I am hosting Thanksgiving tomorrow and I am not a great cook. So while I was looking for the best way to cook the turkey, I came across this article about preparing the bird before it goes in the oven. I had no idea that I wasn't supposed to do this.  I wanted to pass along this nugget of information that could help you when you are preparing your turkey for the Thanksgiving feast. Even though I am not a good cook, I always did this with my over-stuffer chickens. I had no idea that you aren't supposed to run it under water to "rinse" it.

Running the turkey under the water and giving it a good rinse before cooking can cause cross contamination. I was always taught to rinse it to get rid of bacteria, but experts say that it actually spreads it more. Water splashing off of the turkey can carry bacteria to other surfaces like counter tops and to your clothing up to 3 feet away.

The only way to ensure that the bacteria is gone, is to cook it completely. You should cook the bird to 165 degrees using a food thermometer. Check the thickest parts to be sure including the wings, thighs and the breast.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

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