Turkey is tops for easy, everyday meals

(BPT) - At this busy time of year, it’s often difficult to get a meal on the table, especially if you’re multitasking between other priorities around the home. Consider including turkey burgers in your dinner menus - it’s a great way to add protein and create a delicious and convenient meal without having to be tied to your kitchen for hours.  

Turkey isn’t just for Thanksgiving anymore. It has grown from a traditional holiday staple into a year-round favorite. In addition, there are so many quick and easy-to-prepare turkey burger options at today’s grocers, and creative recipes available to add flavor and style to your family meal.

Temperature is everything when it comes to preparing safe and delicious turkey burgers. Cooking turkey burgers to 165 F helps you achieve the most delicious flavor and the perfect, never-dry tenderness families love, while also being important for food safety. For this reason, a meat thermometer is a necessity. Quick and convenient, this essential cooking tool provides a simple way to prepare delicious cooked turkey.

Technology has made today’s meat thermometers easier to use than ever. For example, Jennie-O, a recognized leader in turkey, has teamed up with iGrill, the first app enabled wireless meat thermometer, to help home cooks and grill masters prepare tender, delicious turkey while ensuring food safety from anywhere in the home. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Android devices, the app takes the guesswork out of cooking turkey by helping you monitor food temperature without being glued to your grill or oven. It has a wireless range of up to 200 feet, so you can tend to other important things around the house and spend time with your family as you cook.

The iGrill app is free and includes 25 delicious Jennie-O recipes for great-tasting everyday meals. It can be downloaded at the iTunes Store. The wireless meat thermometer is available for purchase at igrillinc.com. Use promo code JENNIEO for $10 off savings.

Five easy rules for cooking delicious turkey burgers

When it comes to cooking, food safety is just as important as great taste. Here are five easy kitchen tips for cooking a delicious meal featuring JENNIE-O turkey burgers: clean, separate, cook, chill, and don't forget—enjoy! 

Clean

Safety begins with a clean cooking space. Use warm, soapy water to wash anything raw turkey touches, including cutting boards, plates or serving platters, countertops and other surfaces, food thermometers, grilling utensils and - most importantly - your hands.

It is not necessary to rinse poultry before cooking. In fact, rinsing poultry can spread bacteria rather than kill it.

Cook

Always fully cook poultry to destroy any bacteria that could cause foodborne illness.

Using a meat thermometer is the most accurate way to determine when the meat is ready to enjoy. Cook poultry to at least 165 F, as measured by a meat thermometer, such as the iGrill, to ensure a safe and delicious dining experience.

Never eat under-cooked poultry. If you’re not sure how long to cook a product, simply read the packaging and cook as specified.

Separate

Use separate cutting boards for poultry, meat, seafood and vegetables to avoid the spread of bacteria that may cause food-borne illness. Store raw poultry in sealed containers to make sure juices don’t contaminate other foods. Never reuse a raw marinade on cooked poultry. Instead, create a fresh marinade for each new batch.

Chill

When storing raw poultry, set your refrigerator to 40 F or lower. Never thaw poultry at room temperature or on the counter. Thaw in the refrigerator in sealed containers and keep it no more than two to three days before cooking. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours of cooking and eat within one to two days.

Enjoy

Following these simple food safety rules makes it easy to achieve the best possible taste for a delicious meal the entire family will enjoy.

For more information on cooking turkey burgers, visit Jennieo.com or look for the iGrill sticker on JENNIE-O lean ground turkey products at grocery stores nationwide. Use promo code JENNIEO for $10 off your iGrill purchase.

Jennie-O Turkey Store, Inc. is not responsible for the operation of the iGrill device or its compliance with safety and regulatory standards.