Do you take turkey out of wrapper to thaw

The holidays are approaching, and if you're in charge of cooking—or just want to check up on Mama's food hygiene—you may have one question on your mind: Is it okay to thaw a turkey on the kitchen counter?

The short answer is, not really.

Of course, you can eat a turkey that has been thawed on a counter, and generations of us have grown up eating turkeys that sat out all night. But it's not what modern food scientists recommend.

The Bacteria of It All

Today, both the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the turkey pros at Butterball say that the best options for thawing a frozen turkey are either in the refrigerator or in cold water.

What's so dangerous about a turkey sitting at room temperature for hours and hours? One word: bacteria.

In the food safety "danger zone" (that is, anything about 40°F), potentially dangerous bacteria can grow rapidly. Unfortunately, you cannot see, smell, or taste that bad bacteria. You'll only know it was there after everyone who eats the turkey is experiencing an upset stomach, or worse.

The Safe Ways to Thaw a Frozen Turkey

Skip the counter. Pick one of these two options for your annual turkey defrost.

Note: If you get a fresh turkey from a farmers' market, farm, or grocery store, there's no need to thaw. However, if you pre-order a frozen bird, here's a safer way to thaw it (sorry, Mama):

Thaw in the fridge

To thaw a turkey in the refrigerator, leave it in its packaging or wrapper, and put the turkey on a tray in the fridge, breast side up. Then, just leave it alone.

While this method is easy, you do need to plan ahead. The USDA recommends allowing at least one day of thawing for every four pounds of turkey. That means your 20-pound whopper will need five days to properly thaw in the refrigerator.

Once the bird is thawed, be sure to cook it within two days.

Here's another example: A 16-pound bird needs to thaw for about four days in the fridge and can safely last in the fridge for at least two more days. So thaw the turkey in the fridge six days before Thanksgiving.

Thaw in cold water

If you don't have a few days to defrost your turkey—or can't spare the room in the refrigerator—the cold-water method is another easy option.

First, find a container large enough to hold the turkey. (In a pinch, a large cooler, canning pot, or even bathtub can work.) Leave the turkey in its wrapper, and put breast side down in your container with enough cold water to cover the turkey completely.

Change the water every 30 minutes so the turkey stays cold while it thaws. It's important to note that if your container is too small and your turkey isn't entirely covered by cold water, keep it chilled by rotating it every 30 minutes or so. It will take at least 30 minutes per pound of turkey to thoroughly thaw, so plan accordingly. Once the turkey is thawed with this method, cook immediately.

Turkey safety tips

The bacteria found on raw turkey and its juices can cause sickness. Therefore, you need to be really careful that they don’t come into contact with other food, especially cooked food. When you handle raw turkey, wash your hands well in hot, soapy water before touching anything else.

Any surfaces, boards, containers or cloths that have touched raw turkey or its juices need to be washed well before using again. 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 safest temperature to defrost turkey is anything below 10C – never refreeze raw turkey once it’s been defrosted.

Always keep this in mind, regardless of the defrosting method you choose.

Before you start

There is no need to remove the turkey from its packaging before defrosting unless you choose to use the microwave. If microwaving, remove the packaging, any metal clips and the plastic bag of neck and giblets first. Otherwise, simply remove it from the freezer and use one of the methods below.

Top tip: Things defrost more quickly when touching metal, so you’re better off sitting the frozen bird in a large metal roasting tin than a porcelain or glass dish.

How to defrost a turkey in the fridge

Pros: it's the safest and easiest way to defrost a turkey.
Cons: it's also the longest way to defrost a turkey and takes up lots of fridge space.

How to do it
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. If you can set the temperature of your fridge, set it to 4C. This is the safest method, as the turkey will stay at a constant low temperature.

How long does it take?
The size of your turkey will affect how long it takes to defrost completely, but as a rough guide, allow about 24hrs for every 2kg of turkey. Most of our turkey recipes call for a 5-6kg turkey, which will take about three full days to defrost in the fridge.

Pros: it frees up space in the fridge or kitchen.
Cons: you need a large, sealable plastic container and it only works if it’s cold outside.

How to do it
This only works during cold weather when the outdoor temperature won’t exceed 10C. Sit the frozen turkey in a large plastic box with a lid, or in a tray or dish in the box. Seal. Sit the box in a garage, garden shed or the boot of a car and leave the turkey to defrost.

How long does it take?
It should take about two days.

How to defrost a turkey in the kitchen

Pros: it’s easy to do.
Cons: it’s not as safe, as it the kitchen temperature fluctuates. It also takes up lots of room in a small kitchen.

How to do it
From a food hygiene perspective, this method isn’t advised, as a warm kitchen is the perfect temperature for bacteria to breed on the bird. But, if you’re careful and you’re going to be cooking the turkey as soon as it’s defrosted, we can’t dismiss this as an option. Simply sit the frozen turkey in a dish or baking tray in an ambient part of your kitchen (away from ovens or radiators).

How long does it take?
Leave it to defrost for 24 hrs.

How to defrost a turkey in cold water

Pros: quick.
Cons: cumbersome and potentially unhygienic if packaging isn't sealed.

How to do it
Submerge the turkey in its packaging in a large sink, bucket or container full of cold water. Feel the temperature of the water occasionally – if doesn’t feel cold, replace with fresh cold water. Problems could arise if the packaging isn’t totally sealed or torn, as the water and everything it touches will become contaminated with raw turkey juices.

How long does it take?
Done safely, this method should take about 1 hr for every 1kg of turkey.

How to defrost a turkey in a microwave

Pros: very quick.
Cons: it only works with small turkeys, all the packaging needs to be removed and the microwave needs to be cleaned afterwards.

How to do it
First, check the turkey will actually fit in the microwave. Remove all the packaging and any metal clips, as well as the bag of giblets from the cavity. Sit the turkey breast-side up in the microwave. Have a look at your microwave manual if you’ve got one or set on the defrost function for 30 mins, then for 5 min bursts until defrosted. Clean the microwave thoroughly as soon as the turkey has been removed.

How long does it take?
This method could take up to an hour.

How do I know if my turkey is fully defrosted?

There are a few ways to tell if your turkey has defrosted, but for all of them, you’ll need to remove the packaging.

• Touch: remove the bag of giblets and put your hand in the cavity. Touch the inside of the breast bone around the cavity. This shouldn’t feel frozen at all. Press the breast meat – it should feel soft. If it’s solid, it’s still frozen.
• Wiggle: wiggle the legs and wings – they should be fairly loose. If they are stiff or can’t be moved, the turkey will need to be defrosted further.
• Temperature: you can insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the leg or breast. If it reads anything below 1C, the turkey is still frozen.

Need more festive cooking ideas? Check out our guides and recipes...

Video: How to carve a turkey
How to make turkey stock
Leftover turkey and ham recipes
Plan your Christmas lunch

What other essential turkey tips do you need? Leave a comment below...

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