I'm in the process of thawing my 16 lb. turkey in the fridge, it says to allow 2-3 days to thaw out or 9-11 hours doing a cold water thaw. Here's my questions:
How do you know when the turkey is thawed enough..I mean if my bird isn't fully thawed, can I still go ahead and throw it in the oven a little longer to be sure it's cooked?
Also, should I decide to finish thawing my turkey with cold water and my bird is in the fridge for 2 full days how long do I let it sit in cold water?
I need to have this bird cooked by 7:30 Wednesday, and this is my first turkey!!!! Bad planning on my part!
2007-11-20 03:20:07 · 8 answers · asked by jlradioguy 3 in Food & Drink ➔ Cooking & Recipes
I just think it is thawed enough when you can get the stuff out of the center.... giblets or neck etc. I rinse mine out really well and then start adding things back in. I like to stuff mine with chunks of oranges, onions, carrots, celery etc. I also add a lot of butter to the center part. I make my dressing outside the bird so it takes less time to cook the turkey. I also put little pads of butter under the wings, and were ever I can get one to stay. Good luck with your bird.
2007-11-20 03:33:29 · answer #1 · answered by Leslie 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Over the years, I've made the same goof many times. But I've learned new tricks to fix my goofs and come out shining. So here's what you gotta do:
Open that turkey up, run cool (not warm, not cold, but cool) water down the cavities to loosen up and remove the giblets and neck.
Once those are out, get a freezer bag, stuff it down the large cavity, fill it with cool water, zip it shut and place the turkey in the fridge. About once an hour or so, dump the water and replace it.
If the turkey is not thawing fast enough, continue with the water in the cavity, cover the entire turkey in a water tight plastic bag, and immerse the whole thing in cool water, changing the water often (usually 45 min to 1 hr.)
That should do it for you.
2007-11-20 03:39:12 · answer #2 · answered by gilfinn 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Umm. You should check out foodtv.com for some tips but I think your pretty much screwed as for having it thawed by tonight. I don't know where you live and how hot it is but you might be able to let it thaw outside the fridge. But it is risky because of salmonella. Also you don't want to let the turkey sit in a water bath directly because it can get water logged. I don't know if this is right but you can set it in a bowl of water with the plastic still on it and the water will still help it to defrost and the plastic will keep it from getting water logged. To check to see if its thawed, you have to put your hand inside the cavity of the bird and check for hardness. Good luck!
2007-11-20 03:29:26 · answer #3 · answered by Dragon Spider 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you leave the frozen turkey on the counter overnight, it will thaw itself. You'll know when it's thawed when the turkey feels soft and you can't see or feel the ice. You can always soak the turkey in cold water, but afterwards, you'll have to wipe the excess water out of the turkey. I would not put the turkey in the oven if it's still frozen or not fully thawed. While the turkey is cooking in the oven, the ice will melt and make the seasonings tasteless. It's like adding excess water to seasonings.
2007-11-20 04:07:28 · answer #4 · answered by Mrs Apple 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the suitable way i've got got here upon to thaw a turkey is to place it in an excellent pot and stick it in a shower bath. Fill the pot with chilly water and then depart the faucet dripping so the water keeps to be a minimum of slightly in action. it oftentimes does not take extra advantageous than 10-12 hours to thaw even the main important birds that way.
2016-10-17 12:29:35 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Take the bird out now, put it in your fridge, if by chance, its not completely thawed out you can use the water method changing out the water frequently . A frozen bird is stiff, where a thawed bird is not. You will know if its still frozen.
2007-11-20 03:28:33 · answer #6 · answered by krennao 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Being that it is Tuesday, I would use the cold water method. You can always place it back into the frig. You will not be able to get the neck and other pieces out if the bird is still frozen. If you start cooking it while partially frozen, it will not cook evenly and the frozen parts will be underdone.
2007-11-20 03:28:38 · answer #7 · answered by sensible_man 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ok my dad used to own a butcher and we thaw a turkey for 2days and a half. we never used water, so i dont know where you got that from. its prob ok now to stick in the oven. anything over 200degrees will kill bacteria anyway.just make sure when you are cooking it that the juices have ran dry. this means its cooked enough. check www.safefood.ie they have xmas cooking link
2007-11-20 06:14:31 · answer #8 · answered by galwaygirl 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋