Holiday Food Safety Notes
Frequently Asked Questions

People go over the mountains or travel a few miles with a turkey destined for Grandmother’s house. Is it safe to carry a cooked turkey? Yes! It is safe to take a cooked turkey for a ride, if some safe handling rules are followed to avoid foodborne illness. Here are the answers to some commonly asked questions on this topic.

Can the turkey be cooked a day ahead of time and then taken to someone’s house the next day?

How long will a raw or cooked turkey keep unrefrigerated for transporting to someone’s house?

Can I slow-cook the turkey at 200°F overnight so it’s ready to go in the morning?

Can turkey be partially cooked ahead of time and then finished later?

What are the basics for traveling with turkeys?

 

 

 

 

Can the turkey be cooked a day ahead of time and then taken to someone’s house the next day?

Yes, but for safety’s sake, you won’t be able to travel with the whole bird intact. Be sure to cook the turkey in an oven set no lower than 325°F. Check to be sure the turkey has cooked completely to an internal temperature of 180°F as measured in several places with a meat thermometer. Then let the turkey stand 20 minutes.

If stuffed, remove the stuffing and let cool in small, shallow dishes. Carve all the meat from the turkey, leaving legs, thighs and wings intact if desired. Divide the carved turkey meat and the turkey parts into small, shallow containers or packages. This ensures rapid, even cooling and quick reheating after getting to Grandmother’s house.

Refrigerate the turkey and stuffing within two hours of cooking. Or freeze the foods if you don’t plan to eat them within three to four days.

When preparing to travel, pack the turkey and other perishable foods in an insulated cooler with a cold source such as ice or frozen gel packs. At your destination, transfer the foods to a refrigerator and reheat in a 325°F oven or in a microwave oven until the foods reach an internal temperature of 165°F, or are steaming hot.

 

How long will a raw or cooked turkey keep unrefrigerated for transporting to someone's house?

No longer than two hours. For either a raw or cooked turkey, it’s still a good idea to use an insulated cooler as a carrier (use two coolers if carrying both types). To transport a raw turkey, take it out of the refrigerator and place it in the cooler immediately before leaving. Stow it where it will be coldest in the car. Upon arrival, immediately refrigerate the raw turkey.

To transport an unstuffed cooked turkey, take it out of the oven, immediately wrap it in foil and put it directly into the cooler before putting it into the warmest spot in the car. Don’t try to transport a stuffed turkey.

A hot turkey must be put directly into in a warm oven (set at 200°F or higher) until serving time. Set the oven high enough to maintain the internal temperature of the turkey at 140°F or higher.

 

Can I slow-cook the turkey at 200°F overnight so it’s ready to go in the morning?

No! It’s not safe to cook a turkey (or any other meat, for that matter) in an oven set lower than 325°F. That’s because it takes too long for the turkey to reach a temperature high enough to kill foodborne bacteria.

 

Can turkey be partially cooked ahead of time and then finished later?

No again! Partial cooking of meat or poultry is very unsafe. Cooking must be done in one continuous operation to assure the destruction of bacteria that cause foodborne illness. It is safe, however, to partially cook turkey in a microwave or other oven immediately before transferring the turkey to a heated grill or to a preheated conventional oven for finishing.

Other advice? Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold at all times. Sometimes it’s just safer to give up on the idea of taking your feast somewhere else. The risks may outweigh the benefits.

 

What are the basics for traveling with turkeys?

 

Adapted from: Food Safety and Inspection Service information.