Food safety experts have warned against stuffing your Christmas turkey - for fear it could lead to food poisoning.
Guidance from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) warns that stuffing should not be stuffed into the bird at all, but instead cooked in a separate roasting tin.
“A stuffed turkey will take longer to cook and may not cook thoroughly if it has not reached the correct temperature throughout,” warns the updated FSA Christmas hygiene advice.
Uneven cooking, the experts say, can allow harmful bacteria to survive and put “you and your guests at risk of food poisoning”.
Most traditional turkey recipes advise placing the stuffing inside the bird to cook, with the BBC Good Food website recommending: “Pack the stuffing in the neck end. Secure the neck skin with skewers and tie the legs together.”
Mary Berry also advises cooks to “fill the neck end with stuffing”, while Nigella Lawson entices chefs to “push, press and coax” the sausage meat between the skin and the breast.
Bird and the stuffing cook better
Telegraph food writer Eleanor Steafel, however, author of The Art of Friday Night Dinner, believes the FSA may have a point.
“I’ve always done stuffing separately because both the bird and the stuffing cook better, she said.
“You don’t get the juices seeping into the stuffing, but I’m not convinced that matters if you flavour your stuffing well and add plenty of fat to it.
“I’d consider doing stuffing inside the bird with a chicken because it’s smaller, but turkeys are just too massive and it’s hard enough to make sure nothing is over or undercooked. Normalise stuffing in a dish, I say.”
Around 58 per cent of people buy a fresh turkey and 28 per cent purchase a frozen bird.
The Food Standards Agency is also recommending that Christmas cooks start defrosting their turkey three to five days early.
Defrosting must be done in the fridge to keep bacteria in check, and chefs should allow 10-12 hours per kg, so a typical large turkey weighing 6-7kg will take four days, according to the guidance.
Around 70,000 in England and Wales end up seeking medical advice for food poisoning over the Christmas period, but the FSA believes the figure could be as high as 3.5 million, as many do not go to the doctor.
Food poisoning can also occur because the fridge is too warm and Food Standards Scotland have warned that cramming the appliance with festive fare can make the temperature rise, so consider turning the dial down to keep produce below 5C.
Bacteria thrives between 8C and 63C, so experts warn against leaving food on benches, and advise keeping buffet spreads short-lived.
Cooked fish and meat can be kept in the fridge for three to four days, while cheese can be kept longer than cream and custard. If food smells off, or if the use-by date is no longer visible, experts advise erring on the side of caution.
Refrigerated and stored properly
“It is generally safe to keep food for a couple of days after Christmas, as long as it is refrigerated and stored properly,” said GP Dr Babak Ashrafi at Asda Online Doctor.
“But use your best judgment before eating any leftovers, and be sure to throw away any food that doesn’t look or smell safe to eat.”
He added: “Leaving meat at room temperature, or not refrigerating it at low enough temperatures, can encourage bacteria to grow and lead to foodborne illnesses.
“Certain bacteria, such as Salmonella and E. coli, thrive on meat and can make you very sick. Food contaminated with these bacteria can lead to vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and, in very serious cases, require medical treatment.”
The FSA said that freezing “acts as a pause” button and food can be frozen right up to the use-by date.
Turkey and other cooked meats start to deteriorate through freezer burn after about three to six months.
“Label and date anything you are freezing so you can easily see what it is; you don’t want a UFO (Unidentified Frozen Object),” the FSA concludes.
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