Its Thanksgiving Day and youre finally ready to get your cook on. With all the holiday spirit you can muster, you reach for the turkey in the fridge and find that it’s still a solid block of ice. Panic seizes you. You thought you had everything ready, but now you’re crying as you call your grandmother to ask how long the turkey needs to thaw and how to defrost it quickly.
Step away from the phone (and the hair dryer). Take a deep breath. Theres good news: the answer to how to defrost a turkey is actually pretty simple. If you put a frozen turkey in the fridge, it can take a few days to defrost. But you can still do the same thing with a cold water bath in your sink or a big tub. Of course, any time youre cooking poultry, safety is a top concern, nutrition expert Toby Amidor tells PS. By following these steps, you can quickly thaw the bird and get it ready for the oven. This will also give grandma a few extra hours to rest before the big meal.
Here are some tips on how to quickly defrost your turkey, how to tell when it’s fully defrosted, what to do if you don’t have time to thaw your bird, and most importantly, how to do it all safely.
The big day is almost here – Thanksgiving! For many families this means it’s time to defrost the star of the show – the turkey. But how can you tell if your turkey is thawed properly and ready to cook? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
As your trusted guide, I’ll walk you through the telltale signs that indicate your turkey is thawed and ready for roasting. With a few simple checks, you can ensure your bird will cook up moist, tender and flavorful, making your Thanksgiving meal a huge success.
Check The Legs And Wings
The first thing to assess is whether the legs and wings of your turkey are loose enough to wiggle and move freely. Give them a gentle shake – if they barely budge, your turkey likely needs more time to thaw. As it defrosts the joints between the legs and wings will loosen up and become more mobile.
Aim to get them moving easily back and forth when shaken. If they still feel stiff and stuck in place, pop that turkey back in the fridge for some more defrosting time. Don’t worry – with regular checking, you’ll soon find the joints starting to wiggle as the ice crystals melt away.
Look For Signs Of Frost
Next, inspect the turkey for any remaining frost, ice crystals or cold spots. Carefully look over the legs, wings, breast and cavity. Press gently on thick areas like the breast and thighs – they should give a little, without any hard spots.
Slide your fingers under the skin to check that the flesh beneath feels soft and pliable, with no frozen areas. Use a paper towel to blot any moisture – if you see frost or ice crystals on the towel, there’s still some defrosting left to do. But don’t panic – a few more hours in the fridge should do the trick!
Check The Temperature
For the most definitive test, take the turkey’s temperature with a food thermometer. Insert the probe into the thickest part of the breast or thigh, avoiding any bones. The turkey is safely thawed when the thermometer reads 40°F or below throughout. Anywhere below 1°C still means frozen meat lurks inside.
If the temperature is hovering right around the freezing point, give your bird another quick check. Wiggle the legs to make sure they swing freely and squeeze the fleshy parts again feeling for any lingering hardness. If everything seems pliable without stiff spots, you’re likely good to go.
But if you find a section that still seems partially frozen, continue defrosting and recheck the temperature again later to confirm the turkey is completely thawed.
The Defrosting Finish Line
When is your turkey officially ready to prep and cook? Here are the key signs to look for
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The legs and wings move freely when shaken, without stiffness.
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The breast, thighs and other fleshy areas depress when pressed gently, with no hard frozen spots.
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The cavities and areas under the skin feel soft without any icy crystals or frost.
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A food thermometer inserted into the deepest sections reads 40°F or less all over.
Once your turkey checks all those boxes, celebrate – the defrosting finish line is crossed! Now your bird is ready for all the aromatics, seasonings and basting that will turn it into a golden Thanksgiving feast.
Safely Thawing Tips
To set your turkey up for defrosting success:
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Give it time. Allow at least 24 hours for every 4-5 lbs of turkey weight. A 15 lb turkey needs 3 days in the fridge.
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Try the cold water method. Submerge your wrapped turkey in cold water, changing the water every 30 mins. This defrosts it quickly in just a few hours.
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Keep it cold. Defrost in the refrigerator at 40°F or below, never at room temp. Cold water thawing works too.
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Use a low-temp sink. If your sink has a “keep cool” setting around 60°F, you can defrost in it to speed things up.
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Cook from frozen. In a pinch, it’s safe to roast a frozen turkey! Just allow 50% more cook time.
Perfectly Thawed = Perfectly Cooked
Taking the time to properly thaw your Thanksgiving turkey ensures it will cook through evenly from edge to edge. Skipping this step risks serving up parcooked poultry, which just won’t cut it for the holiday meal.
So rely on these helpful tips to take the temperature of your turkey’s thaw status. Once you’ve got that bird defrosted all the way through, you’re ready to seasoned it up and get roasting! Use your food thermometer again while cooking to guarantee your turkey reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F.
With the satisfying crunch of golden brown skin and tender, juicy meat inside, your Thanksgiving turkey will be delicious. Your guests will be grateful you took the care to thaw your bird right. That’s something we can all be thankful for!
How to Defrost a Turkey Fast
If youve missed the fridge-thawing window, your best bet is to defrost your turkey in cold water. You should put the turkey in a sink or a large container full of cold water breast-side down and with its original wrap still on. “You want the water to be cold so that the turkey stays at a safe temperature and no harmful bacteria can grow,” says Amidor. You should change the water every 30 minutes with all new water.
“Using this method, it takes 30 minutes to defrost one pound,” Amidor says. So a 16-pound turkey, for example, will take eight hours to defrost. (If the math isnt mathing, simply plug the weight of your turkey into Butterballs turkey defrost time calculator. ) “Once the turkey has thawed, cook it immediately,” Amidor says.
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The best thing you can do is let your bird defrost in the fridge, which will take a few days. The turkey should be put in a fridge that is 40 degrees or less, breast-side up, and should not be opened. For every four pounds of turkey, itll need about a day in the fridge to defrost completely. (For example, if your turkey weighs 16 pounds, it will take about four days to thaw. You can also use this handy calculator from Butterball to do the math for you. Amidor says that the turkey can stay in the fridge for up to two more days after it has been fully defrosted before it is cooked.
How to Tell If a Frozen Turkey is Thawed Completely
FAQ
What happens if turkey isn’t fully thawed?
How long does it take to thaw out a turkey?
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Turkey Size
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Thaw In Refrigerator (set to 40 F or below)
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Thaw In Cold Water (change water every 30 min.)
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4 to 12 lbs.
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1 to 3 days
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2 to 6 hours
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12 to 16 lbs.
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3 to 4 days
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6 to 8 hours
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16 to 20 lbs.
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4 to 5 days
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8 to 10 hours
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20 to 24 lbs.
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5 to 6 days
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10 to 12 hours
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What color is defrosted turkey?
How do you know if a Turkey is thawed?
To test if your bird is completely thawed, gently press on the turkey’s breast and thigh. The turkey is likely to be thawed if they feel soft and give a little when you press on them. You also can feel inside the body cavity and see if there are still ice crystals. CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: Elevate Your Meat Game with 3 Exclusive Guides → 2. Movement
How long does it take a Turkey to thaw?
Check your refrigerator’s temperature gauge to make sure. At this temp, the turkey will thaw at a rate of 5 pounds of bird every 24 hours. Let’s say you have a 10-pound turkey. It would take 2 days of thawing to defrost completely. If you choose this method, it is always better to leave the turkey in its original packaging.
Can you test thawing doneness of a Turkey?
The turkey’s legs and wings should move freely and the breasts should give to pressure when thawed completely. Yes, the same technique we use to determine roasting doneness can also be used to test thawing doneness.
How do you know if a Turkey is fully defrosted?
Touch, movement, and temperature are all ways to determine if a turkey is fully defrosted. Three safe thawing methods include the fridge, cold water bath, and microwave. You can cook a turkey that is not entirely thawed; it just will take longer.
How do you know if a bird is thawed?
When the bird is completely thawed, its legs and wings should move freely when you attempt to adjust them. The breasts should feel soft to the touch, the flesh yielding to slight pressure. If you aren’t sure whether the meat is thawed, use your probe thermometer to test its temperature.
What temperature should a Turkey be thawed?
And it is always better to start with a thawed turkey. Overall, a turkey is thawed when it reaches the same temperature as your fridge, something between 32°F and 39°F. If that’s not the temp your turkey is at, don’t be afraid to use the cold water method to get you there.