Brining Turkey - 4 Days in Fridge - Partially Grey

Brining Turkey - 4 Days in Fridge - Partially Grey - Stony formations near mountains and plants in valley in Cappadocia

Been brining a 1/4 turkey breast 4 days in fridge with pomegranate juice, meyer lemons, kumquats, salt pepper balsamic vinegar - it's grey in parts - is it still OK to eat? Smells great but that may just be marinade?



Best Answer

The color is likely due to other intensely colored ingredients in your marinade, notably balsamic and pomegranates. They can discolor other items so I wouldn't be too surprised if this happened to the skin and outer surface of the turkey. I doubt that it indicates a hazard.

4 days is longer than our typical guidance on food storage (which in turn comes from governmental food safety agencies) would say is strictly safe. 1-2 days is generally about the limit for uncooked poultry, but all the acid in your marinade should make a fairly unfriendly environment for microbes, so this is kind of a grey area.

Personally, I'd be okay with eating this so long as I wasn't serving it to the pregnant, the elderly, or anybody else with a compromised immune system.

You don't mention whether you intentionally let this marinade for the full 4 days, but if you did I'd advise you to back that off to 2 days at most next time. The acids present can also affect the texture of the meat, and will probably completely cover the flavor of the turkey itself. You'll have a more pleasant result and one that doesn't run into questionable food safety territory next time if you reduce the marinating time.




Pictures about "Brining Turkey - 4 Days in Fridge - Partially Grey"

Brining Turkey - 4 Days in Fridge - Partially Grey - Modern kitchen with table and appliances
Brining Turkey - 4 Days in Fridge - Partially Grey - Modern kitchen interior with white cabinets and fridge against electric kettle and ornamental wall in light house
Brining Turkey - 4 Days in Fridge - Partially Grey - Creative design of kitchen with table and stools under light bulbs in house with fridge and mirrors on closet doors



Can you brine a turkey for 4 days?

Place the container in the refrigerator for the period of time specified in the recipe. The amount of time will depend on the type of brine you use; however, do not brine any longer than two days and always keep the turkey and brine refrigerated (at 40\xb0F or less).

How long can a turkey be in the fridge after brining?

Remove turkey from brine, pat dry, and store in refrigerator (uncovered) until ready to cook. Your turkey can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before cooking.

How long does uncooked brined turkey last in the fridge?

If properly stored, raw turkey can last in the fridge for 1\u20132 days, while cold cuts last up to 5 days. How long does cooked turkey last in the fridge? If you have leftovers that include cooked turkey, you can expect those to last in the refrigerator for 3\u20134 days.

What happens if you leave turkey in brine too long?

Brining too long can result in meat that tastes overly salty and has a spongy texture. If you're not ready to roast the bird after 18 hours, remove it from the brine, rinse it, pat it dry and refrigerate for up to two days.



Is it OK to brine a turkey for 3 days?




Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Meruyert Gonullu, Max Vakhtbovych, Max Vakhtbovych, Max Vakhtbovych