Maple Glazed Turkey Dinner

Marion County Public Health is reminding the community of Thanksgiving food safety.

The department says it is important for everyone to follow the two hour rule, which means perishable food should not be left at room temperature for over two hours. Other reminders include washing hands properly and often, using different cutting boards for raw meat and produce, thawing a turkey for 24 hours for every 4-5 pounds that the turkey weighs in the refrigerator, and not washing a turkey, as that spreads bacteria. Judi Van Hulzen with Marion County Public Health says it is also crucial to make sure poultry is cooked all the way through to prevent getting sick.

“For your turkey you are going to want to have that turkey at a temperature of 165 degrees. When you put your meat thermometer in, it’s important to have a meat thermometer, you’re going to want to put it into the thickest part of the breast. You’re going to want to put it in between the thigh and the wing and then of course if you have stuffing it is really important to take the temperature of your stuffing in the middle of it. 165 to kill all of that bacteria out.”

Hear more about Thanksgiving food safety from Van Hulzen on today’s Let’s Talk Knoxville.