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Did I ruin my turkey already?

I bought a turkey from Costco, bag says "organic, never frozen." Well, apparently Costco keeps their fridge too cold and it WAS frozen. No big deal. Yesterday I put it in a water bath (still in cryovack) to thaw it. Forgot about it and this morning realized I never took it out. This morning the water temp was 59 degrees but the bird is thawed. Did I ruin it? My momma says it's fine (she is adamant about me not buying a new one) but I am not so sure. Who knows how long it was above the 40 degree "danger zone."

I was going to dry brine today and cook at 325 tomorrow on the egg.

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Comments

  • Should be fine... let it fly!!!!
    South Florida - Large BGE (DOB:  12/07/2013)
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,170
    edited November 2016
    I don't mess with poultry when there is a question.  Odds are you are fine but I would not go there.  I would go with another one.
    Sounds like the turkey was not intended to turn out frozen but ended up there.  Accidental light freezing to me means it wasn't the rock solid frozen you get when advertised as frozen.  Where I'm going with this is that it likely became thawed fairly early in the soak process.  But just an opinion...FWIW-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • well.  me? hahaha

    i eat hamburger raw. 

    some of the earliest meat storage techniques are the "meat cache" in water.  kill a mastadon, sink it in water under rocks, come back and get it as you need it.

    of course, 60-degree water? maybe not.

    dicey call.   and i am a guy who is probably lax in this regard.

    it's a question of external bacteria, for one thing. not bacteria *in* the meat.

    so in theory, washing, seasoning etc. should be on your side.

    you hang a fresh killed deer outside for a couple days, and poultry is sold the world over outside in meat markets.

    but thisis america.  germ-phobia overpowers logic sometimes
  • busmania
    busmania Posts: 414
    edited November 2016

    "germ-phobia overpowers logic sometimes"


    Sadly, this is me.  If I can find another bird ill probably buy it.  I was going to dry brine this.  Maybe now if I buy another bird (which will probably also be frozen), ill wet brine to thaw and brine at same time?  or is this thinking wrong?

    problem is, this turkey is for the "sensitive eaters" of the family. They claim to have all sort of food "allergies" that are really just cries for attention (my sister leading the charge with her young kids who cant eat anything). I told her I would smoke an organic turkey with nothing on it she cant have (so I can basically put salt on it). So, they are sensitive (so she claims) already, would hate to get the kids sick.

  • Costco opens at 10:00.  Go get another.  You'll sleep better tonight and tomorrow. Worrying isn't worth $20.
    L, M - Kansas City
  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
    water temp was 59...what was temp of bird near the surface?
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
  • Raymont
    Raymont Posts: 710
    If it were SRF, I'd eat it.. but at $20-$30 not worth the worry. I'm running late myself and don't plan to start the brine dip until this afternoon. 

    Small & Large BGE

    Nashville, TN

  • Jeremiah
    Jeremiah Posts: 6,412
    Toss it. 
    Slumming it in Aiken, SC. 
  • busmania
    busmania Posts: 414
    Photo Egg said:
    water temp was 59...what was temp of bird near the surface?


    not sure, I got it into the fridge right away. 


    I will go out and try to find another one.  Can I wet (or dry) brine a semi frozen turkey?

  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,671
    im not going to tell YOU what to do but i grew up in a house where it thawed out on the counter =) maybe i grew to be immune to these things.  its just a turkey though, its the cheapest meat out there
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • im not going to tell YOU what to do but i grew up in a house where it thawed out on the counter =) maybe i grew to be immune to these things.  its just a turkey though, its the cheapest meat out there
    And I know that we share the (apparently MA/NH border-related?) tradition of keeping the left overs in the shed or garage. 
  • billt01
    billt01 Posts: 1,523
    edited November 2016
    If the bird was frozen, the bird temp was much colder than 59 degrees...I would imagine ~40 degrees.....if it were ME.....I'd take it to an internal temp to 165 and eat the drumsticks off it....(and the rest of it too, I just like me some drum sticks)
    Have:
     XLBGE / Stumps Baby XL / Couple of Stokers (Gen 1 and Gen 3) / Blackstone 36 / Maxey 3x5 water pan hog cooker
    Had:
    LBGE / Lang 60D / Cookshack SM150 / Stumps Stretch / Stumps Baby

    Fat Willies BBQ
    Ola, Ga

  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
    Fresh turkey may have some ice on it.  Fresh turkey is not supposed to have an internal temp below 26ºF.  Frozen turkey is supposed to be at 0ºF or lower.  There will be a major thaw time difference between a fresh turkey that has gotten a little too cold and a rock hard frozen turkey.
    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.
     
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,671
    im not going to tell YOU what to do but i grew up in a house where it thawed out on the counter =) maybe i grew to be immune to these things.  its just a turkey though, its the cheapest meat out there
    And I know that we share the (apparently MA/NH border-related?) tradition of keeping the left overs in the shed or garage. 
    garage, basement, at camp it will be on the deck til saturday, then it will be soup stored on the stove top in the pot its cooked in. in college i once had stove top turkey soup that turned more into a casserole over a month stored stove top reheated once a day. i just kept adding to it when it was half gone. roomies wouldnt touch it =)  i really would like to know what restaurants do to poison their guests, its difficult to do
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Further to CenTex, sounds like you are going to get blamed for something you didn't do anyway and your guest pool includes some overly sensitive eaters, better to take the high road. Personally, I'd cook them both. Serve the new one to the extended family and keep the other for the immediate family, You can never have too much ready to heat and serve turkey in the freezer. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • GATraveller
    GATraveller Posts: 8,207
    I would err on the side of caution just as CenTex says.  Better safe than sorry when it comes to feeding others.  

    "Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community [...] but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It's the invasion of the idiots."

                                                                                  -Umberto Eco

    2 Large
    Peachtree Corners, GA
  • tikigriller
    tikigriller Posts: 1,389
    I want to know who got a turkey for $20!!  Mine from Costco was $75!!!!
    Just bought an Egg?  Here is what you get to look forward to now:

    Plate Setter, FlameBoss 200, Spider, PSWOO-CI, Additional Rig Shelf for dome cooking, Thermapen, iGrill2, Cast Iron, Blackstone, Cooking Accessories for the Blackstone, Cover for the Egg and the Blackstone, shopping for Rub like a fine wine or IPA, and a new fascination with lump and what brand is the best-all to be debated every Friday Night.  Next desires-Joetisceriie, Adjustable Rig, Grillmates, table and more eggs

    Livermore, California
  • busmania
    busmania Posts: 414
    I want to know who got a turkey for $20!!  Mine from Costco was $75!!!!


    DAMN!  Mine was $2.99/pound, 12 pounds.  Was about $35.  We'll see in about an hour if they have any more.



  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,170
    @tikigriller - either you bought a yuge bird or they saw you coming.  Around here, even against the dead-line they are running $1.99/lb.  Regardless, have fun with the cook.
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • tikigriller
    tikigriller Posts: 1,389
    edited November 2016
    They saw me coming I am sure. 
    Just bought an Egg?  Here is what you get to look forward to now:

    Plate Setter, FlameBoss 200, Spider, PSWOO-CI, Additional Rig Shelf for dome cooking, Thermapen, iGrill2, Cast Iron, Blackstone, Cooking Accessories for the Blackstone, Cover for the Egg and the Blackstone, shopping for Rub like a fine wine or IPA, and a new fascination with lump and what brand is the best-all to be debated every Friday Night.  Next desires-Joetisceriie, Adjustable Rig, Grillmates, table and more eggs

    Livermore, California
  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    The standard "safety zone" temps are not good predictors of safety. At 40F, ordinary fridge temp, raw meats should be safe for 7 days. At 60-ish, maybe 40 hours. At 110, probably less than 2 hours.

    Still, nothing I would offer to guests. If I had the fridge space, I'd part it, rub w. salt, and then pressure cook it into stew or soup later.
  • billt01
    billt01 Posts: 1,523
    edited November 2016
    Do this.....ask everyone over the age of 65 if they would serve the Turkey....and hey...they didn't get that old from eating raw Turkey...or maybe they did...hmmmmmmmm :s
    Have:
     XLBGE / Stumps Baby XL / Couple of Stokers (Gen 1 and Gen 3) / Blackstone 36 / Maxey 3x5 water pan hog cooker
    Had:
    LBGE / Lang 60D / Cookshack SM150 / Stumps Stretch / Stumps Baby

    Fat Willies BBQ
    Ola, Ga

  • The keyword here is "kids". Taking that into consideration, I think you are doing the right thing by buying another turkey.
    Happily egging on my original large BGE since 1996... now the owner of 5 eggs. Call me crazy, everyone else does!
     
    3 Large, 1 Small, 1 well-used Mini
  • gmac
    gmac Posts: 1,814
    I'd be buying another one for your guests but roasting both and the making soup or something out of the one you left out. But that's me. 
    Mt Elgin Ontario - just a Large.
  • They saw me coming I am sure. 
    That's because you got one imported from italy
  • tikigriller
    tikigriller Posts: 1,389
    Eggscuses said:
    They saw me coming I am sure. 
    That's because you got one imported from italy
    Only the best for my Egg!!
    Just bought an Egg?  Here is what you get to look forward to now:

    Plate Setter, FlameBoss 200, Spider, PSWOO-CI, Additional Rig Shelf for dome cooking, Thermapen, iGrill2, Cast Iron, Blackstone, Cooking Accessories for the Blackstone, Cover for the Egg and the Blackstone, shopping for Rub like a fine wine or IPA, and a new fascination with lump and what brand is the best-all to be debated every Friday Night.  Next desires-Joetisceriie, Adjustable Rig, Grillmates, table and more eggs

    Livermore, California
  • billt01
    billt01 Posts: 1,523
    yes, I know this is not Poultry, but I still think it may be relevant in this post....I think everyone here ate at an outdoor picnic a time or two...we may be inducing worrying for the sake of worrying....look at ol Big Bob Gibson's outdoor Bbq..AND ALL THAT AIRBORNE BACTERIA.....


    Have:
     XLBGE / Stumps Baby XL / Couple of Stokers (Gen 1 and Gen 3) / Blackstone 36 / Maxey 3x5 water pan hog cooker
    Had:
    LBGE / Lang 60D / Cookshack SM150 / Stumps Stretch / Stumps Baby

    Fat Willies BBQ
    Ola, Ga

  • busmania
    busmania Posts: 414
    Well Costco had no more so I'm cooking this turkey. I blame my mom if it gets people sick. She says it's dumb for me to even worry. I opened it and it smelled fine. In dry brine now. 
  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 18,945
    edited November 2016
    busmania said:
    Well Costco had no more so I'm cooking this turkey. I blame my mom if it gets people sick. She says it's dumb for me to even worry. I opened it and it smelled fine. In dry brine now. 
    Make sure you give a friend, who is not going to your dinner, the password to this forum so he can update us of you die.




    J/k ;)  .... 40deg is not a magic number.  Bacteria is time & temp.  40deg is safe for days, if not weeks.
    A bison’s level of aggressiveness, both physical and passive, is legendary. - NPS