By Susan Hill, Regional Extension Agent
Don’t forget about the kitchen while you freshen up the indoor and outdoor spaces for spring. From cleaning old groceries to changing menus for a new season – including setting up a special menu for Easter and other holidays – here are some principles and ideas to keep in mind.
Out with the old, in with the new
As part of troubleshooting or cleaning this pantry in the spring, you can also discard some old habits here:
RECKLESS THAWING
- Old habit: More than one in four Americans admits having thawed a frozen turkey or other main meat dish on the kitchen counter, in the oven, or even under hot water in the sink. Many people also forget to allow enough time for a large turkey to fully thaw.
- New tradition: to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria, frozen meat should be thawed in the refrigerator. With prolonged pressure, wrapped frozen meat can be thawed in a large saucepan with cold, running water. Do not thaw in warm water in the sink. Smaller pieces of meat can be thawed while cooking or in the microwave. Remember: it can take up to three days for a large 10-15 pound turkey to thaw in the refrigerator.
HOLD STUFF
- Old Habit: Almost four in five home cooks find it necessary to wait for the food to cool completely before putting it in the refrigerator, as this will raise the temperature in the refrigerator.
- New tradition: If leftover food is stored in the refrigerator, it should be cooled quickly or put in the refrigerator in less than two hours. To make sure the food is cool in the refrigerator, slice the meat and place larger containers of food in smaller, shallower pans. Make sure the refrigerator is 41 degrees or lower and the freezer is 0 degrees or lower.
COVERED FOOD DELIVERY
- Old habit: Three out of five vacation families typically travel home to a relative or friend for at least an hour with their home-cooked vacation meals.
- New tradition: if it takes longer than an hour, pack your cold meal in a cooler or a hot meal in an insulated bag to keep it safe and bacteria-free. Keep warm food 140 degrees or hotter and cold food 41 degrees or lower.
ROCKING THE GRAVY BOAT
- Old Habit: While the majority of home cooks remember to bring the sauce to a boil before serving, many forget that the same rule applies while adding it. In fact, over half will reheat the leftover sauce in the microwave until it’s hot before serving again.
- New tradition: to get rid of harmful bacteria, always bring the leftover sauce to a boil on the stove before serving it a second or even third time. Always heat food to 165 degrees.
Cook all night
- Old Habit: Many people prepare foods like turkey, dressing, and some casseroles at night by turning the oven down to 250 degrees or less so that they cook slowly.
- New tradition: Either cook the day before, cool and warm up to 165 degrees on the day of the meal or cook two smaller turkeys at 325 degrees – or go out for lunch. Food like turkey shouldn’t be cooked below 325 degrees, as lower cooking encourages bacteria that are already growing. Boil an unfilled 8-10 pound. Turkey at 325 degrees in an oven boiling bag for 1.5-2.5 hours. It should be 180 degrees when measured with a thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh or chest.
TOO HURRY TO CLEAN
- Old habit: Many people have families on vacation and too often don’t take the time to clean the kitchen well.
- New tradition: always try to clean the counters and utensils well and wash your hands before and during the cooking process to avoid cross-contamination. Pre-cooking and freezing is also a great option to save time. Make sure that the helpers in the kitchen wash their hands frequently.
FOOD STORAGE ON THE PORCH OR IN THE COLD GARAGE
- Old Habit: A lot of people like to store cakes, pies, and some meat on the porch or garage because of the lack of storage space – and they know their great-great-great-grandmother always did, so it’s okay or?
- New Tradition: If you don’t live in Alaska, this wouldn’t be a good idea. It would have to be 41 degrees or cooler to keep the refrigerator temperature up. Also, animals could come along and either eat something or do something worse to your feed. Great-great-great-grandmother didn’t have the environment and additives that we have today; Most of their food was grown on a farm and everything was fresh, and most likely their immune systems were much stronger than most of us today.
TOO MANY LEFTOVERS
- Old Habit: People believe leftovers are fine as long as they are kept in the refrigerator for seven to ten days.
- New tradition: food that is not consumed within three or four days should be thrown away. Also, do not feed any animals after six or seven days. Leftovers that have been used within four days should be heated to 165 degrees.
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