Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Thawing the turkey in the refrigerator
• Method 2 of 3: Thawing the turkey in the sink
• Method 3 of 3: Defrosting the turkey in the microwave
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need
• Defrosting turkey in the refrigerator
• Defrosting turkey in the sink
• Defrosting turkey in the microwave

With a little preparation, you can easily defrost a turkey for a special dinner. If you have enough time and don't want to rush, thaw the turkey in the refrigerator. Don't worry if there is little space in the fridge, you can defrost the turkey in the sink as well. Fill the sink with cold water and change it every 30 minutes until the turkey is thawed. Alternatively, place the turkey in the microwave and reheat for 1 to 2 hours until completely thawed.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Thawing the turkey in the refrigerator

1. 1 Remove the turkey from the freezer and place it on a plate. Leave the turkey in the wrapping and simply place it on a large plate or baking sheet. Be sure to place it with the brisket facing up.
   • Take a plate or baking sheet with slightly raised edges. This will prevent juices that might leak from the bag from dripping onto the refrigerator shelf.
2. 2 Defrost the turkey for 1 day for every 1.8 kg of weight. Know the weight of the turkey to see how long it will take to defrost, then move the shelves in the refrigerator to place the turkey at the bottom. Thaw the turkey for:
   • 1-3 days, if its weight is 1.8-5.4 kg;
   • 3-4 days, if its weight is 5.4-7.3 kg;
   • 4–5 days if her weight is 7.3–9.1 kg;
   • 5-6 days if her weight is 9.1-10.9 kg.

   Advice: to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria, keep the refrigerator at a temperature below 4 ° C.

   
   
3. 3 Prepare defrosted turkey within two days after defrosting. Unlike other methods, the turkey does not need to be cooked immediately after thawing in the refrigerator. What's more, if you change your mind about cooking the turkey after it's thawed, simply return it to the freezer.
   • If you decide to return your turkey to the freezer, keep in mind that when you do cook it, the meat will no longer be as tender.

Method 2 of 3: Thawing the turkey in the sink

1. 1 Remove the turkey from its packaging and place it in a large ziplock bag. Throw away the packaging in which the turkey was sold and place it in an airtight bag. This will prevent the turkey from shedding juice and absorbing water.
2. 2 Place the turkey in a sink and fill it with cold tap water. Place the stopper in the sink drain, then place the turkey in the sink. Then fill it with cold water so that most of the turkey is submerged in the water.

   Another way: If you don't have a sink large enough to hold a turkey, put it in an airtight cooler bag and fill with water.

   
   
3. 3 Defrost the turkey for 1 hour for every 0.91 kg of weight. Take a look at the packaging to find out how much the turkey weighs. Since it takes about 30 minutes to thaw a 450 g turkey, you will need 2 to 12 hours. Thaw the turkey for:
   • 2-6 hours if its weight is 1.8-5.4 kg;
   • 6-8 hours if its weight is 5.4-7.3 kg;
   • 8-10 hours, if its weight is 7.3-9.1 kg;
   • 10-12 hours if its weight is 9.1-10.9 kg.
4. 4 Change the water every half hour until the turkey is thawed. To prevent the water from getting too hot, drain it every half hour and refill the sink with cold water. Repeat this process until the turkey is completely thawed.
   • You can always take the turkey out of the bag and feel it from the inside to see how well it thawed.
5. 5 Cook the turkey immediately after defrosting it. Once you think the turkey is thawed, put it away on the rooster and season to taste. Place the turkey in a preheated oven and cook it.
   • Since you have raised the temperature of the turkey, start cooking it right after defrosting to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.

Method 3 of 3: Defrosting the turkey in the microwave

1. 1 Check your user manual to see if your turkey will fit. The user manual may tell you how much the microwave oven can hold. For example, it may indicate that a turkey weighing up to 6.8 kg can be safely defrosted in the microwave. If the turkey you bought weighs more than the guideline recommends, choose a different defrosting method.
   • Find out the size of the microwave to determine if the turkey will fit.
2. 2 Remove the turkey from its packaging and place it on a microwave-safe plate. Throw away the packaging and remove any metal parts that might be holding the legs of the turkey. Then place the turkey on a large plate.
   • Make sure the plate fits in the microwave.
3. 3 Defrost the turkey for 6 minutes per 0.45kg of weight. Place the turkey in the microwave and set it to defrost. Enter the weight of the turkey and turn on the microwave. This will take about 6 minutes for every 450 grams of turkey.
   • If the turkey weighs more than 6.8 kg, turn it over several times while defrosting. This will thaw out more evenly.

   Did you know? A 5.4kg turkey will thaw in about 75 minutes, while a 10kg turkey will take about 130 minutes to defrost.

   
   
4. 4 Remove the turkey from the microwave and cook it. Because using the microwave will cause uneven defrosting, some parts of the turkey will start cooking right away. To prevent bacterial growth, cook the turkey immediately after defrosting it in the microwave.
   • Start preheating the oven during the last 20 minutes of defrosting. This will allow the turkey to be immediately placed on a baking sheet and placed in a hot oven.

Tips

• If you're defrosting a turkey for a holiday, consider putting it in the refrigerator a few days before.
• Frozen turkey can be cooked, but it will take 50% longer. After the turkey has been cooking for a while, be sure to stick your hand in and remove the offal. Cook the turkey until it reaches 74 ° C. This can be checked with an instant meat thermometer.

Warnings

• Never defrost a turkey on the counter at room temperature. The meat on the outside will heat up faster than the center, and this can lead to the growth of harmful bacteria.

What do you need

Defrosting turkey in the refrigerator

• Large plate or baking sheet
• Refrigerator

Defrosting turkey in the sink

• Large zip bag

Defrosting turkey in the microwave

• Microwave
• Microwave safe plate