It’s all about the bird

Wash your hands, not the turkey. According to the USDA, washing poultry does not remove bacteria from the bird, and in fact, it can spread it up to 3 feet from the sink. Washing your hands before and after touching the bird will prevent the spread of bacteria to other surfaces.

Don’t stuff your bird. While packing a stuffing/filling/dressing inside a turkey is a common method to prepare two dishes at once, it may not be ready to eat by the time the poultry meat is finished. Prepare the stuffing separately so that everything comes out clean and cooked to perfection.

Take the temperature. Make sure to use a thermometer to test the temperature in three locations — the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the wing and the innermost part of the thigh — for a minimum of 165 degrees. If any measure falls short of the mark, increase the cooking time.

Follow the 2-hour rule. Only leave perishable dishes out for a maximum of two hours. Food left out for longer periods of time can fall into the Danger Zone, between 40 and 140 degrees, wherein bacteria can multiply quickly. After two hours, slice up the turkey into smaller portions and refrigerate it with other items. Don’t allow it to cool too much, as this can promote bacteria growth.

Play it safe with leftovers. Leftovers are generally OK to eat for four days. If you want to stretch it further, freeze your food. When reheating, make sure to take the temperature with a meat thermometer and hit the 165 degree mark. Gravy should be brought to a boil.

When in doubt, contact the USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854). The line will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving.

Need some help? Follow these steps from Butterball:

For a fresh or thawed turkey, plan on 3½ to 4 hours for an unstuffed 18-22 pound turkey and 4½-5 hours for a stuffed turkey.

• Preheat oven to 325 F. Drain juices and pat dry with clean paper towels.

• Place turkey breast side up on a flat rack in a shallow roasting pan 2 to 2½ inches deep.

• Turn the wings back to hold the neck skin in place. (Tucking the wings will help stabilize the turkey in the pan and when carving) Brush or spray skin lightly with vegetable or cooking oil for best appearance.

• Insert an oven-safe meat thermometer deep into the lower part of the thigh without touching the bone. When the thigh is up to temperature, and if the turkey is stuffed, move the thermometer to the center of the stuffing.

• Place your turkey in the oven.

• When the turkey is about two-thirds done, loosely cover the breast with a piece of foil to prevent overcooking.

• Your turkey is done when the temperature with a meat thermometer is 180 F in thigh and 165 F in breast or stuffing.

• Lift turkey onto a platter, and let stand for 15 minutes before carving.

• If you don’t have a rack, crunch aluminum foil into a coil or use vegetables like carrots to keep your turkey off the bottom of the pan.