The only catch with going frozen?
It needs considerable time to thaw before cooking toensure your Thanksgiving dinner is safeand on time.
How long does afrozen turkeytake to thaw?
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Keeping it in its original packaging, set your bird on a rimmed container to catch any juices.
Once thawed, your turkey will keep in the fridge for up to two days.
Keep your turkey in its original packaging for this method, too.
Caitlin-Marie Miner Ong
To finish a partially defrosted bird, 30 minutes in cold water may be all you need.
When thawed this way, youmustcook your turkey immediately, and itcannotbe refrozen.
Of course, the big question is, “Will it fit?”
After using this method, cook your turkey immediately, anddo notfreeze or refrigerate your microwave-thawed bird.
If only partially frozen, figure it’ll still take a bit longer to cook.
Thawing at Room Temperature
No!
The USDA states that any package of poultry left thawing on the counter for more than 2 hours isnotsafe.
How Do You Know When a Turkey Is Thawed?
If youve followed our guidelines above but arent sure if your turkey is fully thawed, dont worry!
Instead, thaw your turkey using one of the methods mentioned above.
For each additional four pounds, add a day to the defrosting time.