Is It Okay If My Turkey Is A Little Pink?

You’ve covered your bases— the turkey was in the oven with a digital probe, or separated into white and dark meat, and then cooked to the perfect internal temperature. But when you begin carving your bird, you notice the devastating color that is sure to break the hearts of hunger-mad guests moments before Thanksgiving dinner is served: pink. No need to panic. If you’ve carefully cooked your bird, there are other reasons why you might see that hue.

Several phenomena can cause discoloration in cooked meat. By far the most common, and to some people the most off-putting, is the pink discoloration that frequently occurs in poultry and pork that have been over cooked to temperatures above 80 °C / 175 °F or so. This pink tint makes some people think that the meat is still slightly raw—a common complaint with Thanksgiving and Christmas birds. In pork, the pink hue may even lead diners to suspect that a sneaky cook has injected nitrites into the meat.

In fact, a pigment known as cytochrome is to blame. Cytochrome helps living cells to burn fat. At high temperatures, it loses its ability to bind oxygen and turns pink. Over time, the pigment does regain its ability to bind oxygen, and the pink tinge fades. That is why the leftover meat in the refrigerator rarely seems to have this unseemly blush the next day.

Pink discoloration can also come in other forms, such as spots and speckles. Nearly all of these blotches are the result of the unusual way that various protein fragments and thermally altered pigment molecules bind oxygen. None of them indicate that the meat is still raw or that it will make you ill. Nor do they implicate a sneaky cook.

Seeing pink meat when you carve into your beautifully roasted turkey can be alarming. You may worry that your turkey is undercooked and unsafe to eat. However some pink turkey meat doesn’t necessarily mean it’s uncooked. There are a few reasons why your turkey might have a rosy hue.

Use a Meat Thermometer for Doneness

The best way to determine if your turkey is thoroughly cooked and safe to eat is to use a meat thermometer. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, taking care not to touch any bones. The minimum safe internal temperature for turkey is 165°F. If your thermometer reads 165°F or above in the thigh area, your turkey is fully cooked and safe to eat, even if some parts appear pink.

Check the temperature in a few places, including the thickest part of the breast and thigh to confirm doneness. If the turkey registers 165°F throughout it’s ready for serving. Any pink meat is perfectly okay to eat if the turkey has reached the proper internal temperature.

Why Your Turkey Might Be Pink

There are a few common reasons why your properly cooked turkey may have some pink areas

You smoked or grilled the turkey: Smoking and grilling poultry often leads to pink meat, especially around the bones. These slow, indirect cooking methods don’t get hot enough to fully brown the meat. The pink color comes from myoglobin, a protein present in muscles.
Chemical reactions with myoglobin: Gases produced as the turkey cooks can chemically interact with myoglobin and cause a pink tinge, even if the meat reached a safe temperature.
The turkey is young: Young turkeys have more porous bones that allow hemoglobin to leak into nearby tissue, resulting in a pink color. Their thinner skin and less fat also allow gases to penetrate deeper during cooking.
Nitrates/nitrites in the turkey’s diet: Naturally occurring nitrates and nitrites in vegetables the turkey ate can cause a pink color. Cured meats like bacon contain nitrites that turn meat pink.
Improper thawing: Thawing a frozen turkey too quickly leads to ice crystals rupturing cells. This allows hemoglobin and myoglobin to leak through the meat, causing pink areas.
Overcooking: Cooking the turkey too long can result in pink meat near the bones. Heat breaks down connective tissue and allows pigment to seep from the bones.

So if your thermometer confirms your turkey has reached a safe minimum internal temperature, any pink meat is not a safety issue. The pink areas are harmless to eat.

Is Pink Turkey Meat Safe to Eat?

Pink meat on a properly cooked turkey is perfectly safe to eat. Poultry naturally contains blood vessels, hemoglobin, and myoglobin that can cause the meat to take on a pink, rosy, or red tint.

As long as your turkey has reached the recommended safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F, you can be confident any pink meat is fully cooked. The temperature, not color, determines doneness for poultry. Pink meat near the bones, surface, or in the thickest part of the breast may look underdone but is safe.

It’s also common for smoked turkey or turkey cooked over indirect heat to remain pink throughout, even when thoroughly cooked. The pink areas indicate the myoglobin in the meat was exposed to lower heat that didn’t denature the protein.

Ground turkey should always be brown throughout for food safety. Since grinding blends any surface bacteria into the meat, ground poultry needs to reach a higher temperature (165°F) to kill pathogens.

For optimal safety, check your turkey’s temperature with a food thermometer in multiple areas. Avoid relying solely on the pop-up timer in the turkey. Use the pop-up as a guide, but confirm doneness by taking internal temperature.

Is Undercooked Turkey Dangerous?

Eating raw or undercooked turkey can potentially cause foodborne illness. Turkey may contain harmful bacteria including salmonella, campylobacter, and E. coli. These bacteria are destroyed when turkey reaches 165°F internally.

Consuming undercooked turkey, especially ground turkey, puts you at risk of developing food poisoning. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps.

Pregnant women, children, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems are more vulnerable to foodborne pathogens. These groups should never eat undercooked or pink turkey meat.

Thoroughly cooking poultry to recommended safe temperatures kills any dangerous bacteria present. So while pink turkey is not necessarily hazardous if sufficiently cooked, undercooked meat can make you sick. Use a reliable food thermometer any time you cook poultry.

Turkey Safety Tips

Here are some key turkey safety recommendations to prevent foodborne illness:

Use a food thermometer to verify doneness – turkey breast should reach 165°F minimum.
Never rely on color alone to determine safety or doneness. Pink meat can be fully cooked.
Let turkey stand 20 minutes before carving to allow juices to set. Temperature continues rising as it rests.
Refrigerate all leftovers within 2 hours. Reheat thoroughly to 165°F before eating.
When thawing a frozen turkey, place it in the refrigerator 1-2 days before cooking. Do not thaw at room temperature.
Avoid washing raw turkey – this can spread bacteria to surfaces. Just cook thoroughly.
Prevent cross-contamination by using separate cutting boards, plates, and utensils for raw turkey and cooked items.

Being vigilant about temperature and food safety when handling, cooking, and storing turkey can help prevent anyone from getting sick. While perfectly safe when thoroughly cooked, pink turkey meat can be unsettling. Use a reliable food thermometer and rest assured that the temperature, not the color, determines whether your turkey is ready to enjoy.

is it ok if turkey is a little pink

Is it OK if turkey is a little pink or red?

FAQ

Is pink turkey safe?

The color of cooked poultry is not always a sure sign of its safety. Only by using a food thermometer can one accurately determine that poultry has reached a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F throughout the product. Turkey can remain pink even after cooking to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F.

How can you tell if turkey is undercooked?

If a meat thermometer is not available, pinch the thick muscle of the drumstick or the breast between cloth- or paper towel-protected fingers. The meat should feel soft and the leg will move easily when twisted.

Does turkey go pink in the fridge?

At high temperatures, it loses its ability to bind oxygen and turns pink. Over time, the pigment does regain its ability to bind oxygen, and the pink tinge fades. That is why the leftover meat in the refrigerator rarely seems to have this unseemly blush the next day.

Can you eat turkey medium rare?

The Rules About Rare Ground meat needs to reach 160°F internally — at least a doneness of medium. (Dishes prepared with ground turkey or chicken need to reach an internal temperature of 165°F.) If the fresh meat is a steak, roast or chop, then yes — medium-rare can be safe.