For leftovers, key words are tasty and safety
Let's face it, Thanksgiving is not just a day, it's a season. Harvest and plenty can be celebrated for up to a week if you take care. Unfortunately, the season is marred by a spike in food-borne illness. To protect yourself, your guests, and your leftovers, follow some basic rules.
And keep in mind several general guidelines: Don't cook for an army if you're eight around the table ; keep hot things hot and cold things cold; and don't count on the weather cooperating with refrigerator-like temperatures outside. In other words, make sure you have enough fridge space, even if it means removing a shelf from your refrigerator and stacking the items.
About 30 years ago, NASA developed a system to protect astronauts' food called Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points , or HACCP. That model adapts well to holiday celebrations. The essence of food safety means paying close attention from the time you first come in contact with foods, through preparation and cooking, and then -- this part is pertinent to Thanksgiving and its multitude of leftovers -- what happens to food not consumed the same day.
To begin with, avoid time and temperature abuse. Make sure all surfaces, hands, and tools are clean and sanitary. And don't lick fingers.
To keep from cooking too much, allow one pound of turkey on the bone per person. If the bird is frozen, defrost it in the refrigerator or submerge the bird in cold water, and change the water often until you can press the skin of the turkey (see chart on D3). Fresh poultry should be stored at 40 degrees or below. Turkey is cooked when an instant meat thermometer registers 165 degrees for a minimum of 15 seconds in the center of the thigh (the thickest part of the bird).
When the big bird, beautifully carved, is presented to the guests for an ooh and aah moment, then served and set aside, as far as food safety is concerned, the race has begun -- and you definitely want to win. Even the most leisurely meal doesn't take more than four hours. And this is exactly the deadline the FDA suggests for keeping food out. Then it must be chilled.
Yes, we know you're thinking that your family has stretched this boundary and survived for many years, but how often do you want to try? As soon as you know your guests are done, force yourself to tend to the task of wrapping the food and getting it into the refrigerator.
When storing, smaller is always better. Take the turkey off the bone, and wrap only several layers at a time in foil so the exposure to the cold drops the temperature of the meat quickly. This works for sauces, gravy, stuffing, even vegetables.
You can also spread small packages of food in a cooler filled with ice or ice packs, and when the food is cold, transfer it to the refrigerator. Toss the turkey carcass into a large plastic bag and put it into the freezer for soup another day.
If the weather is particularly cold -- it would have to be 40 degrees or below during the day -- you can use an unheated porch both before and after the dinner for storage. If fridge space is limited before the dinner, hold durable items like whole squash and potatoes on a screened - in unheated space. (Remember that the neighborhood squirrels would like nothing more than to chomp on your fixings.)
To preserve leftovers as long as possible, reheat only what you need, as you need it -- not the whole amount. The FDA recommends discarding any food products that have been reheated more than once, and never to mix fresh food with leftovers.
Using these simple techniques, we've enjoyed hot and cold turkey sandwiches, tetrazzini, pot pie, and of course, soup, up to five days after the feast, and you can too.
