A Procrastinator's Guide to a Safe Holiday Dinner
Ninety percent of families in the United States will be eating turkey,
in some form, on Thanksgiving Day. Even families from other cultures
have adopted the tradition of eating turkey during this U.S. tradition.
Some families will eat around noon and others will eat later in the
evening. Some will eat later than expected because something went wrong.
Most often it's because the turkey isn't done yet. Timing the turkey
is critical.
A procrastinator is one who puts off doing something until a future
time. If you are one who waits until the day before Thanksgiving to
think about dinner, do not put off reading this article.
9 a.m. Wednesday morning
A little planning is in order. Decide on the menu and keep it simple.
Collect recipes, if needed. Determine how many will be dining at your
home. Sample menu:
Roast Turkey with Stuffing
Sweet Potatoes or Mashed Potatoes
Cranberry Relish (or canned cranberry sauce)
Hot Vegetables (frozen vegetables)
Brown and Serve Rolls
Pumpkin Pie or Sweet Potato Pie
Make your grocery list while reviewing your menu. You will need a
list. The grocery store will be filled with last minute shoppers--people
just like you. A grocery list will insure getting in and out fast without
forgetting anything. Check the cabinets and refrigerator for needed
items.
The Turkey -- Plan on 1 1/4 pounds per person. Do you have a pan large
enough? Buy a fresh turkey, if you can find one. Usually large frozen
birds are the only ones left the day before Thanksgiving. Not to worry,
you can use the quick-thaw method. Now, head for the grocery store.
11 a.m. Start Thawing the Turkey
We will proceed as if you bought a 20 pound turkey. Use the Quick-thaw
method. The turkey will thaw at a rate of 30 minutes per pound. Place
the turkey in the sink and cover with cold water, do not remove from
the bag. Change the water every 30 minutes. Turn the turkey over each
time you change the water. Set the timer so you do not forget. Use cold
water only. A 20 pound turkey will take 10 hours to thaw. By 9 p.m.
the turkey will be thawed.
1 p.m. Prepare Stuffing Ingredients
Dry stuffing ingredients (bread crumbs and cornbread) can be prepared
and left, tightly covered, at room temperature. The perishables (margarine,
mushrooms, rice, oysters, sausage, cooked celery and onions, broth)
must be refrigerated. Do not combine the wet and dry ingredients at
this time. The safe time to stuff the turkey is immediately before it
goes into the oven.
To save even more time, roast the turkey unstuffed and prepare stuffing
in a separate dish on the side. You can save two hours by baking your
stuffing in a separate pan. Why? Example: A 20 pound unstuffed turkey
cooks in about 4 1/2 hours versus 6 1/2 hours if stuffed. Do not pre-mix
stuffing in any case.
2 p.m. Prepare the Pumpkin Pie
For convenience, use frozen pie crust and canned pumpkin pie mix. Cool
the pie 20 minutes before refrigeration. Save even more time by buying
a frozen pie. Or better yet, buy a fresh baked pie from the bakery section
of your local supermarket.
9 p.m. Clean the Turkey
Remove the neck and giblets from the neck and/or body cavity. Wash the
turkey inside and out. Tuck the wings under the back and tie the legs
together with kitchen string. Place turkey on a platter or shallow pan,
cover and refrigerate. Wash hands and utensils, clean everything that
came in contact with the raw turkey.
CAUTION! Never pre-stuff the bird or
partially cook it to save time. Also resist the temptation to slow cook
the turkey overnight. Cooking below 325°F is unsafe. Low temperature
cooking allows meat to remain too long at temperatures where bacteria
can grow.
Thursday -- Thanksgiving Day
7 a.m. Prepare the Turkey for Roasting
- Preheat the oven to 325šF. Combine stuffing ingredients.
- Stuff the bird loosely. Bake any extra stuffing in a separate pan.
- Place turkey in a shallow roasting pan. Pat skin dry with paper
towels. Brush with oil or melted butter.
- Basting is not necessary during roasting. Opening the door frequently
simply prolongs cooking time.
- Insert meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh muscle
without touching the bone.
- Cover the turkey with a loose tent of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
7:30 a.m. Roast the Turkey
- Place the turkey in the preheated oven. Wash hands, utensils, counter
and sink after preparing the turkey.
- A 20 pound turkey, stuffed, will take about 6 1/2 hours to cook.
It should be ready at 2 p.m. Resist the urge to go back to bed. You
still have other food to prepare.
- While the turkey is roasting, prepare vegetables, chill the cranberry
sauce, prepare the sweet potatoes or boil the potatoes for mashing,
set the table, etc.
2 p.m. Check the Turkey for Doneness
- The meat thermometer should read 180 F in the dark meat and the
stuffing should reach 165 F. When a turkey is done, the juices will
run clear and the legs "wiggle" in the sockets. A turkey
breast is done when the meat thermometer registers 170 F.
- Remove the turkey from the oven.
- Place the brown and serve rolls in the oven.
- Meanwhile, remove the stuffing from the turkey immediately. Place
in a covered serving bowl and return to the oven after removing the
rolls, reduce temperature to warm -- at least 200 F. Let turkey stand
for 20 minutes before carving.
- While the turkey is standing, dish up the side dishes. Remember
presentation is important. Remove bakery pumpkin pie from the aluminum
pie pan and place it on a nice plate. The canned cranberry sauce should
be served in an attractive dish and the rolls should be served in
a napkin-lined basket or bowl.
2:30 p.m. Dinner's On... You Made It!
Just remember: Never leave perishable food at room temperature for more
than 2 hours. The turkey should be carved, served and leftovers refrigerated
within 2 hours from the time turkey is removed from the oven.
Winter 1996
Winter Preparation for Ornamental Plants
| Deicing Salt Can Injure Plants
| Bug Bites: Woolly Worms | Hort
Shorts | Hort Tips | Food
Safety: A Procrastinator's Guide to a Safe Holiday Dinner | Food
for Thought: Help! Refrigerator Overload! | Healthy
Cooking: A Quick Start Breakfast | Health
and Household Tips
Index
| Feedback
