Top tips for your Christmas poultry


Properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, are safe to eat.

However, the spectre of food poisoning, particularly concerning the Christmas bird, is often lurking during the festive season.

To help ensure our poultry are prepared and cooked safely, the council’s environmental health team has provided some useful tips.

Thawing

● Frozen poultry must be completely thawed before cooking.
● Place the bird in its bag on a plate in a cool place, such as a larder (preferably below 12°C). Never thaw in a warm place, this will allow bacteria to multiply.
● Test to see there are no ice crystals left in the cavity and that the legs and thighs are soft and move easily.
● Cook straight away, or refrigerate in the bottom part of the fridge, where it will not drip contaminated blood over any other food.

Oven Ready Weight
Thawing Time
3-5 lbs / 1.4-2.3 kg
20 hours
6-7 lbs / 2.7-3.2 kg
30 hours
8-9 lbs / 3.6-4.1
36 hours
10-11 lbs / 4.5-5.0 kg
45 hours
More than 11 lbs / 5 kg
48 hours

Cooking

● Remove the giblets, wash the bird thoroughly inside, and dry with clean kitchen paper.
● Do not stuff until just before putting the bird into the oven. Only stuff the neck end, not the body cavity. Cook any extra stuffing separately.
● As a rough guide the bird should be roasted at 190°C/375°F/Gas 5,
for a duration determined by its weight and whether it is in foil or not.

Oven Ready Weight
Without Foil
With Foil
3 to 5 lbs / 1.4-2.3 kg
1½ hrs to 1¾ hrs
1¾ hrs to 2hrs
6 to 7 lbs / 2.7-3.2 kg
1¾ hrs to 2hrs
2hrs to 2¼ hrs
8 to 9 lbs / 3.6-4.1
2hrs to 2½ hrs
2½ hrs to 2¾ hrs
10 to 11 lbs / 4.5-5.0 kg
2¼ hrs to 2¾ hrs
2½ hrs to 3hrs
12 to 13 lbs / 5.4-5.9 kg
2¾ hrs to 3hrs
3hrs to 3¼ hrs
14 to 17 lbs / 6.4-7.7 kg
3¼ hrs to 3½ hrs
3½ hrs to 3¾ hrs
18 to 22 lbs / 8.2-10 kg
3½ hrs to 3¾ hrs
3¾ hrs to 4hrs
23 lb plus / 10.4 kg plus
3¾ hrs PLUS
4¼ hrs PLUS

● Individual ovens may vary, so always check that the bird is thoroughly cooked. Test it with a skewer by piercing the deepest part of each thigh. The juices should run absolutely clear, not pink. If they run pink, return the bird to the oven and cook further, checking every 15 minutes.

Serving

● After carving, cool any remaining meat as quickly as possible (preferably within 90 minutes) and store in a fridge (between 0°C and 4°C).

Use of leftovers

● Once cooked, the meat is perfectly safe to freeze for up to two months (depending upon your freezer), even if it was a frozen bird in the first place.

Wishing you and you a safe and Happy Christmas
from the Isle of Wight Council’s Environmental Health Team.



For more information on food safety and hygiene issues contact:

Environmental Health, Jubilee Stores, The Quay, Newport,
Isle of Wight PO30 2EH, tel: 823000, email: [email protected]



Page last updated on: 27/11/2007