{"id":7887,"date":"2022-11-12T12:36:21","date_gmt":"2022-11-12T12:36:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/?p=7887"},"modified":"2023-09-22T07:16:58","modified_gmt":"2023-09-22T07:16:58","slug":"how-to-tell-if-turkey-is-bad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/how-to-tell-if-turkey-is-bad\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Tell if Turkey is Bad (The Telltale Signs)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Greyish discoloration; unpleasant odor or sweet smell; slimy, sticky, or spongy texture<\/strong> \u2013 these are the surefire signs that you must throw that pack of turkey meat<\/a> away. I know it’s heartbreaking to keep your Thanksgiving turkey refrigerated for so long, thinking you have something for the big day. Then, you defrost the meat, and that rotten egg smell greets you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ve been in this situation too, and I know the feeling is close to harrowing. Even if you think you can still salvage it, you always have that fear of food poisoning and think “am I supposed to continue eating this?” Of course, you can’t eat spoiled raw turkey. But how do you know if it’s actually bad? In this article, I’ll show you how you can tell when turkey is spoiled and is unsalvageable. <\/p>\n\n\n

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How Do I Recognize Spoiled Turkey?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The problem with raw turkey meat or meat in general is you can’t tell at first glance when it’s spoiled. However, there are some common signs your raw turkey is bad. All you need is the meat and your sense of observation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Check the Expiration Date<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It’s always advisable to check the expiry date as the first parameter of certainty of the freshness of the product. After bringing them home from the store, you should only refrigerate<\/strong> them for<\/strong> one to three days<\/strong>. For ground turkey, they should be consumed within 24 hours or before the third day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you check the expiry dates on packed food at the grocery store? If you feel surprised at the sudden change in texture, color, or smell of your packed turkey meat after a few days of refrigeration, you most likely bought an expired<\/strong> and already bad turkey pack<\/strong>. Also, note that fresh ground turkey meat spoils faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If frozen, the shelf life of both whole and ground turkey increases by a few weeks beyond the expiration date as long as it is frozen fresh. In any case, you should always check the freshness after defrosting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Observe the Color<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The color is always the first indication: if the turkey meat is slightly greyish<\/strong>, it’s no longer fit for consumption. Throw it away ASAP!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First of all, packaged turkey is the kind of meat that must actually be consumed immediately. The packagaed date, which is found in meat purchased from large hypermarkets, is not always the same<\/a> as slaughter or processing date. So the turkey remains fresh only for a short time<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So What’s the Color of Fresh Turkey Meat?<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In any case, fresh turkey skin has an off-white to cream color<\/a>. However, the thigh part of fresh raw turkey has a darker color. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While turkey is mostly white meat, the thigh is red meat. This is because the thigh has active muscle tissues<\/a> like beef or pork. So, unlike raw chicken, turkey is considered half white and half red meat because of the darker thigh meats. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But that’s not what we’re here for. The point is that raw meat from turkey<\/strong> thighs<\/strong> will look darker<\/strong> than other parts. That doesn’t mean the turkey is bad because it doesn’t look pinkish!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when you smoke or cook fresh turkey, you may notice the meat has a light pink<\/strong> color<\/strong>. That’s pretty safe. According to the USDA<\/a>, cooked turkey meat is supposed to look pink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If that typical light pink color is starting to change a little on your cooked turkey, but it’s not smelly or slimy, this may be stage 1 and salvageable. Just make sure the cooked turkey is well-prepared. Ensure that the internal temperature of the cooked turkey reads at least 145 degrees<\/strong> on your meat thermometer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Otherwise, if it has already taken on a grayish color, I don’t recommend eating it. It’s probably already spoiled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related Reading<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n