If the "juice" doesn't smell bad or have obvious bacterial growth, I'd say you're okay to use it.

Does it smell bad? Is there mold? Is it likely to be contaminated by foods and fingers that have been previously introduced to the bottle? Is it not being cooked? You have preservatives and refrigeration on your side, an oven hot enough to cook a turkey, you didn't use a lot compared to the size of a turkey, and lemon juice keeps pretty darned well even without the preservatives. If your answers to the above questions are yes, you could potentially have a problem. If they're noes, stop worrying.

The expiration date isn't like "this tape will self destruct in five seconds". It's just a date beyond which they don't guarantee the quality. The solids can settle and form chunks, leaving the rest of the juice unappetizing, but that's the worst thing I've heard of.

Since the oven temp will kill any bacteria, I wouldn't worry at all about safety. My only concern would be if it had mold in it and had a moldy flavor, but I would think you would have notice that. If you still have the bottle unwashed, I'd give it a whiff and if it smells fine, it's unlikely to have an off flavor. You are not going to poison anyone!

I agree, if it isn't moldy, you're fine. Lemon juice is extremely acidic, even more so than vinegar, and you've refrigerated it. My only question would be whether there is an "off" flavor, but I can't imagine the flavor of anything overcoming lemon juice!

I'm betting the turkey will be delicious.

Annie

Late to the discussion, but with a good tip for future reference.... Skip the bottled lemon juice if you don't use it very often and opt for a box of TRUE Lemon packets. I also keep TRUE Lime, and TRUE Orange on hand --- which is 100% natural crystallized citrus juice that you can use as-is, or reconstitute by adding water when juice is called for. This product is a must-have for home food storage. -Grainlady

Great idea grainlady. I have a whole bag of limes i need to juice and get into ice-cube trays as i never use them up before going bad. The 'True' product would sure come in handy when the fresh ones get pricy. I by a single lemon often for the jest and fresh juice but many applications just need the citrus flavor.

Grainlady: I would love to have those on hand. Where do you buy them and in what aisle/near what other products?

Just want to let everyone know that I survived my turkey with no problems at all (as far as I can tell, at least no upset stomach), despite using the expired lemon juice.

I'll have to check out TRUE Lemon (thanks for the tip, grainlady).

You can store whole lemons in the freezer and then defrost them - 10-20 seconds in the microwave. Whenever I have too many lemons from my trees, I put them in the freezer for later use. I use a lot of lemon, and therefore I still run out of lemons even from the freezer, and I hate it when I have to buy them. I also freeze my Meyer lemon rinds (other tree is a Eureka lemon - different season, but zest is not as good) after I juice them and use the rinds in making stocks.

If you see a lot of lemons at the market for a good price, buy a bunch and freeze some of them.

Bostonoak, I'm glad to hear you survived, LOL, and apparently unscathed.

Lizbeth, I bought the True Lemon in the baking aisle at my local Meijer store, but I've never used it so I can't comment on the flavor/ease of use/etc. My mother is allergic to lemon and so I'm very careful. I also have a package of the True Lime, but haven't used it either, I've found that I seldom use either of those citrus fruits unless I'm canning Jessica's Lime Chipotle marinade, which I do when limes are cheap, or make lemon curd. I do that seldom because it's just so unhealthy to eat a jar full with a spoon. (grin) When I need to keep fruit from oxidizing I crush up a vitamin C tablet and dissolve that in water, it works with no lemon flavor.

Heck, I don't even drink orange juice usually. Good citrus isn't common in Michigan at any time, so I've just never gotten into the habit of using it. I remember we always got an orange in the toe of our Christmas stocking and it was a really big deal.

The True stuff is there if I need it, I think it lasts pretty much forever.

Annie

I juiced a dozen or more Meyer lemons today and filled 3 ice cube trays with the juice. I'll use the cubes throughout the year once the harvest is over. Last year's supply ran out just as this year's harvest began.

Have no idea what True Stuff tastes like, but that bottled lemon juice is nasty stuff!

Urp...ork....gack! Why would you use anyting but lemon you squeezed your self and froze if you needed to.
I only use the bottled, reconstituted stuff for bleaching my hair!

OMG, Linda, you have brought back an ancient memory. I'm a brunette, so it didn't apply to me, but when I was a teenager, I had friends that would put lemon juice in their hair before going out into the sun. It really worked to lighten their mousy brownish-blond hair to a more golden blonde. I hadn't thought of that since, well, never mind.

Sally

Linda-

Aren't you being just a tad over-dramatic, possibly narrow minded, or do you really have such high standards that it causes you to become ill thinking someone uses an option to fresh citrus juice? As you can see from other posts in this thread, others happen to like (and use) TRUE products

Here's a reality check, fresh citrus is often very expensive where I live, while a packet of TRUE lemon (lime or orange) will do just fine for small amounts of juice in recipes, sprinkled on fish, added to a dressing or spread for flavoring, making a quick recipe of Lemon Bars - or where a bottle of lemon juice gets wasted from neglect - as the original post indicated (wasted food is the most expensive food we buy).

Those of use who are accustomed to home food storage try to have something that is a viable option that has a long shelf-life and still has good flavor and value. Our personal standards may be different - but different isn't right or wrong - just a choice. If you haven't actually tried the TRUE products, don't knock it - your criticism about the unknown isn't at all helpful in the conversation - it's just your preconceived notion without merit. If you try it, please have an open mind to those of us who don't have fresh citrus falling from trees in our back yards, and $1 (or more) for a tiny lemon when you need 1 teaspoon or 1 tablespoon of juice is just not going to happen.

-Grainlady

Over dramatic? I agree with Linda on the bottled stuff. Have never tried True Lemon, but had to SMH at this comment from the site:

Why would I buy True Lemon instead of a fresh lemon?

"David Schleider, who spent three years creating and perfecting True
Lemon, is a chef by training and a long time lemon-lover. However, David
found that he was often frustrated with lemons: they are inconsistent
in taste, messy to use, spoil easy, and inconvenient. And from a chef's
point of view, they are labor-intensive and David often wanted the taste
of fresh lemons without adding unnecessary liquid."

Another very good product is the Minute Maid frozen lemon juice. A defrosted bottle lasts a couple of months in the fridge. A very good product.

Cindy, I agree with you and LindaC, the bottled stuff is absolutely vile. Although the canning police insist that ONLY bottled lemon juice be used, I won't use it for more than a tablespoon full in jam or something similar because it's horrible. If I want lemon curd or lemon bars, I buy lemons. That's why I seldom make those things, they are a very expensive treat. I do have the True stuff, but as I mentioned, I haven't tried it so can't comment on the flavor. I suppose I ought to actually try them...

Annie