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How long can you keep the turkey and ham?

(17 Posts)
Willow500 Sat 31-Dec-16 07:44:54

We still have over half the turkey crown in the fridge and well over half a cooked ham (bought from the local butcher). I have bought some ready made pastry to make a pie with it but am worried it's too late to use now. I've no sense of smell so worry that i'll give us food poisoning if I use them - should we just throw it out?

ginny Sat 31-Dec-16 08:57:03

We used turkey yesterday. Will be making a pie today. You can freeze slices of turkey and ham.

aggie Sat 31-Dec-16 09:21:52

I think the ham will be fine , but wary of the turkey

f77ms Sat 31-Dec-16 09:35:51

I wouldn`t use the turkey - but I am very wary after getting food poisoning one year ! The ham should be ok for another couple of days . If I have any left overs I just freeze them straight away , just wouldn`t take the risk personally .

tanith Sat 31-Dec-16 09:41:21

Next doors dog had our turkey remains on Wednesday I wouldn't use after nearly a week, too risky .

bellsisabelle Sat 31-Dec-16 09:42:50

Can you get someone else to sniff the turkey? It will probably be fine. Especially if you're cooking it in a pie.

tanith Sat 31-Dec-16 09:55:28

On the NHS website it says cooked refrigerated turkey should be used up within 48hrs a bit over cautious but nearly a week old surely not?

Niobe Sat 31-Dec-16 10:33:41

I am careful to buy the correct size of turkey to do us for Xmas day and Boxing Day. After that it goes in the bin. In our case a 1.5kg crown is just perfect and all that was left after Boxing Day were the bones. I think it's now too late to salvage your turkey so I would make a note of the size you bought and next year buy a smaller one.

Luckygirl Sat 31-Dec-16 10:35:57

How interesting - I was just looking all this up and thought I would run it past G'netters when I opened the site and this was the first thing that popped up! I guess that lump of turkey breast will have to head for the bin! sad

Beammeupscottie Sat 31-Dec-16 10:56:46

Don't bin it, just smell it!. You can freeze it you know, I am putting pieces of ham and turkey in the freezer to-day. I hate wasted food.

Luckygirl Sat 31-Dec-16 11:00:36

So do I - waste not, want no and all that. But I cannot risk any gippy guts - my OH is on a raft of medication and if he puked any of that up he would decline very rapidly and it would be hard to pick up the pieces.

I would try smelling it, but I have a streaming cold and OH has no sense of smell due to his PD!

whitewave Sat 31-Dec-16 11:02:58

Turkey should really be eaten within 2days, but ham will survive longer. Mine are in the freezer in usable portions and the ham will be joining the turkey today.

jusnoneed Sat 31-Dec-16 11:05:52

I wouldn't use week old poultry, but I did use some chopped up gammon in a frittata yesterday and then put the rest in the freezer. I think as it is salted that helps preserve it longer.
Had food poisoning once (roast pork, years ago) and would never want it again.

Indinana Sat 31-Dec-16 11:14:54

I cooked my turkey crown on Boxing Day as we were out on Christmas Day. On Thursday I took all the remaining meat off the carcass, chopped it up and used some, with vegetables, to make a lasagne. The carcass went in the slow cooker with carrot, leek, onion, celery and bay leaves, topped up with water. Cooked it on low for 24 hours and now have over 4 pints of turkey stock in the freezer. All the meat which fell off the bones went in the dog's bowl - she was very happy smile
On Friday I used up the rest of the chopped turkey with some of the gammon to make a pie. Only a tiny portion of gammon went in the bin, and I hated to do that but didn't want to risk it.

Willow500 Sat 31-Dec-16 15:58:22

Thanks folks - i think both will go in the bin as I daren't risk it. Normally I would've taken all the meat off the turkey and frozen it but I've been out of action in the kitchen since Christmas day so didn't get it done. Such a shame - under normal circumstances it would've been gone by now sad

LadyGracie Sat 31-Dec-16 21:20:02

I wouldn't eat either, rather waste food than get food poisoning

Deedaa Sat 31-Dec-16 21:30:25

In the old days we used to have a huge turkey and ham and eat them for at least a week. Nowadays I am more circumspect and after five days the remains went into a pie and the turkey carcass made some stock which I've just used for a rather nice vegetable soup.