Full Notification

The Gibson County Sheriff's Office would like to wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving! As you prepare your meal for today please remember these food safety tips!

•Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly before preparing food, after handling any raw poultry or meat and before eating.
•Keep your food preparation surfaces and utensils clean and sanitized to reduce the risk of salmonella poisoning.
•Use separate cutting boards - one for meat, poultry and fish and one for cooked foods, vegetables and fruits. Sanitize the cutting board after each use.
•Wash all vegetables and fruits before you prepare them.
•Thaw a frozen turkey safely in the refrigerator allowing 3-4 days for thawing or approximately one day for every five pounds. Another way to safely thaw a frozen turkey is submerging it in cold water. Replace the water every 30 minutes until the turkey is thawed. This method takes approximately 30 minutes for each pound the turkey weighs. The Food Safety website provides a useful turkey thawing chart and a turkey roasting chart. (If you haven't thawed your turkey at this point.... I think Pizza would be a better choice!)
•Refrigerate a thawed, or fresh, turkey for no longer than two days before cooking. (If you over achieved and the bird has been thawing for a week.... Order a pizza...)
•Immediately cook a small turkey that is defrosted in the microwave.
•If you cook your stuffing inside the turkey, stuff it just before roasting.
•Always use a meat thermometer to see if the turkey is completely cooked. The temperature needs to reach 180 degrees Fahrenheit when inserted in the thickest area of the thigh.
•Refrigerate all leftovers within two hours after cooking.
•Leftovers should be eaten within three or four days. If you are going to freeze leftovers, do that right away, not after they have been refrigerated for several days.


Enjoy your day!