Safe Handling in the Kitchen
Keep meat and poultry below 40 F out of the temperature danger zone of 40 to 140.
Always choose packages that are tightly wrapped and cold
Put refrigerated and frozen food in your cart last and always make the grocery store the last stop before home.
Place perishables in an ice chest if it will take you more then an hour to get home. Henry's will supply ice packs in the warm months of the year.
Place perishables in the refrigerator or the freezer as soon as you get home.
Do not let raw meat or poultry juices touch ready to eat foods in the refrigerator.
Always defrost meat and poultry in the refrigerator. Never at room temperature.
If microwave defrosting, cook immediately.
Safe Storage
Set you refrigerator at 40 or colder and keep your freezer at 0 or colder.
Keep uncooked meat and poultry in the refrigerator and cook or freeze within 24-48 hours.
For best quality, store frozen meat no longer than three to four months and cooked frozen meats two to three months.
Caring for your Food
Be sure to clean everything after coming in contact with meat or poultry: hands, utensils, counters, cutting boards, knives, and sinks.
Always wash you hands in hot soapy water before preparing foods and handling meat.
Do not let raw meat or poultry juices touch prepared foods during preparation.
Do not place cooked foods on the same plate that contained held raw meats or poultry.
Wash utensils that have touched raw meats or poultry with hot soapy water before using them with cooked meats.
Remember to clean the inside of your refrigerator where raw meats have been stored.
Cooking Safety
Use a meat thermometer and prepare all meats and poultry according to established guidelines.
The center of patties and meats should not be red and the juices should run clear.
All poultry juices should run clear.
After cooking, refrigerate leftovers immediately. Separate into smaller portions for faster cooling.
To reheat leftovers, cover and cook till 165 and hot and steaming throughout.
