As your home warms up with all the delicious smells of Thanksgiving cooking, make sure you’re being safe while in the kitchen. Cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and related injuries. The San Bernardino County Fire Department offers these safety tips for cooking your holiday meal.
Never leave cooking food unattended. Keep flammable objects such as dish towels, potholders, and curtains away from the stovetop. Turn pot handles inward to prevent them from being bumped or grabbed by children or pets. Wear short sleeved shirts or close-fitting clothes when cooking. Dangling clothes can easily catch fire. Avoid reaching over the stovetop.
Put a lid on grease fires.
And reporter Eric Knabe offers these food safety tips on preparing, serving, and storing your holiday meal…
Once you are finished grocery shopping, store food immediately. A few hours in the car is ample time for dangerous bacteria to multiply. Defrost meat properly. Make room in your refrigerator several days before you plan to cook. Don’t stuff the turkey. The safest way is prepare and cook the stuffing separately. To ensure the doneness of your poultry, use a meat thermometer and make sure the bird reached 165 degrees . Serve hot food hot at 140 degrees or warmer. Keep cold foods at 40 degrees or colder. Once everyone is done, leftover should be stored in resealable food-grade containers in the refrigerator within two hours. and enjoyed within several days.
SAFETY TIPS FOR PREPARING YOUR HOLIDAY MEAL
