Defrosting turkey, combining methods
I have a 23 lb frozen turkey delivered this am. Not enough time to defrost completely in the fridge (that's where it is now). I understand the cool water bath method, but not sure how long I need to do that for. And does it have to be right before cooking? Seems like it would be easier to do it Wednesday but article suggests it's a no-no...
2 Comments
Suzanne D.November 19, 2018
Hi! You can leave it in the fridge for now to start the defrosting. If you were starting with a fully frozen bird on Thursday, you'd allow 30 minutes per pound to defrost in a cool-water bath (so 11 1/2 hours total!), but it shouldn't take quite that long—I'd approximate a little more than half as much time, but a lot depends on how cold your fridge is, air-flow around the turkey, etc. On Wednesday night and early Thursday morning, check on how the defrosting is going by feeling inside the cavity and using a thermometer. From a food-safety standpoint, once it is thawed you do then want to cook it pretty immediately. I hope this helps! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
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