Turkey thaw time?

[JeremyCampbell]

How long does it take for a 10-12lb turkey to thaw after taking it out of the freezer?

[picksbigwagon]

I had two 14 pound birds in the fridge for three days and the cavity was still frozen solid. I speed thawed it in the laundry room sink in about 2 hours but putting tap water ( not hot) in the sink and soaking them, still in the wrapper

[Bryce]

Was just in Wall Street Journal today. 24 hours in refridgerator for every 4.5 pounds.

[Mike89]

24 hours per 4 pounds, 3 days for yours I'd say.

[JeremyCampbell]

Thanks!

[delcecchi]

If your refrigerator is at like 36 degrees like mine, the answer is forever almost. Here is an experiment. Put a glass of ice cubes in the refrigerator. Come back in a few hours. How melted are they?

My choice is cold water in a bucket, bathtub, or cooler. Change it a few times. Much faster. Use cold water, not warm.

[Jim Almquist]

My choice is a good cooler in a cool spot in the basement. Make sure the cooler is cool first. I will also brine it in the same cooler but that will be tomorrow.

[eyeguy 54]

always thaw mine the day before in the sink with water. never a problem. not a monster bird.

[Rick G]

Like others have said, thaw it in the sink with cold water. Doing it in the fridge takes forever.

[smurfy]

I always take mine out let it set in the sink.....when thawed put it in the frig.

[JP Z]

Here are some tips from the Food Network chefs for proper Turk'ing. I know I need them Yep, they say 5hrs/lb I like #2 I might have to try that.

Whether this is your first, tenth or hundredth holiday dinner, here are our top 10 tips for your Thanksgiving turkey:

1. Plan ahead if you’re cooking a frozen turkey. The safest way to thaw a bird is in the fridge; count on about five hours per pound for it to fully defrost (so a 20-pounder will take four days).

2. For crisper skin, unwrap the turkey the day before Thanksgiving, and leave it uncovered in the refrigerator overnight.

3. Both low-heat and high-heat cooking have their merits. The classic method is 20 minutes per pound at 325 degrees F; if you're willing to split your turkey so that it lies flat, you can do it in eight minutes per pound at 450.

4. Turkeys cook more evenly if they're not packed full of stuffing. A loose handful of aromatics (carrots, celery, onions and garlic) or fresh herbs adds flavor without leading to a dry bird. Cook the stuffing in a dish on the side, moistened generously with stock.

5. Trussing your turkey makes it look professional and pretty, but for even cooking, leave it untrussed. And hey, it's one less thing for you to do.

6. Scatter roughly chopped chunks of onions, carrots, celery and garlic on the bottom of your roasting pan before arranging the turkey on top. They'll add tons of flavor to your drippings (and thus to your gravy).

7. Once the turkey goes in the oven, don't open the door too often. Every time you do, the heat drops precipitously, so it'll raise both the cook time as well as the odds of a dry bird.

8. Remove the turkey from the oven when the thickest spot between the leg and the breast reads 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. If you stuffed your bird, the stuffing should also read 165.

9. Once your bird is done, tent it loosely with foil and let it rest about half an hour before carving. If you need more time to prep gravy and sides, you can let it rest for up to an hour without losing too much heat.

10. Carve your turkey with as sharp a knife as possible. Take the legs and wings off first (go straight through the joint) and you’ll have more room to maneuver when you get to the breast.

[BobT]

I want to compliment everyone in this thread for not using the term "unthaw." Thank you all.

My brother-in-law and I go round-and-round with our wives every time they use the term "unthaw" when referring to thawing something that is frozen. We just can't help ourselves. We have to remind them the the item IS un-thawed and we think it would be better to thaw the item before using it.

[smurfy]

I want to compliment everyone in this thread for not using the term "unthaw." Thank you all.

My brother-in-law and I go round-and-round with our wives every time they use the term "unthaw" when referring to thawing something that is frozen. We just can't help ourselves. We have to remind them the the item IS un-thawed and we think it would be better to thaw the item before using it.

unthaw........why would ya wanna refreeze it. I go round and round with my brother over this too!!!!

[DonBo]

FWIW, this is the best way I've ever found to roast a turkey:

http://www.simplebites.net/how-to-roast-a-turkey/

I do 2 or 3 just about every year and they've all been awesome as long as you monitor the temp of the bird and never, ever overcook.

BTW, mine's unthawing out in the garage right now.

[eyeguy 54]

there ain't no unthawed turkey in my freezer..

in other words...

there's a frozen turkey in my freezer... LOL

[Black_Bay]

there ain't no unthawed turkey in my freezer..

in other words...

there's a frozen turkey in my freezer... LOL

Is your freezer next to your hot water heater?

I took my bird out of the freezer yesterday.

[Xplorer]

Cold water method here (left in plastic wrap).

Changing the water a few times during the process, and I average 1 hour for every 2 pounds of bird. Our 14#'er will take 7 hours tomorrow to thaw

completely.

[Finns]

Is your freezer next to your hot water heater?