How To Cook Ground Turkey On The Stove (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take to cook ground turkey on the stove? ›

Cooking ground turkey should take about 15 minutes and have a nice even brown hue with no pink. Feel free to add more spice. I love this dish because you can customize the spice. I'll take some out of the pan for the kids first and then I'll add more chili powder for my husband and me.

Use oil when cooking – unlike beef, the dryer nature of ground turkey needs either oil or butter in the pan to properly brown without sticking and drying out. The extra fat helps provide flavor as well.

Ok, here's a game changing tip for you – add mushrooms when cooking ground turkey! This may sound odd, but it's a really nice addition, especially if you have lean ground turkey breast. The mushrooms add moisture and umami flavor to the ground turkey, which can otherwise end up on the dry side.

USDA recommends using cooked turkey within 3 to 4 days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth.

(Remember, a bit of pink is okay if the meat registers 160°F.) On most stove tops, browning a pound of ground beef takes approximately 7 to 10 minutes. Remember, it's important to continue stirring and breaking the pieces into the same size with the wooden spoon or heatproof spatula so the ground beef cooks evenly.

It will be cooked when it is all browned evenly, juices run clear and when your thermometer is at least 165 degrees F. The best method is to scoop some of your ground turkey into a small bowl and ensure your meat thermometer reaches 165 degrees.

If cooking ground chicken, turkey or pork or lean ground beef, adding fat to the pan is important to be sure the meat does not stick to the pan as it cooks. Most recipes do not call for crusty meat crumbles.

Raw turkey meat should be light pink or beige, depending on the type of meat and its fat content. The meat color becomes dull as time passes, which is normal. However, if the meat has a brown, gray or yellow or green hue, you will want to part ways with it.

How to prevent ground turkey from being dry? ›

To prevent dry meat, cook ground turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

Preheat a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat, coated with rapeseed oil/canola. Add the ground turkey into the pan and break apart (roughly) with a spatula. Leave to brown on a high heat for five minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

The color of cooked meat and poultry is not always a sign of its degree of doneness. Only by using a meat thermometer can one accurately determine that a meat has reached a safe temperature. Turkey, fresh pork, ground beef or veal can remain pink even after cooking to temperatures of 160°F.

A package of frozen meat or poultry left thawing on the counter more than 2 hours is not at a safe temperature. Even though the center of the package may still be frozen, the outer layer of the food is in the "Danger Zone" between 40 and 140 °F — at a temperature where foodborne bacteria multiply rapidly.

Place the patties on the grill or in the pan and cook approximately 5 minutes on each side or until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F. Remove the patties from the heat and let rest until reaching a temperature of 165°F. Serve the turkey burger patties on whole wheat buns with your choice of condiments.

When the turkey is cooked, the final reading should be 180 - 185ºF (82 - 85ºC) in the thigh and 170 - 175ºF (77 - 80ºC) in the breast. If a meat thermometer is not available, pinch the thick muscle of the drumstick or the breast between cloth- or paper towel-protected fingers.

Cut the thickest part of the turkey with a knife or pierce it with a fork. If the juices are clear and have no pinkness whatsoever, that's a good sign that the turkey is likely cooked.