(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
Sabrina Sexton, the program director for culinary arts at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City, tells PEOPLE there are several things to remember while preparing your Thanksgiving Day feast.
1. Salmonella. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has already announced a salmonella outbreak linked to undercooked turkey. So it's even more important that you wash your hands EVERY time you touch raw turkey. ALSO if rinsing your bird in the sink make sure you disinfect everything in and near that place.
2. Defrosting the turkey. The safest way to defrost the turkey is in the refrigerator, that way it's always kept under 40 degrees. Just make sure it's in a container that won't leak, and is in the bottom of the fridge so no juice drips onto other food in the fridge.
3. Stuffing. If you like to cook stuffing IN the bird, put it in a pan after the turkey is done and place it back in the oven until it reaches 165 degrees. That way there's no undercooked turkey juices in it.
4. Knife injuries. Get your knives sharpened this weekend, before you need to use them. Knives slip more when they're not sharp.
5. Burns. If you're working over the stove, be careful with long sleeves, jewelry, or anything that could catch on the side of a pan and pull it off the stove.
6. Leaving food out. Leaving food out at room temperature for more than two hours can be dangerous. Instead, you can put food out a little at a time or reheat it throughout the day.
7. Reheating leftovers. Make sure any leftovers are heated to 165 degrees (AKA steaming hot) to kill any bacteria.