NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Have you defrosted your turkey yet? Depending on your bird's size you may be struggling!
There are a few ways you can thaw your turkey, but the USDA recommends above all to thaw in the refrigerator as it's the safest because it'll thaw at a consistent temp.
The rule of thumb is to allow one day for every 4-5 pounds, meaning:
4 to 5 lbs: 1 day ahead of time
8 to 9 lbs: 2 days ahead of time
12 to 13 lbs: 3 days ahead of time
16 lbs or more: 4+ days ahead of time
That means if you have a big turkey, you may be too late to thaw in the fridge! Have no fear however, there's still other ways, but you must be careful.
There are two other thawing methods, but they must be done immediately before cooking.
Steps to thaw in cold water:
1. Leave the turkey in its original wrapping and submerge it in a sink (or container) full of COLD water.
2. Change the water every 30 minutes.
3. Allow 30 minutes of defrosting per pound
This means for a turkey that's 16 pounds or more, you'll need to be thawing for AT LEAST 8 hours.
Once the turkey has thawed, cook it immediately
Thawing in the microwave:
Before you commit, you need to check your microwave owner’s manual for the size turkey that will fit inside as well as the minutes per pound and the power level you'll need to use.
The USDA recommends that you should allow at least 6 minutes of defrosting per pound
Make sure you rotate your turkey and flip it during this process as well.
If your turkey starts to cook, let it rest for 5 minutes before you resume thawing.
Do not under any circumstances thaw a turkey on the counter, garage, back porch, in a grocery bag or in the dishwasher.
If you still have a bird that's a little frozen on Turkey day, you can still cook it, just expect it to take longer. A solid frozen turkey will take at least 50 percent longer to cook.
To check your birds temp, check the the innermost part of the thigh, the innermost part of the wing and the thickest part of the breast. Once it hits 165, you're ready!
For a more accurate representation of turkey thawing time, check the Butterball conversion calculator.