Come holiday season, one of the most pressing cooking questions is how to defrost a turkey that's been sitting in your freezer. The whole meal revolves around the main dish! How long does it take to thaw a turkey? The answer depends primarily on the weight of the bird. But other factors, like how often your refrigerator is opened and if the turkey was injected or is "natural," also make a difference. Once you've mastered buying and handling a whole turkey, you may need to freeze it until your meal is closer. Or perhaps the turkey you bought was already frozen and you need to know if it should go straight to the fridge to start thawing, or into the freezer for a couple more days. Either way, before you start seasoning and roasting a delicious turkey, follow these guidelines to ensure the bird is fully thawed before you start cooking. Show
BHG/Nelly Cuanalo How to Defrost Turkey in the FridgeThis is the best and safest way to defrost any poultry, meat, or fish. It's also totally hands-off: You just need to plan a few days ahead to be sure to allow enough time for the bird to fully thaw. Never thaw at room temperature. To thaw your turkey in the refrigerator:
Turkey Thawing Tip: Our Test Kitchen found that injected turkeys take longer to thaw than natural turkeys. Budget an extra day for thawing a turkey if yours was injected with a solution of water, salt, and/or spices. Read the packaging carefully to see if this was done. Most turkeys we found in stores had been treated with this solution even if the packaging said all-natural. Don't panic, though—the solution added is there simply to help the turkey stay moist and to add flavor. How long does it take to defrost a turkey in the fridge?We found you need 1 day in the fridge for every 3½ to 4 pounds of turkey. An average-size turkey today takes about 4 days to thaw in the fridge. Weigh your turkey on a kitchen scale($13, Target)—if it won't exceed your scale's capacity—or a meat scale ($65, Amazon) to know how long to thaw your turkey. Turkey Thawing ChartUsing the guide of one day for every 3½ to 4 pounds of weight, here's how many days to thaw a turkey.
Remember if your bird was injected with a solution of water, salt, and/or spices, add one additional day to the turkey defrost time using the chart above. BHG/Nelly Cuanalo How to Defrost a Turkey in the SinkThawing turkey in a sink of cold water is faster than thawing in the refrigerator, but it's not safe to leave it in the sink to thaw overnight. To thaw your turkey in the sink:
Sink-Thawing Tip: Using this method to thaw your turkey allows you to do it the day of—or day before—roasting and store it in the refrigerator until cooking time. How long does it take to defrost a turkey in the sink? We recommended thawing a 4- to 12-pound turkey in cold water for 2 to 6 hours, a 12- to 16-pound turkey for 6 to 8 hours, or a 20- to 24-pound turkey for 10 to 12 hours. Estimate about 30 minutes per pound of turkey to thaw in the sink. BHG/Nelly Cuanalo How to Speed Up Thawing in a PinchIt has happened to all of us: We thought we allowed plenty of time for our turkey to thaw in the refrigerator only to find it's still a bit icy Thanksgiving day. Don't worry: You can still enjoy a delectable turkey, you just need to speed things up. Here are your options:
Safety Tip: Promptly clean up any splatters in and around your sink to prevent raw meat juices from touching anything else. Ready to start cooking? Get our turkey roasting tips here. With all that goes into putting together the Thanksgiving menu, thawing your turkey may actually be the easiest part—just don't forget to plan ahead. How long can you keep a thawed turkey in the refrigerator before cooking?It takes approximately 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds of whole turkey to thaw in the refrigerator. Once the turkey is thawed, you can keep it in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 additional days before cooking.
Can I keep a fresh turkey in the fridge for a week?If properly stored, raw turkey can last in the fridge for 1–2 days, while cold cuts last up to 5 days. How long does cooked turkey last in the fridge? If you have leftovers that include cooked turkey, you can expect those to last in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.
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