Most families have gotten groceries and have their menus set for Thanksgiving, but a few Virginia Tech experts have some last-minute advice for the chef in the house for both preparation and leftovers.
It’s a simple thing, but washing your hands throughout the day is important.
“Of course, when handling food, the first rule is to wash your hands,” said Melissa Wright, director of Virginia Tech’s Food Producer Technical Assistance Network. “Use warm water and soap, and wash for at least 20 seconds. Dry your hands on a clean towel or disposable paper towel.”
If you have a guest with food allergies at your dinner, keep them in mind when putting dishes out.
“Making cards to identify a dish and any potential allergens — wheat, milk, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, fish, shellfish, sesame — would be a thoughtful gesture to your guests,” said Wright.
Wright also suggests that you don’t serve anything until you check the temperature of each item.
“Measuring the internal temperature of cooked foods is an important part of food safety,” said Wright. “Measurements should be taken with a food thermometer.”
Safe cooking and serving temperatures for holiday dishes
- Poultry, including whole, parts and stuffing, should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165°F.
- A ham cooked from fresh or smoked should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 145°F with a three-minute rest time before carving.
- A reheated, fully cooked ham should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 140°F.
- Casseroles and leftovers should have an internal temperature of at least 165°F.
To reduce the risk of illness, it’s important to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold, especially if they are sitting out as part of a buffet for guests.
“We say that you should make sure to keep food out of the danger zone, which is between 41°F and 135°F,” said Lester Schonberger, an associate Extension specialist. “It’s important that foods pass through this range as quickly as possible.
“Basically, keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold,” he said.
Leftovers: How to store, shelf life
Schonberger recommends that leftovers kept in the refrigerator be thrown away in three or four days to maintain safety. However, if you are looking to extend the life of the food longer, store the leftovers in the freezer.
“That [three to four days] might not seem long enough for leftovers,” Schonberger said. “But if you put enough food for meals onto plates and into the fridge and then store the rest of the leftovers in the freezer, they’ll safely keep for one to three months.”
However, he said, the flavor of the food in the freezer will change over time due to increased moisture evaporation.
“As for how to store leftovers, seal food using airtight heavy-duty foil, plastic wrap, freezer paper or a plastic storage bag,” Schonberger said. “If you’re not sure if the food is still good, err on the side of safety,” Shonberger said.
Common leftovers and shelf life
- Cooked ham: Three to four days if sliced or a week if whole in the fridge, one to two months in the freezer
- Cooked poultry: Three to four days in the fridge, four months in the freezer
- Cooked meat: Three to four days in the fridge, two to three months in the freezer
- Macaroni and cheese: Three to four days in the fridge, up to two months in the freezer
- Casserole-style foods: Three to four days in the fridge and up to four months in the freezer
- Cooked bacon: Up to a week in the fridge and two to three months in the freezer
- Cooked fish: Three to four days in the fridge, four to six months in the freezer
Turkey stock anyone? Ideas for leftover food
Many people believe there is nothing better than a turkey sandwich in the days after Thanksgiving, however a Virginia Tech culinary expert has some tips and tricks to ensure you make the most of your leftovers.
“One thing I always do is make a delicious turkey stock from the leftover carcass(es) from Thanksgiving Day,” said David Yanisko. “It will add great flavor to anything.
“I also stick to classic turkey pot pie, utilizing turkey stock and leftover turkey and vegetables.”
Keeping puff pastry in your freezer will speed up the process when you want another turkey pot pie, Yanisko said.
“I have also made cottage pie as well using the turkey pie mixture and leftover mashed potatoes as the topping instead of a pie crust.”
Yanisko’s turkey stock recipe
Yanisko shared his recipe for cooking up a delicious turkey stock.
Ingredients:
- Turkey carcass
- 4 to 6 oz. vegetable trimmings such as onions, celery, carrot, shallot and garlic
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp. black peppercorns
Instructions:
- Arrange turkey carcass(es) in a stock pot deep enough to hold the turkey, vegetables and water to cover.
- Once the carcass is in the pot, cover with cold water by two inches.
- Put the pot on a burner set to medium-high heat. You want to bring this to a boil.
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Crystal Graham
