Tips to cook your turkey: Don't give your guests food poisoning

Getting burned isn't the only thing to worry about when it comes to cooking your turkey this Thanksgiving.

Cooking a turkey takes a lot of preparation and if the turkey isn't stored or cooked correctly, people might unintentionally make guests sick, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). 

Undercooking a turkey or preparing it incorrectly can lead to serious illness, Al Almanza, deputy under secretary for food safety at the USDA said in a statement.  "Turkeys may contain salmonella and campylobacter, harmful pathogens that are only destroyed by properly preparing and cooking the turkey."

Here are a few tips from the USDA to ensure you avoid food borne illness this Thanksgiving:

1. Thawing the turkey and the two-day rule

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Buying your turkey early? Better keep your bird frozen until you are ready to thaw or you might be on your way to the grocery store for a new one, according to the USDA.

It takes 24 hours for every four to five pounds of turkey to thaw, according to the USDA. Once the turkey is thawed, cook it within two days.

USDA guidelines guidelines on refrigerator thawing times:

4 to 12 pounds — 1 to 3 days
12 to 16 pounds — 3 to 4 days
16 to 20 pounds — 4 to 5 days
20 to 24 pounds —5 to 6 days

You can thaw a turkey in the refrigerator, or if you are strapped for time, you can use the microwave or run cold water over the wrapped bird in a sink.

2. How do I know if the turkey is spoiled?

Maybe you left your turkey in the fridge for a week, or it sat in your trunk in the garage for a few hours, regardless you should be wary of using the product.

Many times people can tell if a turkey is spoiled by the texture and smell of the turkey. The skin might become slimy or have a rotten smell.

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3. To wash or not to wash?​

Don't wash your turkey. While many people might think that rinsing the turkey will remove bacteria from the bird, nothing could be farther from the truth, according to the USDA.

"Washing raw meat and poultry can cause bacteria to spread up to three feet away," according to the USDA.  "Cooking (baking, broiling, boiling, frying or grilling) meat and poultry to the right temperature kills any bacteria that may be present, so washing meat and poultry is not necessary."

Make sure that all surfaces and plates that come into contact with the raw turkey are sanitized and make sure to wash your hands.

4. Doesn't matter if it wiggles, or jiggles like it should, the bird has to be 165 degrees

Regardless of whether your turkey is the perfect shade of brown or if the drumsticks jiggle, the bird is not safe until it reaches 165 degrees, according to the USDA. Use a food thermometer to check the bird in three places: the thickest part of the breast, the innermost parts of the wing and the bird's thigh.

5. No, we aren't done yet. Leftovers:

Leftovers should be refrigerated within two hours of eating and should be safe for three to four days after your meal. If you freeze your turkey, it should be OK for two to six months.