Whether you're preparing for Thanksgiving or simply roasting a turkey for a midweek dinner, proper defrosting technique is essential to help prevent foodborne illnesses. You must keep a turkey at temperatures less than 40 degrees Fahrenheit during the defrosting process, so it is not safe to leave the bird on a kitchen counter, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports. Instead, defrost it in your refrigerator and allow several days for it to fully thaw.
Step 1
Check the weight on the frozen turkey so you know how much time to allot for it to defrost. Allow one day for refrigerator defrosting for every 4 lbs. to 5 lbs. of bird weight, the USDA recommends. For example, a 15-lb. turkey will take about three days to defrost in a refrigerator.
Step 2
Remove the turkey from your freezer on the day it is necessary for you to start the defrosting process.
Step 3
Set the turkey in a roasting pan or another suitably large pan to catch any moisture that leaks from the bird as it defrosts.
Step 4
Place the turkey in the refrigerator soon after removing it from the freezer and allow it to sit for the designated time, based on its weight. Don't let it sit unrefrigerated for more than two hours because the external surface of the meat may have warmed to a temperature where bacteria can grow and multiply, the USDA warns.
Tips and Warnings
- If you don't have enough time to defrost your turkey in the fridge, you can also submerge it in cold water in the kitchen sink. This process will go much more quickly -- about 30 minutes per pound of turkey, the University of Missouri Extension reports. You can also defrost a turkey in a microwave, but larger birds may not safely fit in many microwave models. If you do defrost it in the microwave, begin cooking it immediately, the USDA advises. This is necessary because some parts of the meat may already have started cooking. Once your bird is thawed, you can leave it in the refrigerator for another day or two before cooking it, the USDA reports. If it remains refrigerated the entire time, it can also be refrozen if necessary.
- Do not place your bird outdoors or in a basement or garage, the University of Missouri Extension warns. The reasoning is the same as for the counter: Because you cannot fully control and monitor the temperature while it thaws, you increase the likelihood of a foodborne illness.
Things You'll Need
- Roasting pan or another large pan
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