When do you begin thawing your turkey?

[Aunt Bea]

Every year I fuss and fret about when to begin thawing my turkey and every year it seems to end up the same.

Last year I put it in the refrigerator on the Sunday before Thanksgiving and it was still hard as a rock on Wednesday night. I ended up putting it in the kitchen sink filled with cold water and a bath towel over it for the night. Thanksgiving morning it was thawed but still had a quantity of ice inside of it.

What do you folks do?

I hate to putting the turkey in the "jacuzzi" and giving it the spa treatment.

 

[CWS4322]

The USDA recommends 24 hours/4-5 pounds in a fridge set at 40 degrees F.

Turkey Basics: Safe Thawing

How much did your turkey weigh Aunt Bea?

 

[Andy M.]

When I bought frozen turkeys, I bought them on Saturday and just stuck it in the fridge. That worked for a 12-14 pound turkey.

The USDA recommendation was never long enough. I guess my fridge is too cold.

 

[ChefJune]

I have never prepared a turkey from frozen, but all the instructions I have seen suggest a couple of days in the fridge.

 

[Aunt Bea]

The USDA recommends 24 hours/4-5 pounds in a fridge set at 40 degrees F.

Turkey Basics: Safe Thawing

How much did your turkey weigh Aunt Bea?

I don't think anybody at the USDA ever cooked a frozen turkey.

I get approx. 12 pound turkeys and 3 to 4 days is never enough.

This year I will take it out on Saturday and see if that does it.

 

[CharlieD]

I always cook big turkey. If you put it in the think wednesday morning you can move it into the fridge for the night it will finish defrosting there. Or some time during the day wednesday till thursday morning.