As families across Northern Ireland prepare for the festive season, new research from Safefood reveals the biggest stresses facing local home cooks, with 44% admitting they are worried about getting everything ready on time.
The annual survey, focused on home cooks in Northern Ireland, shows that while a safe and tasty turkey is the centrepiece for most, 17% of cooks are primarily concerned about making sure the turkey is cooked safely. With a turkey crown being the most popular choice at 46%, followed by a whole turkey at 27%, Safefood is urging local people throughout Northern Ireland to “Trust the Meat Thermometer” to ensure a stress-free and safe Christmas Day dinner.
In positive news for food safety, the survey shows that 43% of all NI home cooks now report using a meat thermometer or probe to check their turkey is safely cooked. It appears the message is hitting home, as Safefood works each year to get the message into Northern Ireland homes.
Local radio presenter and podcaster Jordan Arnold is backing Safefood’s campaign this Christmas.
“I know how stressful Christmas dinner can be, especially for almost half of local cooks worried about getting everything ready on time,” says Jordan. “But the one thing that can take the guesswork out of the most important part – the turkey – is a meat thermometer. As someone who has learned this firsthand, I can’t stress enough how easy it is. Simply check that the thickest part of the turkey reaches 75°C. With many cooks across NI still worried about getting the turkey cooked safely, a thermometer is the fool-proof way to guarantee a safe and tasty Christmas dinner for your family”.
To help local families in NI manage the stress of timing and budgeting, with 44% worried about getting everything ready on time and 16% concerned about food prices, Safefood offers two helpful tools: their Turkey Cooking Time Calculator, provides a tailored cooking schedule based on the weight of your turkey and your type of oven, and their Christmas Dinner Food Planner, which helps with how much food you need for your guests and help with preventing food waste at this time of the year. Both are available on the Safefood website: www.safefood.net/Christmas.
Commenting on the research, Trish Twohig, Director of Food Safety, Safefood, said:
“We know that here in Northern Ireland, Christmas dinner is the biggest meal of the year. With just under half (42%) of respondents to our survey indicating they will be cooking for between 5 and 8 people this Christmas Day, that’s a lot of food to get ready on time. I would also recommend that people use a meat thermometer this year to check the thickest part of the turkey has reached 75º Celsius. This is the fool proof way of knowing it’s fully cooked and safe to eat. Our very helpful Turkey Cooking Time Calculator couldn’t be easier to use and can help with getting your day off running smoothly.”
How to use a meat thermometer
- Take your turkey out of the oven and insert a clean thermometer probe into the thickest part of the bird. In a whole turkey, the thickest part is between the breast and the leg.
- If you are cooking a turkey crown or a boned and rolled turkey, the thickest part is at the centre of the joint.
- You can use an analogue dial or digital meat thermometer.
- The turkey is fully cooked when the temperature reaches 75ºC.
- Always make sure you wash the meat thermometer thoroughly afterwards.
If you do not own a meat thermometer, cut into the thickest part of the meat and check that there’s no pink meat, the juices run clear, and that the meat is piping hot
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Safefood’s Top Tips for a Safe Christmas Dinner
In addition to its online tools, Safefood offers the following advice:
- Prep the Fridge: Clean your fridge to make extra space and store the turkey on the bottom shelf.
- Turkey Size Guide: Consider the number of people and leftovers needed:
- 4-6 people: 3-4 kg turkey
- 6-8 people: 4-5 kg turkey
- 8-10 people: 5-6 kg turkey
- Don’t Wash: Do not wash your turkey as this can spread harmful bacteria. Proper cooking kills bacteria. Wash hands/surfaces after handling.
- Cooking Time: Use the Turkey Cooking Time Calculator on the Safefood website for tailored cooking times.
- Check for Safety: Use a meat thermometer in the thickest part (between the breast and the leg). It is safely cooked at 75°C. Without a thermometer, pierce the thickest part to ensure it is piping hot, with no pink meat and clear juices.
- Leftovers: Cover and refrigerate leftovers within two hours. Cool meat quickly by cutting it into pieces. Eat leftovers within three days. Re-heat food until piping hot all the way through, and only re-heat once. Find leftover recipes at www.safefood.net/christmas.