FYI: Here's Really How Long Can You Keep Turkey in a Freezer
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If you've hosted at least one holiday dinner or large family gathering, then you're probably aware of the sheer amount of leftovers that can amass post-feast. And while you can dish out leftover pumpkin pie in individual Tupperware containers for guests to take home, you may have too much of the bird remaining to fit in your refrigerator. At this point, you may want to freeze these pieces to enjoy in the future. The question thus becomes: How long is frozen turkey good for? Well, we've got all the answers, so you don't have to worry about wasting any of that delicious turkey you worked so hard to make.
All raw, frozen meat, whether it's ground beef or another poultry like chicken, will last in your freezer for various amounts of time, depending on the type of protein and how it is packaged. Things become a bit more complicated when you are dealing with already cooked Thanksgiving turkey or already prepared ground turkey burgers or meatloaf. But we have outlined all the guidelines you should be aware of as well as the steps to take to guarantee you make the most of your turkey, whether you’re freezing your leftovers or buying and storing a frozen turkey to keep for next year. Turkey may just become one of those staple items you keep in your freezer for all future use.
How long can you keep a turkey in the fridge?
The best way to tell if turkey is still good is smell and texture. As StillTasty.com points out, if the turkey has a sour odor and/or a slimy texture, it’s probably not good anymore — no matter what the date on the package says. So if you give your turkey a sniff and things seem a little off, then now’s the time to toss it and choose something else to cook for dinner or freeze.
If you’ve just purchased some turkey at the store and its smell/texture seems OK, you might be wondering just how long it’ll stay good in the fridge. This all depends on whether it’s cooked or not.
Any raw, ground meat (including turkey) should be cooked within two days to aim for maximum freshness, according to The Kitchn. Once the turkey is cooked, it’s good in the fridge for three or four days, according to The Sun.
How long is frozen turkey good for?
All meat is good in the freezer indefinitely, but only if it is stored at 0°F consistently. This rule applies to meat stored at exactly 0°F without fluctuation, and it must be uniformly frozen at that temperature to keep harmful bacteria away.
If your turkey is good when you freeze it (and you properly thaw it — more on that below) then you should be able to eat it at any point after freezing it, whether that’s in two months or two or three years. Just remember to keep that temperature at 0 degrees, and you’re good to go.
However, if you’re storing cooked turkey (as opposed to raw), it should stay good in the freezer for up to two or three months, according to the Globe and Mail.
How to thaw frozen turkey safely:
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), there are a few different, safe methods for defrosting turkey (or any meat) safely. What you choose to do will probably depend on what appliances and how much time you have available to you: The first is refrigerator defrosting. Simply put the meat in the refrigerator and let it thaw down slowly. Keep in mind, though, that the key word here is slowly. Even ground turkey will take 24 hours to fully thaw, according to the USDA. The bigger the piece of meat is, the longer this will take.
The second, more attentive method is cold water thawing. As the USDA explains, your meat must be in a leakproof package or plastic bag, which you will submerge in cold tap water, changing the water every 30 minutes, so it continues to thaw. Like fridge thawing, this will take time. USDA notes you should “estimate about 30 minutes per pound.”
The third method is to defrost the meat in the microwave, which is the quickest option. Like the cold water method, the FDA instructs to cook the food immediately after thawing it. However, Trish Clasen Marsanico, Good Housekeeping Deputy Food Editor, notes that for a whole turkey, the edges and wings would start to cook before the turkey is fully defrosted, which, while safe, isn't ideal. She also adds that, "the most important thing when defrosting frozen turkey is to make sure that it avoids the 'Danger Zone.'" This means that the temperature shouldn't go above 40°F, at which point bacteria can begin to multiply.
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