Turkey: Safe Thawing and Cooking (2024)

FAQs

Turkey: Safe Thawing and Cooking? ›

The USDA recommends thawing your turkey in the refrigerator. This is the safest method because the turkey will thaw at a consistent, safe temperature. This method takes some time, so allow one day for each 4 - 5 pounds of weight. If your turkey weighs 16 pounds, it will take about four days to thaw.

A thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. If necessary, a turkey that has been properly thawed in the refrigerator may be refrozen.

Plan to cook it immediately after thawing because some areas of the food may become warm and begin to cook during microwaving. Holding partially cooked food is not recommended because any bacteria present wouldn't have been destroyed. A turkey thawed in the microwave must be cooked immediately.

A thawed turkey may be kept in the refrigerator (40 degrees F or below) up to 4 days before cooking. Frozen Whole Turkeys and Frozen Whole Turkey Breasts need to be thawed before cooking. Thaw Fully Cooked Baked and Smoked Turkeys via the refrigerator method.

Thawing Frozen Turkey

If raw frozen turkey is thawed in the refrigerator, the defrosted turkey can last in the fridge for 1–2 days before it needs to be cooked or refrozen. If you're in a hurry to thaw your turkey, there's a faster method you can use.

Information. While foods are in the process of thawing in the refrigerator (40 °F or less), they remain safe. After thawing, use ground meats, poultry, and fish within one or two additional days, and use beef, pork, lamb or veal (roasts, steaks, or chops) within three to five days.

Many times people can tell if a turkey is spoiled by the "texture and smell" of the turkey. Hanes said the skin of the turkey may become slimy, and the smell is often described as "rotten eggs or like sulfur."

USDA recommends using cooked turkey within 3 to 4 days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. Turkey can be frozen for 3 to 4 months.

Storage Instructions

Storing Fresh Turkey: Fresh turkey should be refrigerated at 35° to 40°F. The lower temperature is preferred. If you are not confident about the temperature of your refrigerator, cook or freeze the turkey within 4 days of purchase.

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Is a 5 year old frozen turkey still good? ›

The USDA recommends using frozen turkey within the first year of storage for the best quality.

The U. S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) advises: Once food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through thawing. After cooking raw foods which were previously frozen, it is safe to freeze the cooked foods.

Christmas food safety advice

You can freeze meat, and meals cooked from previously cooked and frozen meat e.g. leftovers from a roast turkey. But once defrosted, the pause button is off and you should eat the food within 24 hours.

It's perfectly safe to cook a frozen or partially frozen turkey in the oven — you just need to allow some extra cooking time, according to the USDA. Estimate 50 percent longer cooking time for a completely frozen turkey and around 25 percent longer for a partially frozen turkey.

Preheat your oven and take the turkey out of the fridge.

Thirty minutes to an hour before the turkey needs to start roasting, turn on your oven and let the turkey sit out at room temperature while it's heating up.

Thawing turkey in a sink of cold water is faster than thawing in the refrigerator, but it's not safe to leave it in the sink to thaw overnight.