When do I start defrosting the turkey?

[Anonymous]

Is Tuesday night okay?

[Anonymous]

I've heard the latest recommendation is just to cook it frozen.

http://busycooks.about.com/od/thanksgiving/a/cookfrozenturke.htm

[Anonymous]

Last Friday or Saturday.

Seriously, put it on a tray in your fridge today and keep it there through Thursday morning. It will still be frozen on Thursday. You might have to flush it with cold water to get the ice out of the cavaties.

[Anonymous]

Now!

[Anonymous]

Check out the butterball website. They have a calculator for defrosting time by turkey size and defrosting method

[Anonymous]

Last week. Seriously. Start now. You will need a cold water bath on Thursday.

[Anonymous]

I put mine in the fridge this morning.

[Anonymous]

1 day for every 4lbs

[Anonymous]

My 22lb turkey has been defrosting since last Thursday.

OP - how big is your bird?

[Anonymous]

12 lbs

[Anonymous]

OP, take it out of the freezer and put it in the fridge now. That gives you two full days to defrost it. Following the 1 day for every 4 lbs rule, you will have 8 lbs "defrosted" by Thursday morning. Get up early Thursday morning and fill your sink up with cold water. Put your turkey in this water. (Still wrapped up and everything, of course.) Every 30 minutes, drain and refill with new cold water. You will gradually feel it start to thaw out. Give it probably 3-4 hours of doing this and it should be good to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've heard the latest recommendation is just to cook it frozen.

http://busycooks.about.com/od/thanksgiving/a/cookfrozenturke.htm

Ew. I just read this and while I guess it's safe, it just sounds so wrong. Throw it in the oven WITH the giblets bag still inside!?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, take it out of the freezer and put it in the fridge now. That gives you two full days to defrost it. Following the 1 day for every 4 lbs rule, you will have 8 lbs "defrosted" by Thursday morning. Get up early Thursday morning and fill your sink up with cold water. Put your turkey in this water. (Still wrapped up and everything, of course.) Every 30 minutes, drain and refill with new cold water. You will gradually feel it start to thaw out. Give it probably 3-4 hours of doing this and it should be good to go.

Thanks, I am doing this. I get up at 5 so this won't be a problem. You are a lifesaver!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've heard the latest recommendation is just to cook it frozen.

http://busycooks.about.com/od/thanksgiving/a/cookfrozenturke.htm

Ew. I just read this and while I guess it's safe, it just sounds so wrong. Throw it in the oven WITH the giblets bag still inside!?

Yeah, but just if you need to/as long as you need to. I like the idea of how the breast takes longer to thaw but the legs take longer to cook, so it all balances out. There are other articles about it on the web, and some turkeys now come with instructions not to defrost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Last Friday or Saturday.

Seriously, put it on a tray in your fridge today and keep it there through Thursday morning. It will still be frozen on Thursday. You might have to flush it with cold water to get the ice out of the cavaties.

+1

Our 10 pound turkey is being delivered today and we're hoping to squeak by with enough time.