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The USDA recommends
cooking turkey to a minimum of 165°F to ensure
safety. |
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Higher temperatures may be used to
achieve the texture and degree of doneness that
consumer prefer. |
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For optimum safety
and uniform doneness, the USDA recommends that
stuffing cooked outside of the bird.
However, if cooking a stuffed turkey, stuff
loosely, cook the turkey immediately after
stuffing and be sure the center of the
stuffing reaches 165°F. |
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Safely cooked turkey may have a
pink hue due to the hemoglobin in tissues which
can form a heat-stable color. |
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Some USDA-inspected frozen stuffed
whole turkey MUST be cooked from the frozen
state to ensure a safely cooked product. Follow
cooking instructions on the
label. |
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When cooking ground turkey like a
turkey burger, be sure to cook it to
165°F
and check that temperature with an instant-read
thermometer inserted in the
middle. |
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Cooked turkey and turkey dishes can
be stored in the refrigerator for three to four
days and frozen for up to six months. |