Nothing spoils Christmas quite like food poisoning – although wasting all of your leftover Turkey comes in at a close second.
That’s why the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has shared some top tips to help keep your Christmas safe and minimise food waste over the festive period.
From safe Turkey storage to correct defrosting and cooking methods – plus a look at how to avoid the dreaded freezer burn – here’s everything you need to know.
Keep it on the low
You should ideally store raw meat and fish covered on the bottom shelf of your fridge to avoid cross-contamination or spillages affecting ready-to-eat food and vegetables, according to the FSA.
They recommend keeping Turkey and ready-to-eat food apart even while completing your initial Christmas shop, so make sure you bring enough bags.
Your fridge needs to be set at 5C or below to keep your Turkey top-notch, they add.
Leave plenty of defrosting time
No one wants to be tucking into their Christmas turkeys on Boxing Day.
So bear in mind that a whole turkey can take up to five days to fully defrost – and that you shouldn’t take shortcuts by thawing it out of the fridge.
Always check the packaging for instructions, as some turkeys that are bought frozen can also be cooked from frozen.
But as a general guide, the FSA says you should allow around 10-12 hours of defrosting time per kg.
A typical large turkey weighing 6-7kg could take as long as four days to fully defrost in the fridge, they add.
It’s absolutely vital that the turkey is thawed throughout, as it may cook unevenly if not, potentially leaving harmful bacteria in your meal.
Preparing and cooking your turkey
It’s important to wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap whenever handling raw meat. Also, be sure to wash any utensils and surfaces it has come into contact with.
A common misconception is that your turkey isn’t clean until you’ve washed it. But the FSA says it should absolutely not be washed before cooking, as this spreads germs…
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Source: news.sky.com
This notice was published: 2023-12-16 10:04:00
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