It’s really important to make sure the turkey crown is completely thawed through before cooking it – use a sharp knife and insert it in the thickest part of the meat. A frozen turkey is a good-value option and means you could opt for a higher welfare bird for less money. To work out the defrosting time for your turkey, check the packaging. You should never thaw a frozen turkey on the counter at room temperature or in hot water. This is the safest method because the turkey will thaw at a consistent, safe temperature. It’s fine to bring the bird partway to room temperature before roasting. So, how long does it take to thaw a frozen turkey in the refrigerator? To avoid this, you need to keep changing the water - every half an hour will do just fine to prevent the bacteria from growing. Since many home ovens heat unevenly, it’s a good idea to let your oven come up to temperature, then wait 5 to 10 more minutes before placing the turkey inside. How long to defrost a frozen turkey? This is extremely important. Once you’ve defrosted the bird, try our best-ever. And this McDonald’s fan shared their clever hack to customise McRib & says it’s ‘the best burger I’ve had at Maccies’. (Do bear in mind that the warmer the temperature you defrost at, the greater your risk of food poisoning.) Touch – remove the bag of giblets and put your hand in the cavity. Leave it out too long and it'll go bad. If defrosting it at room temperature, allow approximately two hours per kilogram. To avoid cross-contamination always defrost your turkey into a container large enough to catch any juices. Submerge the entire wrapped turkey in cold water. Always defrost in a fridge, not at room temperature. According to Tesco, the defrosting time for frozen turkeys are: British Turkey Crown 1kg – 1.4kg – 10-14 hours British Turkey Crown 1.5kg – 1.9kg – 15-19 hours British Turkey Crown 2kg – 2.3kg – 20-23 hours British Turkey Crown 2.4kg – 2.8kg – 24-28 hours British Turkey Crown 2.9 – 3.5kg – 29-35 hours This only works during cold weather when the outdoor temperature won’t exceed 10C. If you haven’t got time to defrost your turkey in the fridge you can defrost it in a cool room (below 15C). Use our handy guide below to help choose the right weight of turkey: Make sure you have the right size roasting tray for your bird and that it will fit in your oven. Sit the frozen turkey straight in a large plastic box with a lid or in a tray or dish in the box and seal. Brew Republic exclusive offer: 9 beers + a free glass for £12 (including delivery). Thawing in a cool room (17.5ºC) - allow 3 to 4 hours per kg. Don’t: Serve meat which isn’t steaming hot all the way through when it comes out of the oven. Plus this chef revealed how to make a large Christmas turkey feed a family-of-four for TEN days & why you should always buy big. Remove all the packaging and any metal clips, as well as the bag of giblets from the cavity. Do not defrost your turkey at room temperature. Temperature – you can insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the leg or breast and if it reads anything below 1C the turkey is still frozen. Defrost your turkey in the refrigerator at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below for several days before you will be preparing it. Wriggle – wriggle the legs and wings, they should be fairly loose. A five pound turkey will not take long to defrost at room temperature. The turkey should be thawed either in a fridge or a cool room. How to To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Most of our turkey recipes call for a 5-6kg turkey, which will take about three full days to thaw in the fridge. For thawing times, the UK's NHS suggests allowing the turkey to thaw in a fridge (at 4c/39F) for 10 to 12 hours per kilogram (6 to 6 1/2 hours per pound). Poultry should never be defrosted on a work surface or counter at room temperature. Knowing how long to defrost your turkey for is the most important thing. If it isn't possible to defrost your turkey in the fridge, you could use a cool room, or a garage. But, it’s also a massive block of frozen meat that can be a bit daunting to deal with. Sit the turkey breast-side up in the microwave. How to defrost a turkey at room temperature. Place turkey on a tray on a bottom shelf in refrigerator Allow 5 hours of thawing time per pound (10 hours/kg). Any surfaces, boards, containers or cloths that have touched raw turkey or have had raw turkey juice on them need to be washed well before using again. Thawing in the refrigerator is the ONLY recommended way to defrost a frozen turkey. Submerge the turkey in its packaging in a large sink of cold water or a large bucket or container. However you thaw your turkey, use a digital, tip-sensitive thermometer to ensure it has reached an internal temperature of 165F. Check the turkey's weight so you know how long it will need to defrost and move the shelves in your refrigerator so you can put the turkey on the bottom shelf. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Press the breast meat, it should feel soft, if it’s solid, it’s still frozen. Take your turkey out of the freezer early in the morning and it will be thawed by the afternoon. You might need to weigh it down with a plate or a few cans to do so. Standard NHS advice is that, if using a fridge, you should allow 10 to 12 hours per kilogram. This will allow about 15 to 20 minutes for the turkey to rest before you slice it. Smaller cuts of meat, such as chicken or turkey breasts, can be defrosted overnight in the fridge. When thawing frozen goose in cold water, the temperature of the water will often rise slowly. So, I think I've messed up on Turkey defrosting for Christmas Day. Never thaw a turkey using warm/hot water, in the microwave, or at room temperature, all of which let bacteria grow before the turkey … A year-frozen turkey will probably have suffered freezer burn and developed off flavors. NHS advice on thawing times for turkey is as follows: In a fridge at 4ºC (39ºF), allow about 10 to 12 hours per kg. Allow 4 hours per kilo in a cool room, but get the turkey straight into the fridge once it has defrosted. View our online Press Pack. Standard NHS advice is that, if using a fridge, you should allow 10 to 12 hours per kilogram. This is slightly speedier but you will need to allow 4 hours per kilo (2.2 lbs) and either use your turkey straight away or store in the fridge as soon as it has defrosted. *shivers*. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Health Canada recommends that … That works out to be 12 hours per kilogram for a turkey in a fridge set at 4 degrees C. Use our Whole Turkey Calculator below to estimate what size of whole turkey you will need, how long it may take to thaw, and how much time it will take to cook. Fail to leave it for long enough and it's still frozen in places. There are three safe ways to defrost a turkey: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in a microwave oven. Knowing how long to defrost your turkey for is the most important thing. When the water's temperature rises above a certain threshold, dangerous bacteria might start multiplying in the meat, increasing the risk of food poisoning. For other inquiries, Contact Us. You need to be really careful that they don’t come into contact with other food, especially cooked food. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. This shouldn’t feel frozen at all. The free online tool calculates how long it'll take to defrost your turkey in the fridge or in cold water Credit: omnicalculator.com. If you can set the temperature of your fridge, then have it at 4C. "I froze my fresh turkey Friday and it will be coming out tonight!". Suggested cooking temperature is 350°F. It also means you can get ahead and buy your turkey sooner to spread the cost. ReThink Products are dedicated to manufacturing a wide array of natural, Full Spectrum CBD products with a commitment to enduring excellence. Try our top tips, different defrosting methods and safety guidance. It's best to defrost a frozen turkey in a fridge (at a temperature of 4°C) allowing 8-12hr per kg (2lb 31/2oz).If you need, defrost in a cool room (10-15°C) and allow 3-4hr per kg (2lb 31/2oz). How long does it take to defrost a turkey at room temperature? As a good rule, 24 hours should be given to each 2kg of full turkey, therefore if your turkey is 6 kilos, allow three full days to defrost. Be sure to place the turkey in a pan, to catch any drippings or place the pan on the shelf below, if there's not enough room. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. When turkey is left out at room temperature for more than two hours, its temperature becomes unsafe. Make sure the packaging on the turkey is intact when you buy it – any rips or tears will mean there’s more chance of the turkey being exposed to other foods and surfaces as it defrosts. The temperature danger zone, which is defined as the temperature range between which most bacteria grow and reproduce, is 40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. There is no need to remove the turkey from its packaging before defrosting, unless you choose to use the microwave. This method is quicker than refrigerator thawing, but requires more care. Defrost your meat in the fridge or in a cool room below 10–15C rather than at room temperature, so that the outside remains cold. Thawing Frozen Turkey Breast in the Refrigerator. Place your turkey in the microwave breast side up, on a heatproof plate or in a dish. Although a goose will thaw faster in cold water than in a refrigerator, it can still take several hours or even a day to thaw completely. ... Six steps to cooking the perfect turkey. To work out the defrosting time for your turkey, first check the packaging for any guidance. In Cold Water. The size of your turkey will determine how long it needs to be defrosted for. The free online tool - created by Omni Calculator - asks you to input the weight of your turkey and your method of defrosting it. 10 to 16 pounds. At a cool room temperature (no more than 17.5°C), it will take about 2 hours for every 450g / 16oz Do I need to rest the turkey? Make a mole sauce to disguise the first one. The defrost time should be on the turkey’s packaging. 6 to 8 hours in cold water* Feel the temperature of the water occasionally and if doesn’t feel cold, replace with cold water. But, if you’re careful and you’re going to be cooking the turkey as soon as it’s defrosted, then we can’t dismiss this as an option. 3.5kg serves 7-8; 4-4.5kg serves 8-10; 5-5.5kg serves 10-12; 6-6.5kg serves 12-15 ; Fresh or frozen? Season well. The size of your turkey will depend on how long it takes to thaw completely, but as a rough guide, allow about 24hrs for every 2kg of turkey. That is a relatively small crown, so take extra care in not overcooking it. Check the pack instructions to be sure, but an approximate thawing guide is 10-12 hours per kilogram in a fridge at 4°C. Most of our turkey recipes call for a 5-6kg turkey, which will take about three full days to thaw in the fridge. Defrosting time for frozen turkeys. We examine the different ways to defrost a whole turkey in time for your Christmas dinner. Keep the turkey in its original wrapping. Be aware that not all fridges will be set to this temperature. allow 45 minutes per kilogram, plus 20 minutes, for a turkey under 4.5kg; allow 40 minutes per kilogram for a turkey that's between 4.5kg and 6.5kg; allow 35 minutes per kilogram for a turkey of more than 6.5kg; Cover your turkey with foil during cooking but uncover it for the final 30 minutes to brown the skin. However, your turkey can be defrosted in the garage, or at room temperature. If you want to thaw it quicker there is an alternative method, but it requires more of your time. Always defrost in a fridge, not at room temperature. So, for a 4kg turkey crown, that’s 16 hours. Turkey Weight. Alternatively, you have to leave the turkey in the fridge for a whole day for every 1.8kg of meat - and they recommend keeping it at the bottom of your fridge to stop it dripping over eveything. Thawing time generally depends on the size of the goose. We do not advise thawing in cold water. A fully thawed turkey can stay in the fridge for up to two full days! "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. How long to thaw turkey in the refrigerator: Defrost the turkey for approximately 24 hours for every four pounds, so a 16-pound bird would take about four days. ‘Getting a carcass to room temperature can take hours, so you’re best off slicing up the whole thing in one go. The laws of physics are apparently different north of the 49th parallel and poultry is required to reach 180F. Thaw the turkey for 1 day per 4 pounds (1.8 kg). Thaw your turkey as close to the bottom of your fridge as possible, If you're planning to brine your turkey, you can safely start when it's still partially frozen. As a general rule, it takes 24 hours for every five pounds of turkey to defrost. Set aside 15 to 20 minutes to allow your oven to thoroughly preheat. As a good rule, 24 hours should be given to each 2kg of full turkey, therefore if your turkey is 6 kilos, allow three full days to defrost. NHS advice on thawing times for turkey is as follows: In a fridge at 4ºC (39ºF), allow about 10 to 12 hours per kg. At a cool room temperature (no more than 17.5°C), it will take about 2 hours for every 450g. Defrost your meat in the fridge or in a cool room below 10–15C rather than at room temperature, so that the outside remains cold. Thawing at room temperature (20ºC) – allow 2 hours per kg. 4 to 6 hours in cold water* 1 to 2 days in refrigerator. Defrosting times will vary – as a guide: in a fridge around four degrees celsius allow 10 to 12 hours per kg; in a cool room (below 17.5ºC) allow three to four hours per kg; at room temperature (about 20ºC, 68ºF) allow approximately two … Clean the microwave thoroughly as soon as the turkey has been removed. Advertisements. Learn how to defrost a turkey safely with our essential cookery advice. I’d go ahead and try it but cook a backup as well. 10 people: 5kg turkey 12 people: 6kg turkey ... How long to defrost a frozen turkey? Done safely this method should take about 1 hr for every 1kg of turkey. Beer 52 exclusive offer: Get a free case of craft beer worth £24. A 1.5kg should be in the refrigerator from the freezer for 18 to 48 hours before cooking. Simply sit the frozen turkey in a dish or baking tray in an ambient part of your kitchen (away from ovens or radiators). However, whole birds, can take several days to defrost, especially if you are going to defrost a large turkey for a Christmas dinner, for example. How to defrost a turkey at room temperature How To Keep A Turkey Crown Moist. If microwaving, remove the packaging and any metal clips and the plastic bag of neck and giblets first. Another way to thaw a turkey is using cold water. You can also defrost your bird at room temperature provided the room is below 15C (60F). Standard NHS advice is that, if using a fridge, you should allow 10 to 12 hours per kilogram. If you’re going for a frozen turkey this Christmas, defrosting it properly and safely is very important. To prevent this, most experts recommend replacing old water with new cold water every 30 to 45 minutes. In a cool room allow approximately 3 to 4 hours per kg, longer if the room is particularly cold. Bacteria can grow quickly in the “danger … The free online tool calculates how long it'll take to defrost your turkey in the fridge or in cold water Credit: omnicalculator.com. For hot, juicy meat, you want your turkey to be ready 15 to 20 minutes before you begin your feast. The bacteria in defrosting raw turkey and raw turkey juices can cause sickness. Smear softened butter under the turkey skin and over the legs. That works out to be 12 hours per kilogram for a turkey in a fridge set at 4 degrees C. For more food tips, this mum revealed how she halved her food bill with these shopping hacks – including always buying a whole chicken. Check the pack instructions to be sure, but an approximate thawing guide is 10-12 hours per kilogram in a fridge at 4°C. The exact same principles apply when thawing a frozen turkey breast vs. a whole turkey. Remember that a large turkey will take several hours to cook properly. So, how long does it take to thaw a frozen turkey in the refrigerator? Leave a comment below…. Because room-temperature turkey falls into this danger zone, it is not safe to leave a turkey at room temperature before cooking. In Refrigerator. Posting on the Facebook group Family Lockdown Tips and Ideas, the woman gushed: "If you have frozen turkeys don't forget to check when you need to take them out to properly defrost on time!! 10 people: 5kg turkey 12 people: 6kg turkey . Don't Thaw at Room Temperature . A large turkey, say, 15 to 20 pounds, will need to spend 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator. As a good rule, 24 hours should be given to each 2kg of full turkey, therefore if your turkey is 6 kilos, allow three full days to defrost. Keep the thawing turkey in a baking dish with relatively high sides, to prevent the water and juices from dripping all over the fridge and contaminating other food. Do not defrost your turkey at room temperature. How to defrost a turkey at room temperature Remember to change the water every 30 minutes. At a cool room temperature (no more than 17.5°C), it will take about 2 hours for every 450g. IF you've ever cooked a turkey from frozen before, then you'll know just how easy it is to mess up. If there are no defrosting instructions, thaw your turkey in a fridge at 4C (39F) for 10 to 12 hours per kilogram. Do we know the defrost time at room temperature? How long does it take to defrost a turkey? Move the meat around slightly every time you change the water. For instance if you have a 3kg turkey (which feeds up to nine people), it'll take you 5 hours to defrost it in cold water or just under three DAYS to do it in the fridge. Magazine subscription – 5 issues for only £5. Roasting temperature can be found here. To make sure that the turkey does not get up to room temperature, change the water every half hour. How long to defrost a frozen turkey? The safest temperature to defrost turkey is anything below 10C and never refreeze raw turkey once it’s been defrosted. The turkey crown should be put in a bowl of some type as it defrosts to catch any liquid to discard. This is as easy as taking the frozen turkey in its packaging, sitting it in a large roasting tin or dish and putting it in the fridge to defrost slowly. In general, allow 24 hours of thawing time for every 4 to 5 pounds of turkey. For it to work, however, you'll need plenty of time: 24 hours of defrosting time for every 4 to 5 pounds of bird . Otherwise, simply remove it from the freezer and use one of the methods below. Thawing a frozen turkey on the kitchen counter, or the dining room table, or in any other room of your house, is a HUGE no-no. Bring the bird up to room temperature. A 6 or 7-pound turkey breast will take about 1 1/2 days (36 hours) to thaw completely. This is the safest method, as the turkey stays at a constant low temperature. Allow 45 minutes per kg plus 20 minutes for a turkey under 4.5kg, 40 minutes per kg for a turkey between 4.5kg and 6.5kg, and 35 minutes per kg for a turkey more than 6.5kg. Follow the chart below for how long your turkey would take to thaw in the refrigerator. Video: How to carve a turkeyHow to make turkey stockLeftover turkey and ham recipesPlan your Christmas lunch, What other essential turkey tips do you need? ‘At around 22c, the temperature of most kitchens, it takes about two hours per kilo, so your 22lb turkey will take about 20 hours to defrost,’ says Dr Edwards. If at cool room temperature (below 17.5c/64F) than allow 3 to 4 hours per kilogram (2 to 2 1/2 hours per pound), though the time may be longer if the room is particularly cold and make sure you refrigerate the turkey as soon as it has thawed. There are a few ways to tell if your turkey has thawed, but for all of them you’ll need to remove the packaging. Ensure the turkey is brought to room temperature before transferring. ©News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Keep the turkey in its original wrapping and then cover it with a leak-proof bag, Make sure the turkey is fully submerged. Crucially, you must not defrost your turkey at room temperature. Have a look at your microwave manual if you’ve got one, or initially place on the defrost function for 30 mins, then for 5 min-bursts until defrosted. The size of your turkey will depend on how long it takes to thaw completely, but as a rough guide, allow about 24hrs for every 2kg of turkey. Thawing notes: Thaw safely: The best (safest) way to thaw a frozen turkey is slowly in the refrigerator over the course of several days. Touch the inside of the breast bone around the cavity. Always keep this in mind, regardless of the defrosting method you choose. First check the turkey will actually fit in the microwave. Defrosting times. That said, one savvy mum has raved about an online calculator which helped her figure out just how long it takes to thaw her bird for Christmas. Official advice from the NHS is to defrost your turkey in the fridge or cool room (or a cool spot like a garage or shed) which, depending on the size of your turkey, could even take a couple of days. If they are stiff or can’t be moved, the turkey will need to be defrosted further. Turkey Crown is 2.8kg so thats 28hours or so. 8 to 12 pounds. It’s tempting to opt for this method as it means there is less room taken up in the fridge and a room is warmer than the fridge. The defrost time should be on the turkey’s packaging. The size of your turkey will determine how long it needs to be defrosted for. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Comments are subject to our community guidelines, which can be viewed, You have three days left to get your turkey ready, The free online tool calculates how long it'll take to defrost your turkey in the fridge or in cold water, The Batch Lady shows you how to make your Christmas stuffing, Mum raves about turkey defrost time calculator that’ll ensure your bird is thawed safely & in time for Christmas dinner, Here's 99 things you never knew about Prince Philip - a secret romantic who married the Queen with 12p in the bank, Prince Philip ‘did more trying to save Charles’ marriage to Diana than his son’, claims Paul Burrell, The Queen described Prince Philip as 'her constant strength' as 'family is so important to her', royal expert claims, The Queen’s wedding ring has a secret message hidden on it - and only Prince Philip and the engraver knew what it said, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip seen beaming and waving to crowds in video of their wedding day 73 years ago, Meghan Markle latest news – Hope royal rift will end when Harry returns for Duke's funeral but docs tell Meg to stay put, A giant bed for three, finding lovers on Gumtree and foursomes - I love my polyamorous lifestyle, A&E doctor shows the CORRECT way to wear your seat belt in pregnancy & mums admit they had no idea, Horoscope today, Sunday April 11: Daily guide to what your star sign has in store for your zodiac dates, Facebook group Family Lockdown Tips and Ideas, mum revealed how she halved her food bill with these shopping hacks, McDonald’s fan shared their clever hack to customise McRib, chef revealed how to make a large Christmas turkey feed a family-of-four for TEN days, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Under either of those methods, the outer layer of the turkey can sit between the bacteria-breeding temperatures of 40°F and 140 °F for far too long to be safe. Things defrost quicker when touching metal, so you’re better off sitting the frozen bird in a large metal roasting tin than a porcelain or pyrex dish. Allow 4 hours per kg. According to Tesco, the defrosting time for frozen turkeys are: British Turkey Crown 1kg – 1.4kg – 10-14 hours British Turkey Crown 1.5kg – 1.9kg – 15-19 hours British Turkey Crown 2kg – 2.3kg – 20-23 hours Plan on defrosting the turkey for: 1 to 3 days if it's 4 to 12 pounds (1.8 to 5.4 kg) Sit the box in a garage, garden shed, or the boot of a car or van and leave the turkey to defrost. Frozen birds are generally better value, but if you are a perfectionist, or are looking for a particular breed, go for fresh. Besides the fact that it is, let us say, unseemly to defrost a Thanksgiving turkey in some random bedroom (to say nothing of the bathroom), thawing a turkey at room temperature is a terrible practice. For more information on how to prepare a whole turkey, please refer to our 8-part Turkey Basics: Whole Turkey video series. How long does it take to defrost a turkey at room temperature? 3 Ways to Thaw a Turkey Refrigerator Thawing (Recommended) The USDA recommends thawing your turkey in the refrigerator.