How do you know if your frozen turkey is bad?

Without a doubt, the turkey He is one of the heroes of most New Year’s Eve dinners. The ease and versatility of its preparation, combined with the deep-rooted tradition, make it a true favourite.

Normally, the vast majority of us get this food Frozen, because it allows you to get them early and thus avoid a last-minute rush. Beyond AdvantagesIt is important that you know how to identify that it is still in good condition.

Read on:

While it freezes, Turkeys They remain harmless indefinitely. However, if turkeys are thawed at temperatures above 4°C, any harmful bacteria that were present before they were frozen can reactivate and begin to multiply. University of Connecticut.

Keep Cold chain From the moment you buy it in the supermarket until you store it in the refrigerator at home, it is very important that your turkey is in ideal conditions for safe consumption when it comes to cooking.

How do you know if a frozen turkey is in good condition?

The first thing you should check when choosing a turkey is… Expiration date. Refuse those containing short dates, especially if you don’t plan to cook them right away. It is also necessary to verify that Packing They are not torn or have holes, as this can facilitate cross-contamination.

a Inflated packaging Or a slightly frozen appearance indicates that the item may have been re-frozen, which may affect its quality and could allow bacteria to grow, so you should also reject it.

Ideally, when you buy your turkey, you take a small amount Cooler To transport it, regardless of whether the distance you travel is not very long. Once you get home, take it to Freezer So that the internal temperature is not exposed to radical changes.

After the advice, and depending on whether a Frozen Türkiye Or frozen, they can keep for up to three months in good condition in the freezer, ready for processing.

How to defrost a Türkiye properly?

According to studies conducted at the University of Connecticut, there are three appropriate methods and one common, but incorrect, method Defrost Türkiye. It is important to know how to do it in the perfect way to avoid damage.

The common way is to leave Türkiye Room temperatureOn the table or on the kitchen table. However, experts point out that once a piece reaches 4 degrees, it can reactivate pre-existing bacteria or become contaminated, so this method is not recommended.

What you can do is dissolve it in refrigeratorAnd move it from the freezer to the refrigerator. It is the longest method, but it is the one that guarantees the best preservation of its properties. More or less, a turkey It will take 4 to 6 kilograms of ice to melt in one day.

You can also use Cold water. A 4- to 6-pound turkey will take 4 to 6 hours to thaw using this method, as it is recommended to change the water every half hour. In both this method and the previous method, you still have to do so with its original packaging.

Another way is to do it in Microwave, although the problem in this case is that certain parts can be overcooked, so once cooked they can be somewhat uneven. In this case, the most common thing to do is to divide it and thaw it according to the oven instructions.

To make sure your turkey is there Good ConditionOnce it melts you should smell it. It should have a neutral smell: if it emits a strong odor, it has probably been frozen incorrectly. The meat should be firm, reject those that have a sticky consistency or a green color.

How to freeze cooked Türkiye?

Before saving The remaining TürkiyeThe ideal solution is to remove the bone and filling to avoid cross-contamination. In the refrigerator, on average, it can last in good condition for two to three days.

If you choose to freeze it, the turkey can last up to four monthsAs long as the temperature is maintained at or below zero degrees continuously. You can use it later in many recipes, from Golden taco until the soup also macaroni.