Culinary expert gives safety advice before Thanksgiving

GREENVILLE, NC (WITN) - Making a Thanksgiving meal can make several mistakes, especially when cooking meat. Culinary experts advise families to avoid disease.

Jeffrey Yourdon or Chef Jeff is the director of the culinary arts program at Lenoir Community College. Besides the biggest mistake of cooking a dry turkey, chef Jeff gives advice before Thanksgiving.

The local chefs discussed the idea of ​​washing the meat in the sink to clean it before cooking. Chef Jeff says his cooking show is lucky enough to have separate rinses to wash the meat, but most homeowners have no access to these special appliances.

He says he tends to wash the meat, especially if they are sitting on their own juice, but the oven works very well. And that prevents cross-contamination.

Yourdon said, "If you have salmonella juice on your counter or you do not disinfect the area well, you have small children who touch it and they can get cross-contamination."

Buyers of the Piggly Wiggly in Greenville are divided on the topic. Bennie Frank says he is a former Parker employee at Barbecue and agrees with the cleanliness.

"I think it should be cleaned," said Frank.

And Butler, who prepares a Turkish duckling on this Thanksgiving day, says the oven kills all bacteria at the right temperature.

"I do not wash it, the stove will," said Butler.

Here is a list of tips from Chief Jeff:

• You can check the turkey temperature by placing the thermometer on your chest and looking for a temperature of 165 degrees.
• Place your thermometer in a cup of ice water to equalize the temperature. (Ice water should be around 32 degrees)
• Thaw your turkey for three days to ensure that it has completely thawed. Thaw in the fridge on the last day.
Seasonal meat with fresh herbs and spices.
• Never leave cooked food outdoors for more than two hours.
• Avoid washing the meat in the sink.
• Never roast turkeys in a house and make sure they are completely thawed before frying.
• Cut the turkey on the thigh to check if it does not have a thermometer, but the taste may be compromised.
• Write Tupperware expiration dates with sharpie markers

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