Is it safe to leave a turkey uncovered in the fridge, or is it best to keep a layer of plastic wrap over it? Or should you leave it in the original packaging until it’s time to start cooking? Let’s find out.
Can You Leave a Turkey Uncovered in the Fridge?
Unwrapping the turkey and leaving it in the fridge won’t do the meat itself any harm. In fact, it will allow the skin to dry out so it gets nice and crisp on the smoker. Just try not to let any debris fall onto the bird while it’s drying, and keep it on a rimmed platter to catch any juices.
Why Should You Leave a Turkey Uncovered?
When you remove the turkey from its original packaging and put it in the fridge uncovered, your goal is to let the skin dry out.
That might not sound like a good thing on paper. But when turkey skin is allowed to dry, it crisps up beautifully once the bird is exposed to heat. In our opinion, crispy skin is one of the best reasons to indulge in smoked turkey in the first place.
It makes sense when you think about it. Just about every recipe for turkey recommends patting the bird dry with paper towels before seasoning. This is true whether you’re roasting the turkey or putting it on the smoker.
In fact, it’s even more important to dry the turkey thoroughly if you’re planning to deep-fry it. When water or ice crystals come into contact with hot oil, the oil will splatter, which can result in major burns.
Is Leaving Turkey Uncovered in a Fridge Safe?
Yes. As long as your refrigerator is set to a temperature below 40 degrees—which is recommended in any case—it’s safe to keep the turkey in there, whether the bird is covered or not.
There are a few things you have to watch out for. It’s best to store meat on the bottom shelf of the fridge, as far toward the back as possible. That means debris from the upper shelves can fall onto the turkey, which is problematic if the bird is uncovered.
What’s more, some of the turkey’s natural juices will probably leak out during the storage period, especially if the meat wasn’t completely thawed when you took it out of the package. This can cause harmful bacteria to spread around your fridge.
You can alleviate these issues by taking care whenever you remove other items from the upper shelves of the fridge, and by keeping the turkey in a roasting pan or a rimmed platter to catch any juices.
For good measure, we would also recommend disinfecting the bottom shelf of your refrigerator once you’ve taken the turkey out. Even if you managed to catch all the liquid, it’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to raw poultry.
How Long Can You Leave Turkey Uncovered?
You can store the uncovered turkey as long as you would a wrapped turkey. For birds that were previously frozen, that means 1 to 2 days after it’s thawed.
Fresh turkeys might keep for up to 10 days in the fridge if you purchase them from a local farm. Just to be on the safe side, though, try to cook fresh turkey within 2 days.
After taking the turkey out of its wrapper, remove the giblets and neck from the cavity. This should be easy if the turkey is fully defrosted, but there might be some resistance if the bird is still frozen in the cavity.
Pat the turkey dry with paper towels, both inside and out. Once you’ve finished, put the bird in a roasting pan, or on a platter with edges high enough to catch any liquid.
Set the turkey on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator and close the door. Let it dry overnight or up to 2 days. The longer you wait, the drier the skin will be.
We should point out that you can take this step even if you’re cooking the turkey on the same day. Even leaving the turkey in the fridge to dry for a few hours will make a difference in the texture of the skin.
Can You Season The Turkey Before Taking This Step?
It’s permissible to season the turkey at any point after you’ve dried it with paper towels. Seasoning it before putting it in the fridge will save time when you’re ready to fire up the smoker.
Pat the meat dry after removing it from the package, then apply a binder to the skin. For smoking, a coating of cooking spray made from a neutral oil will work.
Use whatever seasoning rub you prefer. You can keep it simple with kosher salt, or add freshly ground black pepper, smoked paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder to the mix.
Can You Leave a Brined Turkey Uncovered in the Fridge?
This may actually be the best time to take this step. When you soak a turkey in wet brine, the skin becomes saturated. Although the process allows the meat to remain moist and flavorful as it cooks, it can have a detrimental effect on the skin.
First of all, don’t leave a turkey in a wet brine for longer than 24 hours. A window of 8 to 18 hours is preferable. Soaking a turkey in brine for too long can result in spongy meat.
Once you’ve taken the bird out of the saltwater solution, dry it with paper towels. There’s no need to rinse it under cold water first—this practice will spread bacteria around the sink and surrounding countertops.
Set the turkey in a roasting pan and put it in the fridge to dry. You can also season it beforehand, as we discussed in the section above. Remember that brined turkey won’t need as much salt in the seasoning mixture as you might use otherwise.
Can You Leave a Spatchcocked Turkey Uncovered in the Fridge?
Spatchcocking, or butterflying, the turkey will expose even more skin to the heat, so if crispy skin is your goal, this could be the way to go. As a bonus, the bird will cook faster when it’s allowed to lie flat on the grilling grate.
A spatchcocked turkey has had the backbone removed and the wishbone cracked so that it lies flat. If you have a sturdy pair of cooking shears, you can undertake this step yourself, but your butcher should also be able to do it in advance.
There’s no reason why you can’t leave a spatchcocked turkey uncovered in the fridge. The only other issue you might run into is space-related. The bird will take up more surface area when it’s spread out that way.
As long as you can fit the turkey in the fridge, go ahead and leave it uncovered, whether it’s spatchcocked or not. If you have trouble closing the refrigerator door all the way with the turkey inside, you might need to rethink your options.
Pro Tip: Remember never to leave a turkey at room temperature for longer than 2 hours, or 1 hour if it’s hot outside. If the bird doesn’t fit in your fridge once you’ve prepared it, you’ll need to start cooking it within that time frame.
Final Thoughts
Many chefs have discovered the benefits of leaving turkey uncovered in the fridge to dry out the skin. The next time you decide to smoke a turkey, try it yourself. There’s a good chance you’ll be pleased with the results.
Happy grilling!
