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With a little preparation, it's easy to defrost a turkey for a special meal. If you have plenty of time and don't want to rush, plan on defrosting the turkey in the refrigerator. Don't worry if you don't have space in the fridge; you can also defrost a turkey in the sink. Fill the sink with cold water and change it every 30 minutes until the turkey's defrosted. Alternatively, microwave the turkey for 1 to 2 hours until it's defrosted.
Steps
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Remove the turkey from the freezer and put it on a platter. Leave the turkey in the packaging and put it directly onto a large platter or a tray. Ensure that the turkey is positioned so the breasts are up. [1] X Research source
- Choose a platter with slightly raised edges or a rimmed tray. This will prevent any juice that could leak out of the package from dripping in your refrigerator.
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Thaw the turkey for 1 day per 4 pounds (1.8 kg). Check the turkey's weight so you know how long it will need to defrost and move the shelves in your refrigerator so you can put the turkey on the bottom shelf. Plan on defrosting the turkey for: [2] X Trustworthy Source Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA Food safety information provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Go to source
- 1 to 3 days if it's 4 to 12 pounds (1.8 to 5.4 kg)
- 3 to 4 days if it's 12 to 16 pounds (5.4 to 7.3 kg)
- 4 to 5 days if it's 16 to 20 pounds (7.3 to 9.1 kg)
- 5 to 6 days if it's 20 to 24 pounds (9.1 to 10.9 kg)
Tip: In order to prevent harmful bacteria from growing, use a refrigerator thermometer to ensure that the refrigerator is set at 40 °F (4 °C) or lower.
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Cook the defrosted turkey within 2 days of completely thawing it. Unlike other thawing methods, you don't need to immediately cook the turkey as soon as it's thawed. In fact, if you change your mind about cooking a turkey but you've already defrosted it, you can put it back into the freezer. [3] X Trustworthy Source Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA Food safety information provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Go to source
- If you choose to put the turkey back into the freezer, the meat may not be as tender when you do choose to cook it.
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Unwrap the turkey and put it into a large sealable bag. Discard the packaging that the turkey came in and put the turkey into a leak-proof bag. This will prevent turkey juices from leaking out and water from soaking into the turkey. [4] X Trustworthy Source FoodSafety.gov Online portal combining food safety information from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Food Safety and Inspection Service, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Go to source
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Put the turkey into a sink and fill it with cold tap water. Put the plug in the sink and place the wrapped turkey into it. Then, fill the sink with cold water so that almost all of the turkey is covered. [5] X Trustworthy Source FoodSafety.gov Online portal combining food safety information from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Food Safety and Inspection Service, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Go to source
Variation: If you don't have a sink that's large enough to hold the turkey, put the turkey into an insulated cooler and fill it with water.
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Thaw the turkey for 1 hour per 2 pounds (0.91 kg). Check the turkey package to see how much it weighs. Since it takes about 30 minutes to defrost 1 pound (450 g) of turkey, you'll need between 2 to 12 hours. Defrost the turkey for: [6] X Trustworthy Source Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA Food safety information provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Go to source
- 2 to 6 hours if it's 4 to 12 pounds (1.8 to 5.4 kg)
- 6 to 8 hours if it's 12 to 16 pounds (5.4 to 7.3 kg)
- 8 to 10 hours if it's 16 to 20 pounds (7.3 to 9.1 kg)
- 10 to 12 hours if it's 20 to 24 pounds (9.1 to 10.9 kg)
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Change the water every 30 minutes until the turkey is defrosted. To prevent the water from becoming too warm, drain the sink and refill it with cold water every 30 minutes. Keep doing this until the turkey is completely defrosted. [7] X Trustworthy Source FoodSafety.gov Online portal combining food safety information from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Food Safety and Inspection Service, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Go to source
- Remember that you can easily unwrap the turkey and feel inside the cavity to check if it's defrosted.
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Cook the defrosted turkey immediately. As soon as you think the turkey is defrosted, transfer the turkey to a roasting pan and season it as you like. Put the turkey into a preheated oven and cook it right away. [8] X Trustworthy Source Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA Food safety information provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Go to source
- Since you've been raising the temperature of the turkey, it's important to cook it as soon as you've defrosted it so it doesn't grow harmful bacteria.
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Read your owner's manual to decide if the turkey will fit. Your owner's manual will tell you what size turkey will fit in the microwave. For example, the manual might say that you can safely thaw a turkey that's up to 15 pounds (6.8 kg). If your turkey weighs more than what the manual recommends, choose a different defrosting method. [9] X Research source
- Check the size of your microwave to determine if the turkey will fit.
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Unwrap the turkey and put it on a microwave-safe plate. Discard all of the packaging and remove any metal that might be wrapping the legs together. Then set the turkey on a large microwave-safe plate. [10] X Research source
- Ensure that the plate will fit inside your microwave.
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Defrost the turkey for 6 minutes per 1 pound (0.45 kg). Put the turkey into the microwave and use the defrost feature. Enter the turkey's weight and start the microwave. Defrosting should take about 6 minutes for each 1 pound (450 g) of turkey. [11] X Trustworthy Source FoodSafety.gov Online portal combining food safety information from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Food Safety and Inspection Service, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Go to source
- If your turkey is over 15 pounds (6.8 kg), you may want to turn it over once or twice as it defrosts. This will help it thaw evenly.
Did You Know? A 12 lb (5.4 kg) turkey will take about 1 hour and 15 minutes to defrost, while a 22 lb (10.0 kg) turkey will take around 2 hours and 10 minutes.
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Remove the turkey and cook it immediately. Since a microwave will thaw the turkey unevenly, some parts of the turkey might begin to cook. To prevent bacteria from growing, plan on cooking the turkey as soon as it's finished defrosting in the microwave. [12] X Trustworthy Source Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA Food safety information provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Go to source
- Consider preheating your oven during the last 20 minutes the turkey is defrosting. This way you can immediately transfer the turkey to a roasting pan and put it into the hot oven.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionCan I safely thaw a frozen turkey in a cooler for 4-6 days?Community AnswerYou would have to constantly keep ice-packs in there, rotating them in and out, which sort of negates the whole point. It is less-than-ideal, but yes you could. I defrosted a turkey on a road-trip once. It was an eight hour drive and I kept ice packs in there.
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QuestionIs it safe to use hot water to defrost meat?Community AnswerNo. If you use hot water instead of cold water, you run the risk of defrosting the outside of the meat and bringing it to room temperature much faster than the inside of the meat, so the outside could spoil while the inside is still defrosting. You should defrost meat in cold water.
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QuestionCan I defrost on top of the counter?Community AnswerIf you mean simply leaving it on the counter after pulling it straight from the freezer, no. The bacteria will grow faster, causing you to become sick when you try to eat it after cooking.
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Tips
- You can cook a frozen turkey, although it will take about 50% longer to cook. Remember to reach inside the turkey's cavity after it's cooked for a while so you can remove the giblets. It's also important to cook the turkey until it reaches 165 °F (74 °C) with an instant-read meat thermometer. [13] X Research sourceThanks
- If you're defrosting a turkey to cook on Thanksgiving, consider putting it into the refrigerator the Friday before the holiday.Thanks
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Warnings
- Never set a frozen turkey on the counter to defrost at room temperature. The meat on the exterior will warm up faster than the meat in the center, which could cause harmful bacteria to grow.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
Defrosting a Turkey in the Refrigerator
- Large platter or tray
- Refrigerator
Thawing a Turkey in the Sink
- Large sealable bag
Using the Microwave to Defrost a Turkey
- Microwave
- Microwave-safe plate
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about cooking tips, check out our in-depth interview with Ollie George Cigliano .
References
- ↑ https://www.stilltasty.com/articles/view/74
- ↑ https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/poultry/turkey-basics-safe-thawing
- ↑ https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/poultry/turkey-basics-safe-thawing
- ↑ https://www.foodsafety.gov/blog/2016/11/defrost-turkey.html
- ↑ https://www.foodsafety.gov/blog/2016/11/defrost-turkey.html
- ↑ https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/poultry/turkey-basics-safe-thawing
- ↑ https://www.foodsafety.gov/blog/2016/11/defrost-turkey.html
- ↑ https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/poultry/turkey-basics-safe-thawing
- ↑ https://www.stilltasty.com/articles/view/74
About This Article
Article Summary
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To defrost a turkey, first move it from the freezer to the refrigerator several days before you plan on cooking it. Let it thaw in the fridge for 24 hours for every 5 pounds (2 ½ kilograms) of meat. If you’re in a rush, you can also defrost a turkey in one day using cold water. First, fill a sink with cold water and submerge the turkey in it; the turkey should still be in its original packaging. Drain and refill the sink with cold water every 30 minutes. Let the turkey defrost in the sink for 30 minutes for every 1 pound (½ kilogram) of meat. You can also quickly defrost a turkey using a microwave oven. Remove the turkey’s packaging, then place the turkey in the microwave. Use the defrost setting for 6 minutes for every 1 pound (½ kilogram) of meat. Make sure you rotate and flip the turkey periodically so it thaws evenly. To learn how to defrost a turkey in the microwave, scroll down!
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- "We always go to my Mom and Dad's. My beautiful Mom and amazing cook usuallymakes 6/7 dishes. With COVID-19 we are sheltering at home. It pains me. Anyhow, its just 2 of us. I ordered a 10lbs turkey and got 22. wikiHow taught me what I needed to know." ..." more
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"We always go to my Mom and Dad's. My beautiful Mom and amazing cook usuallymakes 6/7 dishes. With COVID-19 we are sheltering at home. It pains me. Anyhow, its just 2 of us. I ordered a 10lbs turkey and got 22. wikiHow taught me what I needed to know."
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