. I found the information very interesting and useful.

If you're deep frying a turkey, make sure you have a fire extinguisher handy! You can't put out a grease fire with water, so don't be caught unprepared if your fryer catches fire. Did you know that the perfect temperature to deep fry a turkey is around 250˚F. The burning point for oil occurs at around 275˚ F it's a small margin from perfection to inferno.

Know the Heimlich. You never know when a guest may choke on something and this maneuver can really be a lifesaver. There is a great explanation available on WebMD at http://firstaid.webmd.com/choking-treatment. Get familiar with first aid for choking and be prepared for this type of emergency.

For those of you planning to order a precooked turkey dinner, make sure to schedule its pickup as close to your dinner event as possible. In fact, take a look at these great safety tips from a Seattle Times article at http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/foodwine/2003361693_precookedturkey.html.

Check the temperature of your fridge with an appliance thermometer. It needs to be 40˚ F to properly chill foods. The FDA's web site contains a lot of useful information on safe food preparation & storage. It was surprising to learn that twenty-three percent of consumers' refrigerators are not cold enough. Check it out at http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm079667.htm.

Any easy way to prevent contamination during food preparation is to use disposable cutting boards. Amazon.com sells Saran Disposable Cutting Sheets in 20-packs at http://www.amazon.com/Saran-Disposable-Cutting-Sheets-20-pack/dp/B0000DIWNJ. This is a very easy way to keep your kitchen as clean as possible.

Don't get distracted while cooking Thanksgiving dinner. Remember to always turn off burners if you must walk away from the stove. It is a great idea to keep a small fire extinguisher in your kitchen as well for any potential fires.

Although Thanksgiving tradition usually includes filling the inside of a turkey with Grandma's stuffing, it is now recommended that all stuffing be cooked independently to avoid possible food contamination. The North Country Gazette has a great article, "Safety Tips for Preparing Thanksgiving Stuffing," at http://www.northcountrygazette.org/2008/11/15/stuffing_tips/.

If you don't own a meat thermometer, go out and buy one. This is one of the most useful tools to have in your kitchen, allowing you to always know when food is prepared correctly & properly done. No more cuts into your scrumptious chicken breasts to see if the meat is well done. Simply insert your thermometer and make sure that the temperature matches the recommended temperatures (visit www.fda.gov) for doneness.

Gravy and broth are highly susceptible to spoiling. Don't keep these leftovers hanging around more than a day or two. When you re-serve, be sure to boil for several minutes prior to serving. You can find a complete guide to safe food handling at the USDA's site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Kitchen_Companion.pdf. Please take some time to learn more about safe food handling before cooking your dinner this Thanksgiving.

Sources:

USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/index.asp.

FDA, www.fda.gov