Cooks’ questions: how long does ground turkey last in the freezer?
- With many roasting turkeys for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and ground turkey, or turkey mince, a year-round option, we answer a burning question for home cooks
- Read what food safety and disease prevention authorities have to say about the matter
How long is ground turkey good in the freezer? The short answer? Three to four months.
While uncooked, whole poultry can retain its quality for one year in the freezer, time is – you guessed it! – money. On average, Hong Kong retailers are pricing frozen birds at around HK$855 (US$110). Ground turkey (turkey mince) shines through as a lower-cost alternative to roasting a frozen turkey for Thanksgiving or Christmas that’s also readily available in most grocery stores.
According to the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), ground turkey is safe for consumption indefinitely if continuously frozen. That’s because freezing inactivates any microbes – i.e., bacteria, yeasts, and moulds – present in poultry until the meat is taken out to thaw.
But there’s food that’s safe, and then there’s food that’s good.
For optimal quality, the USDA recommends stowing uncooked ground turkey in the freezer for a maximum of four months.
On the other hand, leftover ground turkey will keep well in the fridge for three to four days once cooked, or two to six months if you’re going the freezer route.
