The Best Way To Thaw A Turkey, According To Butterball’s Expert Advice

The number one question Butterball turkey gets each year: How do I thaw a turkey? There are a lot of variables to consider when thawing a turkey, from how much time you have to spare, to how much space you have in your fridge. Then there’s the perennial issue of what to do when you completely forgot to defrost the bird. We aren’t surprised this question keeps coming up.

While we have written plenty about turkey thawing guidelines, we decided to consult the turkey experts, to end the debate about how to thaw a turkey once and for all. And who better to ask than the folks behind the famous Butterball Turkey Talk-Line, right?

Here’s what Butterball had to say about defrosting turkey safely, whether you’re in a rush or not.

The Best Way To Thaw A Turkey

Samantha Woulfe, Turkey Talk-Line expert, says Butterball recommends two turkey thawing methods—a quick thaw and a longer thaw—and the one you should turn to first is defrosting it slowly in the fridge.

Here are some guidelines to follow:

• Weighty considerations: For every four pounds of turkey, you need to plan for one day of thawing in the refrigerator. For example, a 12-pound turkey requires three days in the fridge before it’s fully thawed.

• Watch the clock: Once thawed completely, you have four days to cook your turkey. This is good news, because it means you can plan ahead and get the turkey thawing early. “Always give yourself the extra day or two,” Woulfe says.

• Wrap it up: It’s best to defrost the turkey in its original packaging, for less mess.

What To Do When You Forget To Thaw Your Turkey

It’s the day before (or day of) Thanksgiving, the bird is still hard as a rock. Now what? It’s time to turn to the second method Butterball recommends: cold water thawing. Here’s what to do:

• Take a dip: Submerge your turkey fully, breast side down, in cold water (not hot!).

• Change up: Change the water every 30 minutes, “as the turkey will drop the water temperature,” Woulfe says.

• Time it out: This method will take about 30 minutes per pound of turkey. So, for 10- to 18-pound turkeys, budget about 5 to 9 hours. If doing this the day of Thanksgiving, you’ll need to get an early jump on the process, but you should have plenty of time if doing this the day before.

Get The Recipe

How To Tell If Your Turkey Is Fully Thawed

If you aren’t sure whether or not your turkey is completely thawed, this is what to do:

• Use weight as a guideline: As noted above, for every four pounds of turkey, you need to plan for one day of thawing in the refrigerator. If using the cold water method, you need to budget 30 minutes per pound.

• Go by touch: “When you press firmly on the turkey, it should be soft, with no hard spots,” Woulfe says.

• Use a thermometer: “It’s our best friend,” says Woulfe. The turkey should register between 35 to 40°F if it’s ready to cook.

Get Turkey Help

If you still have questions, the good news is that you can ask experts at the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line yourself at 1-800-BUTTERBALL or by texting 844-877-3456. You can reach them from November 1 through Christmas Eve.

Started in 1981 as a marketing gimmick, the enduring toll-free line is there to help you with more than just thawing. Whether you’re deep frying a turkey for the first time, or are unsure if your turkey is cooked through, they’ve heard it all, and will be able to tell you what to do.

Get The Recipe

What Not To Do

These are a few things Butterball doesn’t recommend doing, even if you’re in a pinch.

Don’t cook the turkey from frozen. Technically this is perfectly safe. However, the results leave something to be desired. Woulfe noted that turkeys come out drier and tougher prepared this way, and said it takes much, much longer to cook, too.

She also noted that you can’t season the turkey well when cooking it from frozen, and can’t stuff it with aromatics, either. If you don’t have the time to thaw your turkey, rather than cook it from frozen, Woulfe suggests, “Looking for fresh turkey at that point.” There should be some stocked at the local grocer, and you can save the frozen turkey for another meal.

Don’t thaw the turkey in the microwave. Similar to cooking from frozen, this method is food safe. However it’s not the most practical. Woulfe noted that this method won’t work with large turkeys, and even with a small bird, they tend to thaw unevenly in the microwave. She also added that you have to cook your turkey right after thawing with this method, which isn’t always ideal.

Try not to refreeze a turkey. It’s safe to refreeze a turkey if done properly, but the quality of the meat will go down if you refreeze, and it can lose moisture. If you do refreeze a turkey, Butterball recommends using it within six months.

Read the original article on Southern Living