Thanksgiving is three weeks out, and this is the month the turkey goes into the cart.
Plenty of us were taught to rinse it before it goes in the pan. The USDA watched that habit play out in real kitchens, and the trouble showed up in the sink.
Below: why rinsing raw poultry backfires and what to do instead, the probe thermometer we'd use, why plastics come out of the dishwasher wet, how long spices really last, and where the turkey fat should go.
Reply and tell us: were you raised to rinse the turkey? We read every one.
Why Rinsing Raw Poultry Backfires
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Rinsing a raw turkey or chicken feels like cleaning it. In a USDA study, it mostly cleaned the bird's bacteria into the sink.
Among people who washed or rinsed raw poultry, 60% had bacteria in their sink afterward, per the USDA's 2019 release. Even after they tried to clean the sink, 14% still did.
It spread from there. 26% of the rinsers moved bacteria from the raw poultry onto the salad lettuce they made next.
Skipping the rinse wasn't enough on its own, though. Among people who didn't rinse, 31% still got bacteria onto their salad. The USDA put that down to handwashing that wasn't thorough, and to a sink and utensils that had touched the raw meat.
So the fix is the whole routine, not just one step. Here's what the USDA recommends:
Take the bird straight from the wrapper to the pan. No rinse.
Wash your hands with soap, scrubbing for 20 seconds.
Clean, then sanitize the sink and counters it touched. Hot soapy water first, then a sanitizer.
Use a separate cutting board for raw meat and poultry, per the USDA's Keep Foods Apart sheet.
Cook it to 165 F, checked with a food thermometer in the innermost thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast, per the USDA's turkey roasting guide.
Let it stand 20 minutes before carving.
The same guide says to set the oven no lower than 325 F.
Heat is what makes the bird safe to eat. Water from the tap just moves the problem around. Scroll down for the thermometer that does the checking for you.
Worth a Look
A Probe That Watches the Turkey for You
If 165 F is the number that matters, a leave-in probe is the easiest way to hit it. The TempPro TempTrack Digital Meat Thermometer is the one we'd point you to, at $19.99 at time of writing.
The probe stays in the bird on a 40-inch heat-resistant cable, and the display sits outside the oven, so you can watch the temperature climb without opening the door. You set a target, or pick one of six preset meat programs, and the display flashes when it gets there.
It reads from 14 F to 572 F, rated to within 1.8 F, and it has a timer that runs to 99 hours. A magnet on the back sticks it to the oven or fridge. Here's the thermometer on Amazon.
We haven't roasted a turkey with this one ourselves. The specs and price come from TempPro's Amazon listing.
That said, it's one probe, so it watches one spot. When it says done, move the probe and check the thigh and wing too.
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Why the Plastic Comes Out of the Dishwasher Wet
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The glasses come out dry, and the plastic containers come out dripping. Your dishwasher isn't broken. Plastic just doesn't hold heat the way glass and dishes do.
KitchenAid puts it plainly: plastic does not conduct heat like glass or ceramics. A hot plate keeps drying itself after the cycle ends. A plastic lid cools off fast and stays wet.
Many machines don't blow hot air at all. Bosch says all its dishwashers dry by condensation: the warm dishes give off steam, and it collects on the cooler steel walls. Cold plastic doesn't play along.
Here's what helps:
Keep the rinse aid filled. Bosch says it lowers the surface tension of water so it slides off. KitchenAid says it also stops the droplets that dry as spots.
Pick heated dry or Extra Dry if your machine has it.
Load plastics on the top rack. KitchenAid says they're less likely to warp there. Bosch, which has no bottom heating element, says its lower rack is fine too.
Unload the bottom rack first, so the cups on top don't drip onto it.
Even then, KitchenAid admits a towel may be needed. For a few lids, that's the fastest fix.
Ground Spices Fade in 2 to 4 Years
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Holiday baking pulls jars out of the back of the cabinet that haven't moved since last year, or the year before. Spices don't really spoil. They just lose their flavor.
Here's how long they last, per McCormick:
Ground spices like cumin, ginger, paprika and chili powder: 2 to 4 years.
Whole spices like peppercorns and whole allspice: 3 to 4 years.
Leafy herbs and most blends: 1 to 3 years.
Extracts other than vanilla: 2 to 3 years. Vanilla and salt last indefinitely.
Not sure how old yours are? McCormick's freshness check takes a minute:
Look at the color. It should be bright, not faded.
Rub a pinch in your palm and smell it. A weak aroma means it's time to replace it.
Taste a little if you're still not sure.
Then make the new jars last. McCormick says heat is the enemy, so skip the ledge above the stove and keep them in a dark cabinet. Write the date on the lid with a marker the day you open a jar.
Renters, this one's all yours, and it costs nothing to check.
Keep the Turkey Fat Out of the Drain
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The day after Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the year for Roto-Rooter. The company says its calls jump 50% above an average Friday, per its own figures.
A lot of that starts with what goes down the sink while the dishes get done. Hot water feels like it's handling the grease, but the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality says hot water just melts the fat off the dishes and into the pipes.
Here's the routine, from TCEQ and Roto-Rooter:
Pour pan drippings into a container you can seal, like an old can or jar with a lid.
Seal it and put it in the trash.
Wipe greasy pans with a dry paper towel before you rinse or wash them, then toss the towel.
Keep fat out of the garbage disposal. TCEQ says grinding it only makes the pieces smaller.
Saving drippings for gravy? Great. It's the leftover fat after that which belongs in the can.
Start the habit this weekend with the bacon pan, and it'll be automatic by the 26th.
One quick tap
Which part was most useful today?
That's Thursday: skip the turkey rinse, a probe thermometer, wet dishwasher plastics, old spices and the turkey fat.
If you only do one thing this week, put a lid on an empty can and park it by the stove.
Forward this to whoever in your house is cooking the turkey.
See you tomorrow.
The Home Wire
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