Would You Eat This Turkey?

Updated on January 17, 2012
S.T. asks from Kingwood, TX
17 answers

I roasted a turkey yesterday, and we ate it for dinner at around 6.30. I cleared all the dishes, then at around 10pm my husband called in to me that the turkey was still out on the counter GAH!
He put it in the fridge, but it had been out about 4 hours.
Eat or chuck? (It was on sale $7, so not too expensive!)

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So What Happened?

I did not eat it - the answers were just about 50/50, but I decided seeing as my house was warm yesterday (it was in the 70's here in TX (sorry northerners!) it probably would not be a good idea.

More Answers

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

as long as it was cooked properly - it's fine!!

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C.B.

answers from Boston on

During thankgiving dinner it sits out that long while the whole family cuts and eats and then goes back for more, etc. I would eat it. Certainly don't throw it out but break it up in a soup pot and simmer for a few hours and you will have a wonderful soup.

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S.T.

answers from New York on

If it was in my kitchen I'd eat it since we keep our thermostat really low and where our kitchen table & counters are it's pretty chillly. (It was 10 degrees outside this morning and about 58 in my kitchen) But if it was the Summer and 80 degress I wouldn't. Not sure wht your part of TX was like last night.

It was out for 4 hours - and the meat was cooked. As long as your kitchen wasn't over 70 I would keep it. If you're really concerned about it you can always toss it in a soup pot and make soup out of it. Once it cooks at a high temp for a while you'll get rid of any bacteria.

4 moms found this helpful

J.P.

answers from Lakeland on

As long as it was cooked it should be fine. It was only out for a few hours, if it was out all night then I would say chuck it.

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S.B.

answers from Dallas on

The rule of thumb is two hours. But in our house, yeah, we'd eat it.

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M.R.

answers from Seattle on

I have an iron stomach...so Yes, I'd eat it...just re-heat it very, very well.

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D.K.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I would eat it. Out at room temperature cooked for 4 hours - not outside in the summer, no mayo to spoil. Probably wouldn't feed it to any sick or immunocompromised people.

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B.B.

answers from New York on

Of course! It was only out a few hours, not like it was out overnight!

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J.L.

answers from Chicago on

I personally would eat it. Now if it was outside when it was hot during the summer nope or over night..nope...I think you're fine but if you are concerned, you are right then throw it away..no $7 wasn't too expensive.

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T.K.

answers from Dallas on

i would, if you are at all afraid, just make it into turkey soup. by the time you boil it, there would be no more worries.

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☆.A.

answers from Pittsburgh on

If it was cooked--it should be fine.

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Y.C.

answers from New York on

If the turkey was on sale because it was on his last leg (I mean, very close to the expiration date), I would let it go, other way I would smell it, and if it smells ok, I would heat it well and eat it, but I am also have a very strong stomach.
Either way, if you are going to eat it and be worry for ours that you did teh wrong thing, just let it go, is not worth it to be worry about a $7 half eat turkey, in my opinion.

B.F.

answers from Toledo on

Pitch it...I have a 2 hr rule esecially with chicken or turkey

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R.L.

answers from Houston on

nope chuck it, everything I've read indicates food is unsafe after 2 hours of being left out! Better be safe than sorry.

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L.R.

answers from Washington DC on

Right now my daughter's studying foodborne illnesses for a school science event. We've learned that the rule used by food scientists is: Cooked food should be refrigerated within two hours after cooking or you risk its developing bacteria etc. So I would not eat it.

Sometimes if something has to cool between cooking and going into the fridge (who wants to put a very hot item right into the fridge? Horrible for the fridge's efficiency), I use my kitchen timer and set it for however long I think the item needs to cool down some -- the "ding" tells me that it's time to get that item into the fridge, so I don't forget and leave it out. But I get it into the fridge well withint the two-hour window.

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J.T.

answers from College Station on

It should be fine. Just make sure it is HOT when serving it again

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M.C.

answers from Washington DC on

I would not. My Dad left ours out for just over 4 hours on Thanksgiving. He said to chuck it.

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