Gearing up to cook that perfect Thanksgiving turkey? Show
It may surprise you to know that it's not the seasoning, or the stuffing, or even the roasting that is the most crucial step. It's the thawing. Yes, that's right. Why? Because safety. By now everybody has probably already heard about the dangers of irresponsible turkey deep frying, but if you don't thaw your bird right, you could be giving your dinner guests an early, unwanted holiday gift — a trip to the emergency room. And what's even worse than being sick of your family on Thanksgiving? Being the person who got your entire family sick on Thanksgiving. You don't want that, do you? Here are some do's and don't's, courtesy of Butterball and USDA, for proper turkey thawing. Don't do this
When thawing a turkey, do this
More:Three fool-proof Thanksgiving sides recipes from local Chef Adam Edwards More:So you want to open a food truck? 10 tips from local experts Comments We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing. For the vast majority of us, the turkey we buy for Thanksgiving and other holidays will be frozen when we bring it home. And good golly, is that turkey frozen solid. Unfortunately, many of us have heard stories about the turkey still being frozen on Thanksgiving morning, but with a little know-how you can easily avoid that situation (and cope with it if you find yourself in it). Here’s how to thaw a turkey and still be
on-schedule for your holiday meal. Letting your turkey thaw in the fridge is by far the safest and easiest method— it’stotally hands off — but it takes the longest and requires a few days of prep. Here’s how to do it efficiently. How Long to Thaw a Turkey in the Refrigerator
A note on brining: If you’re planning to brine your turkey, either in a brine solution or with a dry-brine, you can start this while it’s still partially frozen. How to Thaw a Turkey In Cold WaterIf you’re running short on time, you can speed up the thawing process with the cold water method: Simply submerge the frozen turkey, still in its packaging, in cold tap water, allowing about 30 minutes for every pound of turkey. Here’s how to do it:
How Long to Thaw a Turkey in Cold Water
How to Tell When Your Turkey Is Thawed
Why You Shouldn’t Thaw a Turkey On the Countertop
Equipment
InstructionsHow to Thaw a Turkey in the Refrigerator
How to Thaw a Turkey in Cold Water
How long does a Butterball frozen turkey take to thaw?Thaw in refrigerator (40°F or below, not at room temperature). Place unopened turkey, breast side up, on a tray in refrigerator and follow our refrigerator thawing instructions. Allow at least 24 hours for every 4 pounds.
How do you defrost a 20lb Butterball turkey?Thaw turkey breast side up, in an unopened wrapper on a tray in the fridge (40 degrees F or below). Allow at least 1 day of thawing for every 4 lbs of turkey. Keep turkey in original wrapper and place on tray. Use turkey within 4 days after thawing.
Is it OK to let frozen turkey thaw on counter?The USDA recommends thawing your turkey in the refrigerator. This is the safest method because the turkey will thaw at a consistent, safe temperature.
Can you thaw a Butterball turkey on the counter?Do not thaw at room temperature as illness causing bacteria may grow. Cold water thawing a turkey is faster than refrigerator thawing. Place your turkey, in its unopened wrapper, breast down in a sink filled with cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes to keep surface of turkey cold.
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