At what temperature is ground turkey cooked

How to Brine

Brining is the key to a juicy, flavor-filled turkey. Never tried it before? We'll show you how.

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Things You'll Need
References
About This Article
Reader Success Stories
Did this article help you?
How do I know if ground turkey is cooked?
What temperature do you cook ground turkey until?
Can you use a meat thermometer on ground turkey?
Is turkey OK at 155?

How to Stuff

Whether you call it stuffing or dressing, it's at the heart of any Thanksgiving. Let us show you how to prepare a stuffed turkey.

How to Thaw

Ready to get cooking? We'll show you the do's and don'ts of thawing your turkey.

How to Inject a Turkey

Looking to add a little extra flavor? Try injecting your turkey with a favorite marinade. It's simple and easy.

How to Carve

There's one last step before you dig in: carving! Don't be intimidated. We're here to guide you.

Food Safety Essentials

Get the information you need to store, prepare and enjoy your meal safely.

How to Make a Leftover Turkey Sandwich

Got leftovers? Make a sandwich! Turn your Thanksgiving dinner leftovers into another tasty meal.

How to Choose a Turkey

Fresh or frozen? Big or small? We can help you choose the right turkey for your next gathering with our how-to video.

How to Place a Meat Thermometer

Unsure of how to check if your turkey is done cooking? Use a meat thermometer!

How to Marinate

When you know the basics of marinating, you can guarantee great flavor every time. Let us show you the steps and some great recipes, too. There's a marinade for every occasion and every palate.

How to Inject a Turkey

Looking to add a little extra flavor? Try injecting your turkey with a favorite marinade. It's simple and easy.

How to Check for Doneness

Is the turkey done yet? You may have heard of different ways to check, but there’s only one way to be sure.

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If you're trying to eat more lean meats, cook with ground turkey. Simply brown it in a skillet on the stove or heat it in a microwave until it's at food safe temperature (165 degrees F or 70 degrees C). If there's any grease, just drain it before using the meat. You can use the cooked ground turkey in any of your favorite recipes that call for ground meat.

1
Defrost the meat, if needed. If you're starting with ground turkey that's frozen, you'll need to defrost it before you brown it. To defrost the ground turkey in the refrigerator, place it in the refrigerator at least overnight before you plan to cook it. You could also remove the ground turkey from its packaging and place it in a microwave-safe dish. Use the defrost setting on your microwave for the specific weight of ground turkey you want to defrost.[1]
- Always place the ground meat package on another pan or plate to catch any drippings. That way, you don't have to clean off the entire fridge shelf afterwards.
- To prevent food spoilage, you'll need to brown the ground turkey immediately after you've defrosted it in the microwave.
- If you don't have time to defrost the meat, you can safely cook it straight from frozen. It will just take more time to brown and be more difficult to stir.
2
Heat a skillet. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. If you're using very lean ground turkey, you may want to add a few teaspoons of vegetable oil to the skillet. This will keep the ground turkey from sticking to the pan.[2]
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3
Add the ground turkey to the pan and stir it. Remove the ground turkey from its packaging and place it in the preheated skillet. Use a spoon to break up the ground turkey and stir it well.[3]
4
Cook the ground turkey for 14 to 16 minutes. Stir the ground turkey occasionally and let it cook for 14 to 16 minutes. The turkey should turn a white-gray color and then begin to brown a little as it caramelizes.[4]
5

Check the temperature of the browned ground turkey. Insert a thermometer and check the temperature of the meat. It should be 165 degrees F (70 degrees C) before it's safe to use in a recipe.[5]
6
Drain the ground turkey. Place a few paper towels on a large plate. Scoop the cooked meat onto the paper towels so you leave the grease in the skillet and the paper towels absorb the excess grease.[6]

1
Place the ground turkey in a microwave-safe dish. Remove the ground turkey from the package and set it in a microwave-safe dish. If the dish comes with a lid, fasten it on the dish. Or you can tear a sheet of plastic wrap and loosely place it over the dish.
- Covering the ground turkey is important because it traps heat in the dish. This will kill harmful bacteria.
- If your ground turkey is frozen, you'll need to use the defrost setting on your microwave before you cook the ground turkey. Cook the defrosted ground turkey immediately.
2
Microwave the ground turkey for 2 1/2 minutes. Place the covered dish in the microwave and heat the ground turkey for 2 1/2 minutes. Keep in mind that the ground turkey won't be completely cooked at this point.
3
Stir the ground turkey and microwave it for another 2 1/2 minutes. Carefully remove the dish of ground turkey from the microwave. Remove the lid and stir the meat to break it up and ensure that it cooks evenly. Put the lid back on and return the dish to the microwave. Heat the meat for another 2 1/2 minutes.
4
Check the temperature before you use the ground turkey. Remove the ground turkey from the microwave and insert a thermometer into the meat. The ground turkey is safe to use once it's reached 165 degrees F (70 degrees C). You can season the ground turkey and use it in your favorite recipe.
- If you need to drain the ground turkey, place a few paper towels on a large plate. Scoop the cooked meat onto the paper towels so you leave the grease in the microwave-safe dish while the paper towels absorb the excess grease.

1
Add ground turkey to soups. Ground turkey is a great way to include lean protein in your soups. Stir some browned ground turkey into your favorite vegetable soup or chili. Simmer the soup or chili until your vegetables or beans are tender.[7]
- You can also use ground turkey in flavorful curries. These are great when you serve them with rice or flatbread.
2
Use ground turkey in casseroles. You can replace ground pork or ground beef with ground turkey in your favorite casserole. For example, make a lighter turkey stroganoff, shepherd's pie, or lasagna. If you're pressed for time, you could also make traditional spaghetti in meat sauce, just use ground turkey.
3
Make turkey tacos or stir fried rice. For a few quick meals, fill hard or soft taco shells with ground turkey. Season the ground turkey with taco or Mexican seasonings. Or for another fast meal, fry cooked rice in a skillet with mixed vegetables. Add some ground turkey and serve the stir fried rice with soy sauce.[8]
- For an even lighter meal, make a fresh green salad and top it with seasoned ground turkey. Slice extra vegetables to serve on top.
4
Stuff peppers or make loose meat sandwiches. Instead of using ground beef to make sloppy joes, use browned ground turkey for a lower-fat option. If you're trying to eat more veggies, combine ground turkey with cheese and sauce. Stuff hollowed out bell peppers with the ground turkey mixture and bake until the peppers are soft.[9]
- You can also replace ground beef with ground turkey on homemade pizzas.

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Avoid adding water to the pan or dish since this will keep the ground turkey from caramelizing as it cooks.[10]
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Things You'll Need

Skillet
Spoon
Plate
Plastic wrap
Paper towels
Microwave-safe container with lid
Microwave
Thermometer

References

About This Article

Article SummaryX

To brown ground turkey, start with turkey that’s fresh or completely defrosted. Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. If the turkey is lean, add 2-3 teaspoons (10-15 mL) of vegetable oil to prevent it from sticking to the pan. Add the ground turkey to the skillet and stir it with a spoon to break it up and spread it out evenly. Cook the turkey for about 15 minutes, stirring it occasionally to prevent it from sticking or burning. Once the turkey is cooked all the way through, it will turn greyish-white. Let it cook a little longer so that it begins to caramelize and brown slightly. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the turkey onto a dish lined with paper towels to soak up any excess grease.

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How do I know if ground turkey is cooked?

Follow this tip: Keep on eye on the time as you cook, and keep an instant-read thermometer handy. To prevent dry meat, cook ground turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

What temperature do you cook ground turkey until?

When cooking turkey in any form, it is important to cook it to the proper internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooking ground turkey to the proper internal temperature is especially important due to the bacteria that are introduced into the meat mixture.

Can you use a meat thermometer on ground turkey?

A thermometer is the best way to tell if ground turkey is fully cooked. To measure the temperature, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. For example, if you are making turkey burgers, the thermometer would go in the center of the patty.

Is turkey OK at 155?

Cook your turkey until your thermometer reads 155 -160 degrees. (Yes, we know that new safe cooking guidelines say to cook your bird to 165 degrees (they used to say 180!), but remember that your turkey will continue to cook after removed from the oven and it's temperature will increase by 10 degrees while resting.