How to Tell if Ground Turkey is Bad? Info plus Recipes

Ground turkey is one of the all-time favorite appetizers that all foodies love on their plates. Many food enthusiasts across nations admit their obsession with this tasty titbit. But if the ground turkey has gone bad, it should be discarded with no hesitation due to serious health risks.

However, the turkey might not appeal to you if it is spoiled. It is complicated to identify whether the turkey has gone wrong. Yet who wants food poisoning? 

But how to point out if the ground turkey is spoiled? Some people totally miss out on the spoiling indicators. Therefore, many end up using rotten meat for food. As a result, people are destined to visit the hospital! Unfortunate indeed, no?

Well, if you also come under the clueless squad, worry no more. Here, we will be discussing identification points of spoiled turkey so that you can throw it out for your good. 

Let’s go!

Turkey: food value

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Not only does it taste heavenly, but it also has fantastic food value. Turkey is a common bird of the North American region. This bird is often found in the wild and is hunted for food purposes. But since they come under the poultry category, many people raise them on farms. 

Turkey has been gaining fame ever since its food value was discovered. So let us have a closer look at what it has to offer us.

Among the bodybuilding or energy-providing nutrients, turkey has protein and fat to offer us. Protein is essential for muscle and bone growth. On the other hand, fat is necessary for gaining energy. Two thick slices of turkey (about 84 grams) can provide you with 24 grams of protein and 2 grams of fat. However, the turkey area from where the meat is being cut determines the proportion sometimes. 

Other nutrients include Vitamin B3, essential for blood and brain function; Vitamin B6, necessary for hemoglobin production, B12 (vital in keeping your blood cells and nervous system well). 

Hold on! The nutrient list is not over yet! Turkey provides essential minerals to our bodies. The minerals include Selenium, Zinc, Sodium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, and Potassium. So you can understand the value of turkey very well. Hence eating turkey is not so bad. However, eating an excessive amount can cause complications.

How to tell if Ground Turkey has Gone Wrong?

It is indeed difficult to tell whether the meat has gone bad. But consuming spoiled meat just because of lack of knowledge is entirely pointless. Hence, knowing the facts of spoilage is necessary.

There are specific points or indicators to tell whether the food is spoiled or not.

Every food item in this world has some typical characteristics that categorize it as fresh and edible. But a slight or subtle sign of change may hint at the very fact that it is time to throw it out.

Likewise, ground turkey also has some standard components and abnormalities if spoiled. Let us know those in detail:

  • Smell: Name any food in the world. Every single thing has a particular smell. And while speaking of the food, the typical smell hints at its edibility. And the fresh aroma of any food can arouse your taste buds at once. But what if you smell something unexpected? Well, that specific item might not be tasty to you. Now comes the question of how to identify if the turkey has gone wrong? You must have smelled turkey when it was fresh and ready to eat. Hence you will at once spot out the difference between the fresh smell and rotten smell. If it is odd and is not delicious at all, then it is probably time you understand that the meat has spoiled. 
  • Appearance: The appearance or looks of ground Turkey can be confusing to decide whether the meat is rotten. Usually, the fresh meat will be pink or light red. Anything dull than that might indicate spoilage. So one tip for you is to remember the color of the fresh meat—anything different may be a hint for you to throw it away. Likewise, if you see grey spots on the meat, throw it away at once because that indicates spoilage. 
  • Other indicators: There are other definite indicators as well. Sometimes smell and color may not be that potent to indicate rotten meat. Hence focusing on further details is necessary. The other way of identification is to feel the spoiled meat. Generally, fresh meat does not contain any slimy or sticky components. But if you think something like that, you understand the issue. Unfortunately, some people ignore the slimy or sticky factor abruptly and proceed to cook with that only. This is not a wise decision because spoiled meat can cause health issues. 
  • Watery package:  Another significant indicator is there. Usually, the fresh ground Turkey will not be watery or will never contain much liquid with the packaging. If you ever see more water or fluid in the container, you must throw the meat away at once because it is a sign of spoilage. Keeping the ground Turkey in the refrigerator does not permanently save you. It can be spoiled even after freezing. 
  • Crystals: Sometimes, you will not be smelling or seeing anything odd, but you may see crystals on top of the meat. That is a clear point that it has gone bad. Therefore, consuming that sort of turkey will not bring you delight. Instead, it can be devastating for your health and stomach. 

Turkey storage

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Ground turkey is ravishing when it is fresh and edible. If one knows how to store Ground turkey properly, one may increase the shelf life of the same. But sometimes, we are bound to use stored meat. And that is precisely when the shelf life and storage methods come to discussion.

You may keep the ground turkey in the refrigerator to prevent rotting. To increase the shelf life of the same, you may wrap the packaging. Take a plastic wrapper or aluminum foil and wrap the package correctly. 

Another tip that you may use to increase the shelf life is not to open the packaging until ready to use. Meaning, you should not open the sealed pack and keep it for future use. However, do open it when you are sure about using it up. 

Ground turkey tends to grow bacteria quickly. Hence, you need to understand when and in which condition the bacteria is most likely to develop. If you keep the meat for 1 or 2 hours at room temperature, there are fair chances that the meat is spoiled. Bacterias grow vividly in 40 °F and 140 °F temperatures. So you may understand what can happen to the meat if it is left out at room temperature for more than two hours. 

To increase the shelf life of ground turkey further, you may keep it in the freezer. However, wrapping can always push the shelf life to a level further. Therefore, make sure you do so before keeping.

Recipes with Ground Turkey

You must have had Turkey in many items. But let me share some of my favorite recipes with you to try them as well. 

#1 Turkey Lasagna

How to Tell if Ground Turkey is Bad
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This dish tastes similar to the traditional Lasagna, but some differences are there. But I am sure that you will love this dish if prepared perfectly. 

For making Turkey Lasagna, you will need:

  • lasagna noodles
  • minced cloves
  • minced garlic
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • Finely chopped onion
  • Ground Turkey
  • Kosher salt
  • tomato paste
  • ricotta
  • torn basil
  • crushed tomatoes
  •  freshly chopped parsley
  •  fresh mozzarella
  • egg
  • grated Parmesan

Procedure:

  1. First, take a bowl and boil water in it. Next, add salt and 1 lb lasagna noodles. Follow the instructions on the package and boil the noodles. Finally, drain the water from it and keep it aside. 
  2. On the other hand, preheat your oven to 375°. Now, take a large baking sheet and grease it with cooking spray. NowNow take the prepared noodles and lay them on the baking sheet. 
  3. Now take a large skillet and heat it on medium flame. Add oil and heat that. Once heated, add a freshly chopped onion to the oil and fry that until softening. Once softened, add tomato paste and ground turkey to it. Stir them all together until the turkey’s pink tint goes away. After preparing the turkey, add tomatoes and basil to it. If the mixture is thick, you may consider adding a can full of water and let it simmer for 20 minutes, more or less. 
  4. Take another medium bowl. Mix 1 container filled ricotta (16 oz to be specific), 1/2 c. grated Parmesan, 2 tbsp. Of chopped parsley, one egg, and garlic. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
  5. Take a large baking dish. On top of it, add a layer of cooked noodles. At the bottom of that, add a thin layer of sauce. Now spread some of that ricotta mixture on top. Put some sauce and then fill the top of it with mozzarella. You need to repeat the same process three times and put it in the oven.
  6. Bake for half an hour to 35 minutes until the Lasagna is bubbly and the cheese on top melts. Once that is done, Turkey lasagna is ready to serve.

#2 Baked Turkey Meatballs

How to tell if ground turkey is bad
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This is probably the most anticipated recipe for turkey. to cook this mouthwatering dish, you will need:

  • ground turkey
  • ricotta cheese
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • freshly grated Parmesan
  • cloves garlic, minced
  • freshly chopped parsley
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • kosher salt
  • granulated sugar 
  • egg
  • dried oregano
  • crushed tomatoes
  • crushed red pepper flakes 

Procedure:

  1. Take a large bowl and add 1lb ground turkey, Parmesan, one beaten egg, three cloves garlic, parsley, and season the mixture with salt and pepper. Keep mixing until thoroughly combined.
  2. Now, take a baking sheet and line it with foil. Next, take two tablespoons full of oil and rub the sheet with it. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425°.
  3. Form standard-sized meatballs from the turkey mixture you had prepared. Once done, keep them on the baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until firm to touch and golden. 
  4. Now it is time to prepare the sauce. In a large pot, heat some oil on medium flame. Add three cloves and garlic to the oil. Also, add red pepper and oregano and cook. Once the aroma of the ingredients comes out, add one teaspoon sugar and one can full of crushed tomatoes. Add salt and pepper and boil it for 20 minutes.
  5. Add the prepared meatballs to the sauce and let it boil for another ten minutes so that the meatballs are soaked in the gravy. Once done, serve with Parmesan and parsley sprinkled over it.

Final Thoughts

So, now you know how to tell if ground turkey in your refrigerator is bad. Eating fresh food is the key to health. Hence, ignoring that may cause you serious issues.

Some people do not care about the turkey being slimy or extra juicy. That can be a clear indicator of spoilage. And eating or using those will eventually bring complications. So, do not neglect the hands. Take a closer look and make sure you discard the food if you see any awkward signs. 

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