Come this time of year when family (by that I mean that multi-generational, in-law/sibling/cousin/neighbor influx coming soon to a "holiday" near you) meal prep is on the rise, there's often an almost election-like revisiting of familiar kitchen policy debates. Like the rules for preparing poultry... how long to cook, how much to scrub yourself and the bird before cooking, etc. The home team has their take. The visiting team then pipes in with their theory. Before long benches are clearing and you're considering player suspensions.
With that in mind here are a couple bird prep Q&A items (informed by counsel from a food safety guru we often turn to) that might help you navigate this treacherous terrain en route to a tasty meal and the improved family harmony that can result:
What’s the best bet for cooking proteins to the right temp for tasty/safe eating? Buy an instant-read thin-tip food thermometer. Seriously. Super easy to use, small to store and takes the guesswork out or keeps you from hacking up your piece of protein while you cook it. Insert thermometer into thickest part of turkey breast without touching bone and cook turkey to 165F for a yummy and safe Thanksgiving experience. Great for cooking sausage too, another generational "is it done?" debate that can flare in our house.
Should I wash the turkey/chicken, etc. pre-cook? Can't wait to debunk this one since I always seem to draw the task. Answer? No need, you’re just spreading bacteria when you do. Just use that thermometer, get to 165 and you’ll zap funky stuff.
How long do I wash my hands to get ‘em clean after prepping the big (or not so big) bird? Glad to see a sane middle ground 'tween the partisan outposts in my family on this one... the Hazmat crowd on one end and the no-wash, no-cry crew on the other. Answer? 10-20 seconds with soap and plenty of friction and running water will remove most germs.