Illinois’ health department is offering guidelines to chefs to make sure that Thursday's feasts are served up free of food-borne bacteria.
State officials are warning chefs to not be turkeys when they’re in the kitchen trying to cook one. Precautions need to begin before the actual cooking does.
The Illinois Department of Public Health says that frozen turkeys need to be properly thawed, or else they won’t cook all the way through. So even if it looks thawed on the outside, it may still be frozen inside. The larger the turkey, the longer it takes to thaw out and to cook. Got one that’s 24 pounds? Let it cook, unstuffed, for at least 4.5 hours.
You should get the turkey up to 165 degrees Farenheit, to be safe.
Keep any raw meat away from food that’s ready to eat. And of course, don’t forget to wash your hands.
The Public Health Department says food-borne illness can show up anywhere from 30 minutes to two weeks after a bad meal. The agency’s guidelines are available on its website, IDPH.state.IL.US.
