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Turkey

How long can a fresh, uncooked turkey sit out in the car?

My father wants to bring a turkey he will purchase today in Northern Vermont to Brooklyn on Monday, a 7-hour drive. He claims that it will be mostly in cold weather for the trip, but I'm leery. How or whether to transport said bird? It will be from a local farmer, so not vacuum-packed.

Asked by Ray from BK · 30 votes

By JULIA MOSKIN

November 19, 2012

I assume you're talking about a fresh bird, so as long as your dad is willing to drive in a car with an interior temperature of 40 degrees, the USDA would have no problem with this road trip. (If he lives in Northern Vermont, he should find it comfortable.) Here's the agency's page for turkey storage.

If that's too chilly for him, putting the bird in a box or cooler lined with ice packs should keep it at a safe temperature for cooking.

If the bird is frozen, the same rules apply. It will begin to thaw at 40 degrees so it should be ready to cook by Wednesday, depending on the size. Allow about 1 day for every 4 to 5 pounds of turkey to thaw in the refrigerator.