As part of its preparations for Thanksgiving, the USDA has sent out a “Holiday food safety kit” which includes a warning about the proper preparations required while assembling a “Turducken.” (A ‘Turducken’ is a layered roast chicken, stuffed into a duck, stuffed into a turkey)

“Critical control points involved in handling this risky assemblage are many, especially if the dish is made by a consumer and not in a USDA-inspected plant,” warns the government fact-sheet prepared by the Food Inspection Service.

The over 800 word document warns consumers about the dangers of bacteria – instructing them to keep the meat of the three birds at the proper temperature while assembling the elaborate stuffed poultry.

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“Make sure the birds and stuffing are not out of the refrigerator in the ‘Danger Zone’ — between 40 and 140 °F—more than 2 hours while assembling the turducken,” the sheet instructs. “Roast immediately after assembly.”

Any questions? Call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline. . .