Still good?

[2ski]

I shot a turkey in Friday evening. I processed it about an hour and a half later. Then the meat sat in a zip lock in 55 degrees on the metal bed of my truck for maybe 2 hours while I got home. Its been refrigerated since then. Am I good to eat a leg tonight and freeze the rest? Poultry is always kind of a nervous one for me. If this was deer, no issues for me. It doesn't smell. And it didn't seem slimy. I mean there was liquid at the bottom of the zip lock and if it was on the meat it was slick. Thoughts?

 

[NRA4LIFE]

Give it the smell test. If nasty, it may be bad. But, I have had a number of them not on ice for a couple hours and they were fine.

 

[2ski]

Give it the smell test. If nasty, it may be bad. But, I have had a number of them not on ice for a couple hours and they were fine.

I assume by smell test it would smell bad. Like no question about it right?

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I assume by smell test it would smell bad. Like no question about it right?

Yep, my buddy left one in the hide overnight (60+ degrees) and when he came over by me and we butchered it, the smell was bad, real bad. He took it and tried to eat it with some negative results.

 

[Deeker]

When we go to South Dakota we only clean birds every other day. Granted it’s a bit colder, but they ride in the cab of the truck all day. No one has gotten sick yet. But the smell test is pretty accurate.

 

[spike camp]

Hot metal truck bed?

There’s got to be a better way..

 

[2ski]

Hot metal truck bed?

There’s got to be a better way..

No. I guess I said metal to indicate it was cool metal. It was not hot.

 

[Traveler]

I shot a turkey in Friday evening. I processed it about an hour and a half later. Then the meat sat in a zip lock in 55 degrees on the metal bed of my truck for maybe 2 hours while I got home. It’s been refrigerated since then. Am I good to eat a leg tonight and freeze the rest? Poultry is always kind of a nervous one for me. If this was deer, no issues for me. It doesn't smell. And it didn't seem slimy. I mean there was liquid at the bottom of the zip lock and if it was on the meat it was slick. Thoughts?

Why did it take a hour and a half to process? Can’t afford a $40 cooler and ice?

 

[LongWayAround]

Why did it take a hour and a half to process? Can’t afford a $40 cooler and ice?

He probably walked back to the truck with his bird. That's a pretty normal thing to do.

 

[LongWayAround]

When we go to South Dakota we only clean birds every other day. Granted it’s a bit colder, but they ride in the cab of the truck all day. No one has gotten sick yet. But the smell test is pretty accurate.

That makes no sense.

 

[LongWayAround]

I shot a turkey in Friday evening. I processed it about an hour and a half later. Then the meat sat in a zip lock in 55 degrees on the metal bed of my truck for maybe 2 hours while I got home. Its been refrigerated since then. Am I good to eat a leg tonight and freeze the rest? Poultry is always kind of a nervous one for me. If this was deer, no issues for me. It doesn't smell. And it didn't seem slimy. I mean there was liquid at the bottom of the zip lock and if it was on the meat it was slick. Thoughts?

I wouldn't worry about it, assuming it looks, feels, and smells fine.

I probably waited about the same amount of time to eat one a month ago.

 

[Pharmseller]

Do you have much weight to lose?

 

[CMF]

smell test...

 

[B Harrison]

Good!


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[B Harrison]

That makes no sense.

Lots of people let upland birds and ducks hang to let blood settle.
It makes the flavor better.

I have heard of hanging birds for 2-3 days before processing. It’s just how some people do things because of their environment and experience.


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[OsoMountain]

Lots of people let upland birds and ducks hang to let blood settle.
It makes the flavor better.

I have heard of hanging birds for 2-3 days before processing. It’s just how some people do things because of their environment and experience.


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This reminds me of the old adage “Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.”

“You know if you leave the jacket on, guts in, and let it decompose for a few days. It acts like natures tender quick and really brings out the flavor of the meat.” They must call that West Virginia prosciutto.


To the OP, two hours is about the line for poultry at room temperature. Anything after that and you enter the arms race of exponential bacteria growth. It doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to get violently ill. But it does mean you’re gambling man. Keep it fresh, keep it clean, keep it cold.

 

[Drenalin]

I generally agree with the last sentence of the post above mine, but in this case, with no off smell, I wouldn't hesitate. Unless you're doing a raw preparation, which I wouldn't recommend anyway.

 

[LongWayAround]

Lots of people let upland birds and ducks hang to let blood settle.
It makes the flavor better.

I have heard of hanging birds for 2-3 days before processing. It’s just how some people do things because of their environment and experience.


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Yea. I have heard of people hanging birds too and I have left waterfowl overnight in the garage plenty of times when it is cold. It's a function of I'm tired and it's cold.

Driving around with them in the cab of your truck for two days is odd and gross.

 

[bozeman]

We let ducks 'hang', just like deer meat......2 days minimum in an ice box/walk in cooler.

 

[bz_711]

You don't have long with turkeys IMO...they can start to smell pretty quick.