It takes a little bit of planning to thaw a turkey. You need a space that is big enough for the turkey, the right temperature, and enough time for the turkey to thaw.
How to Thaw a Turkey
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Turkey is a big staple around here for the holidays. Cooking a turkey can seem like a daunting task if you’ve never done it before. For me, the hardest part isn’t roasting the turkey. (I’ve got a tried-and-true recipe right here!) The hardest part is planning ahead to get that turkey thawed in time!
Most turkeys are big. And big hunks of meat take big hunks of time to thaw. You should plan on 24 hours of thaw time for every 5 pounds of turkey. So if your turkey weighs 10 pounds, it will need roughly 2 days to thaw. If your turkey weighs 15 pounds, it will need about 3 days to thaw. And so on. If you’re planning on brining your turkey – and I highly recommend it!) – plan on one extra day after the turkey is thawed for it to sit in the brine.
Thaw a Turkey in the Refrigerator
The next problem is finding a spot to thaw that big bird. A refrigerator is the traditional place to thaw a turkey (or any other meat, for that matter). Your refrigerator should be set to 34-38 degrees Fahrenheit (1.1-3.3 degrees Celsius). This is warm enough for the turkey to thaw, but still cold enough to keep bacteria from having a party and multiplying.
If you have space in your refrigerator to thaw your turkey, great! That’s perfect! Just place it on the bottom shelf, in a large dish or a pan with a lip on it to catch any leaks. In case the packaging has any holes in it, the pan will catch any turkey drippings, keep your refrigerator clean, and protect the rest of the food in your refrigerator from cross-contamination.
Thaw a Turkey in a Cooler
But turkeys take up a lot of space. And chances are that if you’re getting ready to cook a big turkey, your refrigerator is full of other yummy foods that will be served with the turkey. So you need another option.
A big 20-quart orange drink coolers are just the perfect size to fit a turkey! And they stay nice and cold while your turkey is thawing. Styrofoam coolers like this one are another great place to thaw a turkey.
Thaw a Turkey in the Sink
This method is the fastest. But it’s my least favorite. Thawing a turkey in the sink is the most labor intense way to thaw your holiday turkey, and I know I will forget about what I’m supposed to be doing!
To thaw your turkey in the sink, keep your turkey in the original packaging. Plug the sink drain, put your turkey in the sink, then fill the sink with cold water. Yes, I said cold water. Your water should be around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Every 30 minutes drain the water and fill it back up. Plan on at least 30 minutes for every pound of turkey.
When your turkey is defrosted, cook it immediately. This is not a turkey to brine, or to pop in your refrigerator for a day or two. This is your last-ditch, “I forgot to thaw the turkey 3 days ago,” morning of Thanksgiving turkey thawing method.
Monitor the Temperature
A good second-check for food safety is to use a refrigerator thermometer to monitor the temperature inside your cooler. Just use the suction cups to stick the thermometer to the inside wall of the cooler and check on it a couple of times a day. If the temperature rises above 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 degrees Celsius), toss in a few ice packs or a few handfuls of ice cubes to keep the air in the cooler at 40 degrees F or less.
Stick that cooler in an out of the way corner in your kitchen, in your bathroom, or even out on the porch in the garage if it isn’t too hot. Just don’t forget where you hid it!
I’ve made it easy for you – just download your free printable and keep these tricks for thawing turkey handy. This way you won’t forget what you’re supposed to do at the last minute! Click here for your free printable.
After the turkey is thawed, I wash out the cooler and then use the same cooler to brine the turkey overnight. (Here’s a big tip – make sure to take out all that stuff inside the turkey first. And then use that stuff to make giblet gravy.) Even though it gets washed well after I use it, this cooler only gets used for raw poultry. I’m not willing to risk that someone might get sick from drinking iced tea out of the same cooler I used to store a raw turkey a few days before!
What’s your favorite way to thaw a turkey?
Enjoy!
Take the Fear Out of Turkey
Do you want even more tips about turkey? Check out these Top 10 Turkey Tips and never be afraid of cooking turkey again!
3 Ways to Take the Fear Out of Your Kitchen
3 More Recipes to Try
Want Even More Recipes?
Try one of these 17 Recipes for Turkey Leftovers.
[…] turkey takes a few days to thaw. Count on 1 day of thawing time for every 5 pounds of turkey. (Read this post for turkey thawing tips.) If you’re cutting it close on time, you should buy a fresh turkey […]