Thanksgiving is still a couple of weeks off, but now is the time to start planning the meal, especially if turkey will be on the menu. The giant bird finds its way onto American tables most often during the holiday season and many cooks deal with these fowls only rarely. That prompts the U.S. Department of Agriculture to issue annual reminders about safe preparation and handling of turkey. Frozen turkeys can be bought now and stored in the freezer until a few days before needed, then placed in the refrigerator to thaw. If you don't want them taking up all that space, order a fresh turkey ahead of time and pick it up the day before Thanksgiving. Many stores are offering fresh, pre-stuffed turkeys. These may be time savers, but the Agriculture Department doesn't recommend them. The stuffing can create incubator-like conditions for the growth of bacteria, and it is nearly impossible for most refrigerators to keep the stuffing deep inside at 40 degrees Fahreiheit or below. The ultimate shortcut is a pre-cooked turkey, but these must also be handled carefully. They are best is served immediately, both from a safety and flavor standpoint. If a pre-cooked turkey must be stored, remove the stuffing, separate the meat from the carcass, and store these items in small packages in the refrigerator. One safe way to save cooking time is to use roasting bags, the department says, since they speed up the process. Cooking the turkey unstuffed also saves time. Microwaves can cook turkeys quickly, but the department warns cooks not to try to microwave a stuffed turkey; a stuffed bird is too dense for microwaving to assure thorough cooking. Often folks wind up with a frozen turkey bought too late to let it sit and defrost in the refrigerator for several days. The department suggests, as an alternative method, immersing the bird in cold water which is changed every half-hour or so. Make sure the bird's wrapping is secure or put it in a plastic bag before placing it in the water. A microwave oven can also be used to thaw an unstuffed turkey, if the oven is large enough. Follow the manufacturer's instructions. Never defrost a turkey on the counter or table top. In the hours it takes for it to thaw bacteria could muiltiply to dangerous levels. And remember when preparing food, use pleney of soap and hot water to wash hands, utensils and cutting boards to prevent the spread of bacteria. Wash the sink, counter, faucet handles, anything that comes in direct or indirect contact with raw turkey. Some recipes in recent years have suggested long, slow cooking for turkeys, but food safety experts frown on this because the bird may not get hot enough to kill bacteria. Cook it at 325 degrees Fahreiheit, they say. The food experts also discourage the idea of partly cooking a bird one day and finishing it the next, for the same reason. Once you've gotten over all these hurdles, cooked the bird, fed the family and cleaned up, the department has suggestions for safe storage of leftovers too. Here's the drill: Remove the stuffing from the bird and the meat from the carcass. Store them in meal-size portions in shallow containers. Leftover turkey will keep in the refrigerator for three or four days. Stuffing and gravey should be used in a day or two. Bring leftover gravey to a rolling boil before serving.
