Now what would Christmas be without an extensive Christmas lunch spread laid out for everyone to enjoy! And of course no spread is complete without the Turkey. But did you know that during  Christmas there is an increase in food born illnesses and the main reason behind that is this seemingly harmless bird? Here are a few tips for Safe Christmas Cooking.

The reason behind the illnesses is the dangerous Salmonella that can be found in Turkeys. Now here are the ways you can get around that!

1. When Buying Turkey for Christmas, buy it as close to Christmas as possible.
2. While storing your turkey in the refrigerator, ensure that the temperature is between 1 and 4  degree and that the refrigerator is not overstuffed. This prevents flow of air and proper cooling.
3. Always store the Turkey in a tray at the lowest level of the fridge so any juice that is still dripping out of the Turkey stays in the tray and doesn't contaminate other food in the fridge!
4. For defrosting, provide ample time and thaw them in the refrigerator itself. You should give at least close to 24 hours for a 4 to 5lb turkey to thaw.
5. If you are thawing the Turkey with water, don't use hot water. Though hot water may seem convenient to you , it will allow the bacteria to proliferate and accumulate! Use Cold water and change it every 30 minutes. Difficult process but prevention is better than cure!
6. You should cook your turkey properly and to the right temperature depending on the weight of the turkey. Make sure that the thermometer is inserted in the deepest part of the thigh and is the correct temperature.
7. It is advisable to cook your stuffing separately and not inside the birds cavity! If you are one of those people who think that it wouldn't be stuffed turkey if you din't cook it with the stuffing then, prepare the stuffing right before cooking the turkey and stuff only the neck region, not the whole cavity.
8. Ensure that your hands and surface areas are clean. Wash your hands before handling food and after handling pets or using the bathroom.
9. Leftovers should not be left out for more than two hours. Remove the meat from the bone, cut into small pieces and keep in the refrigerator in a two inch deep container to keep it.
10. Once refrigerated make sure you eat it in three days and when reheating the food ensure that it is steaming hot.