Cooking a Half Frozen Turkey: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you find yourself with a frozen turkey on Thanksgiving morning, relax. You can still have a beautiful, flavorful, juicy bird for your holiday feast…really! We have the time and temperature tips you need for a picture-perfect turkey direct from frozen when you’re in a pinch.

Extra dinner guests show up unexpectedly? Forget to pull the turkey from the freezer? Whatever the reason why your turkey is still frozen solid, don’t fret. You should never cook a partially frozen turkey because the outer layers of turkey will become a desert while the frozen center thaws and comes to a safe temperature, but if thawing isn’t an option, a completely frozen turkey can still be the centerpiece of your holiday meal.

The holidays are fast approaching, and you’ve realized your turkey is not fully thawed! Don’t panic. With proper planning and technique, you can absolutely cook a half frozen or even fully frozen turkey safely and deliciously

Cooking a partially frozen turkey does require some adjustments to ensure it is thoroughly cooked through without drying out. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through everything you need to know to roast a half frozen turkey to golden, juicy perfection.

How Long to Thaw a Turkey

A whole turkey needs about 24 hours of thawing time per 4-5 pounds of weight
So a 16 lb turkey would require about 3-4 days in the fridge
Submerge in cold water to speed thaw time to 30 minutes per pound. Change water every 30 mins.
Or use the microwave if following manufacturer’s exact instructions.

Safety Tips for a Half Frozen Turkey

It’s critical to follow food safety guidelines when working with a partially frozen bird:

Never leave at room temperature longer than 2 hours during thawing.
Cook from frozen state only, no partial thawing.
Use an instant read thermometer to check doneness – cook to 165°F.
Stuffing should be cooked separately since it won’t reach safe temp in time.
Refrigerate fully cooked turkey within 2 hours; slice off meat within 3-4 days.

Cooking a Half Frozen vs Fully Frozen Turkey

A fully frozen turkey will take about 50% longer total cooking time.
A half frozen or partially frozen turkey will need about 25% extra time.
Use a meat thermometer for doneness, not time. Cook until 165°F in thickest part.
Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Higher heat leads to burnt outside before inside thaws.
Loosely tent turkey with foil at first to prevent over-browning. Remove later for crispy skin.

Step-by-Step Method

Follow these steps for perfectly cooked half frozen turkey:

Remove giblets and rinse turkey cavity. Pat outer skin dry.
Season generously inside and out with salt, pepper, sage, thyme, garlic.
Loosely tent breast and tops of drumsticks with foil to prevent over-browning.
Place turkey breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan.
Roast at 325°F, calculating 25% extra time compared to thawed. For example, increase a 4 hour thawed time to 5 hours.
Check internal temp in thickest part of thigh and breast after 2 hours. Cook to 165°F.
Remove foil tent during last hour if browning is needed. Baste with pan drippings.
Let rest 20-30 minutes before carving for juicy meat.
Slice, serve, and impress your guests with a perfectly cooked half frozen turkey!

Top Tips for Moist, Flavorful Meat

Brine turkey 12-24 hrs before cooking for extra moisture and seasoning.
Apply an herb butter under and on top of skin before roasting.
Baste turkey every 45 minutes using pan drippings to prevent drying out.
Add aromatic veggies like onion, garlic, celery to the cavity or pan.
Once cooked, tent loosely with foil and let turkey rest 20-30 minutes before carving.

What if Turkey is Still Frozen? Alternative Options

If you simply don’t have time to safely thaw and cook a frozen turkey, here are some handy substitutions:

Cook just a turkey breast instead of a whole bird. Thaws faster and cooks quick.
Roast 2 boneless turkey breasts – easier to thaw quickly.
Make a mini feast with a turkey tenderloin filled with stuffing.
Heat up sliced deli turkey and serve with favorite sides for an instant meal.
Make soups, chili, or casseroles with shredded leftover frozen turkey.

Let’s Talk Turkey!

Cooking a half frozen or fully frozen turkey is totally doable with smart planning, temperature monitoring, and some foil handy for tenting. While it requires adjustments, you can still achieve a tender, juicy and delicious holiday turkey.

Have your own frozen turkey tips and tricks? Share in the comments!

cook half frozen turkey

Challenges and Considerations with Frozen Turkeys

A Longer Cook Time: Just as you would expect, a frozen turkey will take longer to cook than one that is thawed before being placed in the oven. Plan on it taking approximately 50% more time to cook completely—so be aware that your dinner may be served later than originally planned. For example, our 14-pound turkey cooked in 5-3/4 hours.
Oven Temp to Set? Set your oven temperature too low and the outer meat will overcook. Set it too high and you’ll end up with the same problem encountered when cooking a partially frozen turkey (dry, overcooked outer breast meat when the thermal center finally reaches your pull temp). A moderate oven temperature of 325°F (163°C) is the sweet spot.

Q: Can I smoke a frozen turkey?

A: No. Remember that the USDA recommends that turkey needs to be out of the danger zone within 4 hours of the turkey being taken out of the freezer or refrigerator. The temperatures of smoking (225-275°F [107-135°C]) are too low to cook a frozen turkey to a food safe temperature within 4 hours.

Q: Can I deep-fry a frozen turkey?

A: NO!! NEVER. The dramatic temperature difference between the hot oil and the frozen turkey will cause violent boil overs. Oil spilling over the top edge of the pot could ignite with the flame from the burner below. Trying to deep-fry a frozen turkey is what causes explosions. The turkey must be COMPLETELY thawed and patted dry before being deep-fried. Read our post, Deep Fried Turkey Made Safe and Delicious for more information on how to safely deep fry a turkey.

So here’s how to take a turkey from a block of ice to a picture-perfect centerpiece:

Benefits of Cooking a Frozen Turkey

Won’t the white meat overcook? Actually, when you cook a fully frozen turkey, the breasts are the largest muscles on the turkey and will take the longest time to thaw, cook, and to come to their pull temperature. The relatively smaller legs and thighs will thaw and cook faster from their frozen state, giving them more time for connective tissue to dissolve. The white and dark meat will cook properly and you may find your turkey is less likely to have dry breast meat than when you cook a thawed turkey.
Refrigerator Space: No thawing means no turkey taking up space in your fridge and no stressful thawing process.

How to Cook a Frozen Turkey: Easy, Step-by-Step Guide!

FAQ

Can you cook a half frozen turkey?

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Longer cooking time:

Expect to add roughly 25% more cooking time compared to a fully thawed turkey if it’s only partially frozen.
Monitor temperature closely:

Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh and breast to ensure it reaches 165°F.
Basic seasoning:

Since you might not be able to easily stuff or brine a partially frozen turkey, focus on simple seasoning like salt and pepper on the outside.

How long to cook a partially frozen 10 lb turkey?

Cooking Times by Weight for Frozen Turkey

8- to 12-pound turkey: 4 to 4 1/2 hours.
12- to 14-pound turkey: 4 1/2 to 5 3/4 hours.
14- to 18-pound turkey: 5 3/4 to 6 1/4 hours.
18- to 20-pound turkey: 6 1/4 to 6 3/4 hours.
20- to 24-pound turkey: 6 3/4 to 7 1/2 hours.

Can I cook a turkey that is not fully thawed?