Frozen Turkey Shelf Life

The USDA advises that poultry will remain safe in your freezer indefinitely. However, for optimum quality, we both recommend no more than twelve months stored in a freezer. Make sure your freezer is at 0˚F or below. Don’t store a turkey in a place where you can’t closely monitor the temperature, such as in a car trunk, a basement, the back porch, or in snow. Frozen raw turkey should be stored in the freezer until you are ready to thaw it. When defrosting, Allow approximately 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds. A turkey thawed in the refrigerator can remain in the refrigerator once it's been thawed for 1 to 2 days before cooking.

2 Ways to Thaw a Turkey

Thaw a turkey safely in the refrigerator or by the cold-water method. A turkey must thaw at a safe temperature. When a turkey stays out at room temperature for more than 2 hours, its temperature becomes unsafe even if the center is still frozen. Germs can grow rapidly in the "danger zone" between 40°F and 140°F.

Never thaw frozen turkey at room temperature as this will allow harmful bacteria to grow. Instead, place frozen turkey in a glass dish and defrost in the refrigerator.

Don’t Rinse Raw Turkey

It's not necessary to rinse turkey prior to cooking. In fact, rinsing is discouraged because this can cause germs to splatter around your food prep area.

Brining for a Moist Turkey

Soak turkey in a saltwater solution (brine) for at least 15 minutes before cooking to keep moist. For brining recipes see our brining guide.

Keeping Turkey in the Oven

You can hold turkey in a 200°F oven, wrapped tightly, up to two hours. After that, the turkey will likely dry out. Check the temperature with a meat thermometer to ensure it doesn't go below 140°F.

Rethink Your Turkey Leftovers

Share meals with others, use leftover turkey to create delicious recipes, and make turkey stock or broth. Refrigerate leftovers at 40°F or colder within 2 hours of cooking to prevent food poisoning. Refrigerate leftovers that have been exposed to temperatures higher than 90°F within 1 hour. If you are refrigerating a big cut of meat, such as a turkey or roast, cut it into smaller pieces so they cool quickly. You do not need to wait until food is cool to store it in the refrigerator or freezer.

Cooking Ground Turkey

According to the CDC, ground turkey should be cooked to a safe internal temperature of 165°F as measured by a food thermometer. The color of cooked meat isn't always a reliable indicator of doneness, so it's important to use a thermometer to ensure it's safe to eat.

Freezing Cooked Turkey

Because freezing keeps food safe almost indefinitely, recommended storage times are for quality only. Refer to the freezer storage chart at the bottom of the page, which lists optimum freezing times for best quality.