Guidelines for Preparing and Cooking your Christmas Poultry

All poultry is host to a number of different bacteria, some of which are harmful to humans. These bacteria are destroyed by thorough cooking and proper handling. To make sure that your Christmas celebrations are not spoiled by food poisoning, follow these guidelines:

Storage after Purchase - keep your uncooked poultry in a cool place, preferably in the botton part of your fridge. Ensure that it is not above any other food that is cooked or ready to eat. If it is not possible to store it in the fridge, as it is full of other chilled foods a cold room, e.g. garage, maybe the next best alternative.

Preparation of Poultry - keep uncooked poultry (and other raw meats) well away from other food items, especially those foods intended to be eaten without further treatment (ready to eat) e.g. salad vegetables, cooked cold meats. Prepare the poultry in the usual way, but keep the stuffing separate. Keeping the cavity of the bird empty ensures that there is better heat penetration to the deeper parts of the meat.

Cooking - allow 25 minutes per pound plus an extra 25 minutes cooking time. If you have a cook's thermometer, probe the poultry on removal from the oven; the deepest part of the bird should have a temperature of at least 75 degrees centigrade. (165F). In the absence of a thermometer, use a skewer to pierce the deepest part; the juices should run clear. If not, put the poultry back in the oven to cook for a further half an hour and repeat the process.

Dealing with Leftovers - Leftovers can be used for further meals providing they have been handled correctly. All meat should be cooled down as quickly as possible (within 1 1/2 hours), then covered before being placed in the refrigerator. To speed up the cooling process, you may have to cut large joints into smaller pieces. You should then use this meat within 3 days, so if you intend to kep it for any longer freeze it.

Other Important Handling Procedures - The most common causes of food poisoning in the home are the preparation of foods too far in advance, undercooking and cross contamination. Therefore:

• Wash your hands before handling any food, after handling raw meat or vegetables, after going to the toilet , smoking, stroking or handling pets and before each different cooking task.
• Prepare those foods which do not require chilling first e.g. vegetables & potatoes.
• Keep your raw meat and poultry well away from cooked food and other prepared, ready to eat foods.
• Prepare the meat or poultry handling it as little as possible and place in the oven.
• Wash and disinfect your hands, work surfaces, oven door handle, chopping board and any knives or utensils you have used.
• Cook the meat thoroughly.
• Keep the leftover cuts of meat wrapped, chilled or frozen well away from raw foods.