(HealthDay News) — Eating a bad Thanksgiving bird can ruin your holiday in a hurry.
The U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service suggests how to ensure that your turkey is properly cooked and prepared:
- Take in account factors that influence how long your turkey will take to cook, from its size to its storage temperature.
- Completely thaw the turkey before cooking.
- Roast it at 325 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.
- Use a roasting pan of 2 inches to 2.5 inches deep.
- If you stuff the turkey, make sure stuffing is loosely packed inside.
- Check the temperature of both the stuffing and the turkey with a food thermometer; temperature should be at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Make sure the turkey cooks long enough, and allow 20 minutes before carving.