One of the steps you should not forget when preparing your turkey for Thanksgiving dinner is to clean the bird once it has thawed. It is important to remove the giblets from the cavity.
The giblets are made up of the heart, liver, neck and the turkey gizzard. Removing the giblets is not necessarily a waste, as you can use them to prepare other recipes.
It is necessary to clean the cavity of the turkey, since if you do not remove the bag of giblets, you run the risk of affecting the overall flavor of the bird, according to MyRecipes. Sometimes the giblets are wrapped in plastic, and the plastic can melt inside the turkey.
It is not necessary to clean a raw turkey with hot water
It is important to mention that while washing poultry such as turkey and chicken is an old habit, it is not the correct way to avoid dangerous bacteria. You don’t need to clean a raw turkey with soap and hot water. The best way to eliminate bacteria is with heat, therefore meats must be cooked well.
The Centers for The Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that raw turkey should not be washed or rinsed. Washing a turkey causes a lot of splashing near the kitchen sink. The CDC explains that the practice can make you and your family sick, since poultry juices can spread in the kitchen and contaminate other foods, utensils, and countertops.
How to clean the turkey
To remove any excess moisture and provide a crisp, golden skin, pat the skin of the turkey dry with paper towels.
Remove the giblets and any other pieces of turkey from inside the cavities front and back. Dry the cavity with paper towels.
Check that there are no feather quills that may still be connected to the turkey’s skin and if so, remove them.
You should never place cooked food or fresh produce on a plate, cutting board or other surface that contains raw turkey.
Raw turkey, giblets and their juices should not be allowed to come into contact with any other food.
Wash cutting boards, utensils, dishes and countertops with hot soapy water after preparing raw turkey and before preparing other foods.
Important information about the turkey stuffing
Since the stuffing is in the middle of the bird, it takes longer to cook. When the stuffing reaches the proper temperature, the turkey meat is overcooked. Cooking the filling separately is a safer option.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that whether cooked inside the bird or separately, any stuffing or dressing must be cooked to at least 165 ° F.
Do not compress the filling too much inside the turkey. Use about 3/4 cup of stuffing for every pound of turkey.
The best way To make sure the turkey is safely cooked is using a food thermometer , the bird should reach the 165 ° F. Insert a food thermometer into the innermost part of the thigh and brim and the thickest part of the breast.
It may interest you:
– 7 mistakes to avoid when cooking your turkey
– Thawing a whole turkey: the 3 safe methods recommended by the USDA and how you should never do it
– Salmonella in chicken : basic steps to reduce the risk of getting sick