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Thanksgiving Food Preparation Tips- 2012: Helpful Links
"Heap high the board with plenteous cheer and gather to the feast, And toast
the sturdy Pilgrim band whose courage never ceased."
~Alice W. Brotherton
Thanksgiving is a special time for giving thanks and focusing on family and friends. If you're hosting or thinking about hosting a Thanksgiving meal at your house, the following links may be helpful.
NOTE: Turkey meat will be safely cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165° F; however, the meat may still be slightly pink. Some people prefer cooking turkey to a higher temperature (whole turkey to 180°F in the innermost part of the thigh; turkey breasts to 170° F in the thickest part) for meat that is more well done. For additional reasons turkey meat can be pink, go to this FSIS-USDA Fact Sheet►.
Quick links to specific sections
- Planning ahead for Thanksgiving Day
- Where to call for help on Thanksgiving Day
- How to prepare a turkey
- Food safety questions
- Carving a turkey
- How to make turkey gravy
- Stuffing
- Pumpkin pie & other desserts (includes egg safety)
- Tips for traveling safely with Thanksgiving foods
- Recipes for leftover turkey
- Preparing meats other than turkey
- Kids' Corner (Thanksgiving coloring sheets, games, jokes)
1. Planning Ahead for Thanksgiving Day
Countdown to the Thanksgiving Holiday (source: USDA)
Plan ahead to ease the countdown tension for your Thanksgiving meal.
Thanksgiving Turkey Tips (source: Lisa Franzen-Castle, PhD, UNL Extension Nutrition Specialist)
2. 
Where to Call for Help on Thanksgiving
Toll-free USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline
The hotline will be staffed with food safety specialists on Thanksgiving Day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern Time to answer your turkey questions.
For food safety questions year round, you may speak with a food safety specialist — in English or Spanish — from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern time on weekdays.
Call the USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline at:
1-888-MPHotline
1-888-674-6854
Or send an Email to: mphotline.fsis@usda.gov
Web page link for Hotline
3. How to Prepare a Turkey
1. Let's Talk Turkey–A Consumer Guide to Safely Roasting a Turkey (source: USDA)
Web page link | PDF | En Español
Every facet of getting a turkey from the store to the dinner table is included — buying fresh vs. frozen, safe thawing methods, stuffing, roasting, storing leftover turkey, and reheating the leftovers.
Food Safety for Families -Let's Talk Turkey: Purchasing, Thawing, Roasting and Cooking Tips from UNL Extension (1 page PDF)
2. Turkey Basics (Source: USDA)
- Turkey Basics: Handling Cooked Dinners
Web page link | PDF | En Español | En Español PDF
Recommendations for take-out, deli-prepared, or convenience turkey dinners. - Turkey Basics: Safe Cooking
Web page link | PDF | En Español | En Español PDF
Roasting instructions and approximate cooking times. - Turkey Basics: Safe Thawing
Web page link | PDF | En Español | En Español PDF
A turkey must be kept at a safe temperature during thawing. Learn three safe methods. - Turkey Basics: Stuffing
Web page link | PDF | En Español | En Español PDF
For safety, prepare stuffing or dressing for the turkey according to these directions.
3. Stuffing and Food Safety (Source: USDA)
Web page link | PDF
Read this before you stuff a turkey!!!
4. Oven Bags (Source: Reynolds)
Web page link
A turkey will cook faster in an oven bag with less cleanup afterwards. For more information about using oven bags, check this link. Directions for specific oven bags are included when you purchase an oven bag. NOTE: A thermometer can be inserted through a hole in the oven bag so you can tell when your turkey is safely done.
5. Poultry: Basting, Brining, and Marinating (Source: USDA)
Web page link | PDF | En Español | En Español PDF
Don't compromise food safety when looking for new and interesting ways to prepare old standards like chicken and turkey.
6. Turkey: Alternate Routes to the Table - roaster oven, grill, smoker, deep fat fryer, pressure cooker, microwave (source: USDA)
Web page link
Turkey preparation methods other than the traditional method of roasting a turkey in the oven are described: using electric roaster oven, grilling (using a covered charcoal grill and covered gas grill, smoking a turkey, deep fat frying a turkey, microwaving a turkey and cooking turkey in a pressure cooker).
7. How to Cook a Turkey the Day before Serving It
Details and tips for preparing your turkey a day before serving it.
8. Turduckens Require Safe Food Handling
Web page link | PDF | En Español | En Español PDF (source: USDA)
"Turducken" — a layered poultry dish especially popular during the holidays — requires safe food handling and thorough cooking to prevent foodborne illness.
9. Deep Fat Frying a Turkey (Source: USDA)
4. Food Safety Questions
1. Is Pink Turkey Meat Safe? (source: USDA)
Web page link | PDF
Well-done, safely cooked turkey meat may sometimes have a pink color. Learn why here. (source: USDA)
2. No-Show Guests Jeopardize Food (source: USDA)
Web page link
When guests encounter emergencies and the meal must be delayed or cancelled, food must be handled "just right" to remain safe.
3. "Panic Button" Food Safety Questions (source: USDA)
Web page link | PDF | En Español PDF
During the holidays, people are busy and can sometimes forget that unsafe handling and cooking can lead to foodborne illness. Here are some questions callers have asked regarding the safety of their holiday foods.
4. Types of Food Thermometers
Web page link
Learn the difference between different types of food thermometers and how to use them.
5. Brilliant Buffets (source: www.fightbac.org)
Web page link
Tips for setting out food safely at holiday buffets.
6. Ask Karen (source: USDA)
Web page link
An automated response system that will answer basis questions 24/7/365.
7. Avoid Guessing about Holiday Food Safety
Before you cook the turkey, set up the buffet, or start making holiday goodies, see how you do on this holiday food safety quiz, based on information from the USDA and the Food and Drug Administration.
5. Carving a Turkey
Carving the Whole Turkey Brochure (source: NE Dept. of Agriculture Poultry & Egg Division)
PDF | En Español PDF
It may be easier and less intimidating to carve a turkey in the kitchen than at the dining table. This brochure includes step by step instructions for both methods. Several recipes using turkey meat are given.
Carving A Thanksgiving Turkey - NYTimes.com/video
This video shows how to carve a turkey in the kitchen and get the most meat from your turkey.
6. How to Make Turkey Gravy
This video gives some of the easiest instructions I've seen if you have never made gravy before.
►Copy of recipe and pictures of step-by-step instructions used in the video.
If you should end up with some lumps in your gravy, here are some methods to remove them:
- Try breaking them up by whisking the gravy vigorously with a wire whisk.
- Pour the gravy through a mesh strainer.
- As a last resort, try pureeing the gravy in a blender or food processor or dip an immersion blender into the gravy to smooth it.
- Another possibility is to use an instantized flour, such as Wondra, that has been formulated so it doesn't lump.
- As a back-up, if you have never made gravy before, you may want to purchase some ready-made gravy in a can or or jar ... just in case.
7.Stuffing 
Stuffing and Food Safety (Source: USDA)
Web page link | PDF
Almond Brown Rice Stuffing (source: USA Rice Federation)
Web page link
This recipe tastes like the traditional stuffing only it is made with rice.
(Image courtesy of USA Rice Federation)
8. Pumpkin Pie & Other Desserts
Light Pumpkin Pie (source: Food and Health Communications)
Web page link
This pumpkin pie saves 100 calories per slice from the traditional version and tastes identical!
Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie
Web page link
This frozen pie can be made in advance and removed from the freezer on Thanksgiving Day.
Glorious Holiday Goodies (source: USDA)
PDF
Recipes for making Chocolate Mocha Mouse, Custard or Cream Pies and Holiday Eggnog Safely with cooked eggs.
9. Tips for Traveling SAFELY with Thanksgiving Foods
Web page link
2. Thanksgiving Travel (Source: Pat Kendall, Food Science and Human Nutrition Specialist at Colorado State University)
Web page link
Some excellent tips for traveling safely with a turkey.
3. Traveling with Food to Gatherings of Family and Friends
Web page link
If people are bringing food to a Thanksgiving meal, consider assigning foods based on how far they have to travel.
10. Leftover Turkey
1. "Soup"er Soups from Turkey Leftovers
Give new life to turkey leftovers with these turkey soup recipes. They start with the same basic ingredients of 1 quart (4 cups) low sodium chicken broth and 2 cups of chopped, cooked turkey. Then, they’re modified to reflect different flavor profiles.
2. Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes (source: National Turkey Federation)
Web page link
Enjoy turkey the day after and beyond with these delicious sandwich, entree, soup, salad and appetizer ideas.
3. Turkey Anytime: A Recipe for Turning Leftovers into Planned Overs (includes 10 quick recipes)
Web page link | PDF link
4. Holiday Food Safety for Families- Focus on Buffets and Leftovers from UNL Extension (1 page PDF)
11. Preparing Meats other than Turkey
1. Roasting Those "Other" Holiday Meats (source: USDA)
Web page link | PDF | En Español | En Español PDF
Rather than turkey, some families choose a rib roast; others, a ham; and some will have a butcher arrange a crown roast of lamb. For special holiday meals, the cook wants everything perfect — and perfectly safe.
(Image courtesy of USDA)
12. KIDS' CORNER
Thanksgiving Game: What's Different (source: Kaboose.com)
Web page link
See if you can spot the difference between these two Thanksgiving pictures.
Thanksgiving TV Bingo (source: Disney's familyfun.com)
Web page link
Includes printable bingo game boards for "Thanksgiving Day Parade" and "Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving Coloring Game
(source: Kaboose.com)
Kids can "color" Thanksgiving pictures online.
Thanksgiving Coloring Pages (source: Kaboose.com)
Web page link
Choose from several images to print and color.
Thanksgiving Mazes (source: Kaboose.com)
Web page link
Choose from several mazes to print and solve.
Thanksgiving Dinner Placemats (source: kids.nationalgeographic.com)
Web page link
Your hand print becomes the turkey's feathers.
Thanksgiving Quiz (source: kids.nationalgeographic.com)
Web page link
Do you know the answer to questions such as what the pilgrims ate the first Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving Jokes and Riddles (source: Kaboose.com)
Web page link
Can you guess the answer to riddles such as "why was the turkey the drummer in the band?"