Hey why didn't anyone warn me to thaw the turkey

[SizzlininIN]

I was sitting on the couch tonight about 7:00 pm and for some reason I remembered my mom mentioning one time about putting the turkey in the refrigerator to thaw..........duh..........maybe it was her way of telling me what I needed to do. Thank God because the darn thing was still waiting for me at the grocery store. Dad and I had plans to do all the grocery shopping tomorrow.......including getting the turkey. Well after talking to one of my sis in laws I headed straight for the grocery store and you guessed it...........frozen turkeys.......errrrrrrrrr. Why the heck don't they have any not frozen. Well the birds in the sink in cold water. I'll take the hunker out before I go to bed and throw it in the fridge and back into the cold bath in the morning. Oh God I hope it thaws by 8:00 am Thursday

 

[Alix]

I know its a no no, but I have left mine overnight in cold water. We haven't died yet. Good luck to you, hope it all works out.

 

[kitchenelf]

Don't say I said it but I wouldn't think it would hurt a thing either.

 

[SizzlininIN]

Well if ya'll don't hear from me by Monday then you know the turkey done took us all.............straight to the ER

 

[WayneT]

In a ritzy restaurant I used to work at we always did our thawing this way, never had anyone complaining of sickness. (I don't know about the customers though)

 

[mudbug]

I think you'll be OK, Sizz. Like Alix, done it that way many times myself and look - still here!

 

[choclatechef]

I've done this before also!

 

[Psiguyy]

Here's a tip for quick thawing turkeys. It's what I do when I'm in a rush and it's safe.

Place the turkey in a cooler. The smallest cooler you have. It will thaw in less than 24 hours if the cooler is kept in a warm place. Often, it thaws overnight. I use one of those "California Coolers." The kind that's soft sided with the zipper. I once put a remote thermometer on top of the turkey (warmest part -- heat rises) and the temp never went over 40 degrees.

 

[debthecook]

Sizzlin you are not alone. After years of watching my parents do the cold water in a clean bucket thing and all that stress, I buy the Turkey on Sunday and it stays in the refrigerator till Thursday. The cold water bucket has worked for thousands across North America, but I like Psiguy's info, never thought of the cooler. I think the rule is you need 4 hours of thaw per pound.

 

[Raine]

We always lay ours in the bottom of the frig about a week before. If needed to thaw otherwise it would be in water, changed every 30 minutes.

Even tho some have done it in the past with no problems, one must remember with all the processing of today's food, we aren't dealing with the sam kind of conditions as in the past.

Then there is always that first/only time it will happen. Is it really worth the chance?

 

[JRsTXDeb]

I get so much help from this board!!! thanks for the reminder - I just took the cornish hens out of the freezer!!!
BTW - I've also [as has mom] left the turkey completely covered in water out of the fridge overnight...no problems...it probably helps that I like to keep the house temp at about 60 overnight so there's no heat blowing over it! I don't know if you'd already done this - but is it out of the wrapper so that water can run thru the middle - that would probably thaw it quicker then you'd be able to stick it back in the fridge overnight. Anyway - good luck...it'll all come out tasting great tomorrow!

 

[LEFSElover]

Sizzlininin

guess what's in my backyard in a heavy plastic bucket with a lid? In cold water, over night? yep, the 17 pound lugnut. I put it out there yesterday around 4:30 pm. Being that it's cold these days around here, and it snowed I think 3 or 4 days ago, I felt it safe to thaw that way. Heck, betcha $$2@@ (that's dollars to doughnuts) it's still frozen. I've thawed it in cold water in the kitchen sink, overnight, in years past too. I was actually trying to brine it and didn't know :? (and you think you're forgetful?) that you have to brine a 'thawed' bird. Who knew? Not me until I went online to look up brining yesterday.

I am curious to know if there are any other tried and true ways of assuring you have a moist bird and not turkey jerky?[/img]

 

[SizzlininIN]

Its nice to know I'm not alone . Well the cold water in the sink did the trick and the bird thawed out and the water stayed nice and cold so I don't think there will be any problem.

My 2nd to the oldest brother, his girlfriend, and his kids got in town today and we were able to tackle the pies (3 Chocolate, 2 Pumpkin and 1 Apple), Homemade Chicken Noodles, Deviled Eggs, Cheese Ball, and we went ahead and cut up the potatoes and put them in cold water so their ready for cooking tomorrow. It was a wonderful night and such fun to share the kitchen with them. I'm truely blessed to have them in my life.