Why is My Ground Turkey Package Puffed Up? Unveiling the Mystery Behind Inflated Turkey
Is your ground turkey package puffed up? You’re not alone! Many people are wondering why their ground turkey is puffed up and if it’s still safe to eat. In this blog post, we’ll explore why your ground turkey might be puffed up and how you can fix the problem!
1. It’s fresh
I bought a package of ground turkey today, and when I opened it, I found that it was puffed up.
I’m not sure if this is normal or not, but I’m a bit concerned.
Is this normal?.
2. It’s organic
The air is the secret ingredient that’s added to ground meat to keep it nice and juicy and help it cook up nice and evenly.
The meat is weighed out, then, as it’s being ground, the machine will add just the right amount of air so that the ground meat will cook up just right.
Just like the air that’s added to ground meat, there’s also a little bit of liquid that’s added to meat that’s going to be made into sausage.
The liquid is usually ice-cold, and it’s added to the meat as it’s being ground.
The ice-cold liquid helps the sausage stay nice and juicy, and it also helps the sausage cook up evenly.
3. It’s lean
While we aim to provide completely accurate and helpful information, it is important to keep in mind that individual experiences may vary.
This 3-pound (48-oz) pack of fresh ground turkey comes in a resealable bag.
There’s no fat or skin visible.
The lean turkey is a dull white color.
The package is well-sealed.
The package is puffed up in the store’s cooler because the meat has been frozen and then thawed.
When the meat is completely thawed, the air pockets will be gone and the package will be flat.
If you take the package home and leave it in the refrigerator overnight, it will be ready to cook the next day.
You can also cook it immediately if you don’t mind the extra air.
4. It’s protein-rich
Well, it turns out that the white stuff that’s leaking out of your ground turkey package is protein.
How do we know? Because we called the Turkey Trotters Association.
(No, not that Turkey Trotters Association, the other one).
And they told us that the white stuff is protein.
So if you’re wondering why your ground turkey package is puffed up, now you know.
It’s protein.
5. It’s low in calories
If you just opened a package of ground turkey to use for a recipe but find that it’s puffed up and there’s a lot of liquid, you might be wondering if it went bad.
The good news is, this weird phenomenon is totally normal.
The reason for this is simple: When meat is frozen slowly, it releases a lot of moisture.
(Freezing meat quickly traps the moisture.
) When you defrost the meat, all that liquid comes out.
So, if you’re wondering what to do with it, just drain the liquid and use a paper towel to pat the meat dry.
You can also try to drain the liquid off before cooking by placing it in a strainer.
Wrap-Up
If you’re wondering why your ground turkey package is puffed up, there are a few reasons.
It could be that the meat is fresh, organic, and/or lean.