Longevity of Smoked Turkey Breast

[dick bill]

My daughter and son-in-law smoked some turkey breasts and they sent us one from Montana to Alabama. This was sent 2 day priority mail. Well it took 5 days to arrive. It looks and smells wonderful.

Question: After 5 days of jet setting (and just setting who knows where), any thoughts, opinions or comments on whether it would be good to eat?

Thanks,

DickBill

 

[chef jimmyj]

Was it Cured with Sodium Nitrite or just Smoked? If it was just a plain turkey breast smoked, there is a risk of bacterial growth. The safest option would be to toss it. A hunk of meat 1 or more days out of refrigeration can cause illness and not smell or taste spoiled. Sorry...JJ

 

[dick bill]

Thanks for the quick response JJ. I called my SIL and it was sugar cured for 48 hrs. The sugar cure has Sodium Nitrite in the ingredients. Safest thing would be to toss it..But might have to try it first :)

Thanks,

DickBill

 

[crankybuzzard]

 
Thanks for the quick response JJ. I called my SIL and it was sugar cured for 48 hrs. The sugar cure has Sodium Nitrite in the ingredients. Safest thing would be to toss it..But might have to try it first :)

Thanks,

DickBill

How was it packaged?  Vacuum packed?  Dry ice?  Temperature of the critter when it got there?

With the nitrite cure, it may be ok, but....

 

[dick bill]

It was wrapped in saran wrap, freezer paper and bubble wrap. Not shrink wrapped nor dry ice etc. The temp of the bird when we got it delivered at 7AM today, was 54 deg F. Certainly not the best of conditions...

 

[crankybuzzard]

Removed my initial comment after reading the link supplied below...  

 

[chef jimmyj]

Here is what the USDA has to say on shipping food safely...When you receive a food item marked “Keep Refrigerated,” open it immediately and check its temperature. The food should arrive frozen or partially frozen with ice crystals still visible or at least refrigerator cold—below 40 °F as measured with a food thermometer. Even if a product is smoked, cured, vacuumpacked, and/or fully cooked, it still is a perishable product and must be kept cold. If perishable food arrives warm -- above 40 °F as measured with a food thermometer, notify the company. Do not consume the food. Do not even taste suspect food.

 http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/co...6bcfc3/Mail_Order_Food_Safety.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

 

[crankybuzzard]

 
Here is what the USDA has to say on shipping food safely...When you receive a food item marked “Keep Refrigerated,” open it immediately and check its temperature. The food should arrive frozen or partially frozen with ice crystals still visible or at least refrigerator cold—below 40 °F as measured with a food thermometer. Even if a product is smoked, cured, vacuumpacked, and/or fully cooked, it still is a perishable product and must be kept cold. If perishable food arrives warm -- above 40 °F as measured with a food thermometer, notify the company. Do not consume the food. Do not even taste suspect food.

 http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/co...6bcfc3/Mail_Order_Food_Safety.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

Well, after reading 

 I'd probably have to whimper a bit and toss it...  While reading, I thought about something, that thing could have sat in a terminal somewhere and gotten up to 70-80 degrees and then cooled off again...

Nice link JJ!  

 

[dick bill]

Thanks for your excellent input and concerns gentlemen. In the dumpster she goes[emoji]128553[/emoji]

 

[chef jimmyj]

Probably for the best...JJ