{"id":8876,"date":"2022-11-30T12:04:41","date_gmt":"2022-11-30T12:04:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/?p=8876"},"modified":"2022-11-30T12:04:48","modified_gmt":"2022-11-30T12:04:48","slug":"how-long-is-ground-turkey-good-in-the-freezer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/how-long-is-ground-turkey-good-in-the-freezer\/","title":{"rendered":"How Long Is Ground Turkey Good in the Freezer? (Explained!)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I’ll start straightforward with the question you’re asking, “how long is ground turkey good in the freezer?” According to the USDA, you can keep ground turkey frozen indefinitely<\/a> without it going bad. <\/strong>But if you want the best quality and great-tasting meat, pull it out after 3 to 4 months<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The shelf life usually depends on the expiration date sell-by date and the condition of the meat before freezing it. Your freezer won’t help if your ground turkey is bad already. It’s garbage in, garbage out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You probably had thanksgiving day or Christmas planned nice and perfect. But then, things went south quickly after discovering mold or a gray spot on the meat. I’ve been there before. I’ll show you how I’ve been ensuring my turkey<\/a> doesn\u2019t go bad in the freezer again. I\u2019ll also tell you how long you should keep it. <\/p>\n\n\n

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How Long Is Ground Turkey Good in the Freezer?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ground turkey can be stored in the freezer for as long as four months<\/a> especially if the cold chain isn’t broken<\/strong>.\u00a0Remember, this is the same storage period I recommend for ground beef.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The question of how long is frozen turkey good depends on whether the ground turkey was raw before freezing or if it’s a leftover that had already been cooked. Already cooked ground turkey will have a shelf life of around three months in the freezer before it starts to change taste or go bad. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In any case, the ground or raw ground turkey will stay longer when you freeze it all in one big chunk. But I advise that you divide the whole ground meat into smaller parts. So you can take only what you need, thaw, and cook it. This way, you will not expose the entire frozen ground turkey each time you need to cook some. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Does It Matter?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It’s important to know how long meat can remain frozen to avoid the texture deteriorating during storage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exposed meats may deteriorate if exposed to room temp. The meat that is ground exposes more surface area than any meat that’s still intact. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This type of meat has a lot of moist internal surfaces that are exposed to air and microbes than whole turkey cuts. The exposure makes them accessible to microbes. And the moistness is one of the factors (including warmth and protein environment<\/a>) that makes the meat a perfect bacteria breeding ground.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That’s why the meat has to be packed seconds after it’s minced and dumped in the freezer immediately.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When stored in subzero temperatures, the bacteria are hibernated or inactivated<\/a> and will no longer be able to grow as they should. But once the food thaws out, the bacteria come back alive.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why once you thaw foods and do the edibility check, you have to cook the meat as soon as you can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Long Is Ground Turkey Good in the Fridge?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to the USDA, fresh, uncooked ground turkey can be stored for a day to two<\/a> in the refrigerator. A few hours after the recommended time frame, the meat may not show any visible sign of spoilage but the taste and flavor may change.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ground turkeys aren’t as durable as whole turkeys. It oxidizes quickly because it’s more sensitive to air. However, you can buy raw ground turkey and keep it in the fridge if you have plans to cook it in two days.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Normally, you should refrigerate it for the stipulated number of days, but cooking it is better a few minutes after bringing it home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tips\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n