Defrosting turkey

Ticklemouse

Anthony Wozzer-T is on the telly as I type telling us how to defrost a turket safely...

He says:

Don't defrost a turkey at room temp (I suppose the outside will start to go off before the inside is defrosted)

NEVER defrost a turkey under running (esp) warm water

Allow 1 day per 2 kg!! (Yes, that means a 25lb/11kg turkey will take 5 days :eek:

So - bung it in a roasting tin (To catch drips) and put it in your fridge TODAY!!

(I used to put mine in the garage seeing as it was a cold as the fridge)

HTH

Mr_Proctalgia

My fridge runs at 2Deg C. Chickens and Gammons never defrost! I tried leaving a 5 pound joint in there for a week and it was still all ice crystals inside. I leave stuff to defrost on a wire over my roasting tin and it still takes two days for normalish chicken to fully defrost.
Whatever you do, take care and ensure is is at room temp before it goes into the oven - Saves money and bad tummies too!!

HTH

Angelraesunshine

oh goodness well theres no chance of it going in to the fridge now is full of other bits and no meat seems to defrost in there or takes about 2/3 days for pork chops etc.

will still have to be the draining board i do on a rack over the roasting tin think best bet is the evening on Saturday

thanks for your help

Nanaof2

If you have no room in the fridge to defrost the turkey (does anyone) place it in a clean bucket full of cold water. Change the water every few hours and the turkey will defrost safely and with no messy drips going every where.
With this method you can put the bucket safely in porch, garage, shed etc if reqd. When the turkey starts to feel soft on outside. undo tag and remove any giblets which have been put in the body cavity as this will then speed up the defrosting and you can boil giblets for gravy in advance if reqd.
I have used the method many times over the years and its a method my Mum used when I was a child.
For your 8kg turkey I start doing this 1st thing Sunday

soappie

I would have thought with the cold weather we've had these last few days, it would be quite safe to gently defrost in a car rather than a kitchen.

pigpen

I've put mine outside in the shed!!

It is 1'C out there at the moment.. I am cooking mine on Monday and it is about 11kg.. I need to get the piece of pig out in the morning to defrost too!

Aren't I glad Ihave 2 ovens!!.. my mother is too.. I end up cooking her pig because she can't fit it in her oven with the gobbler gobbler!

Dustykitten

Flyladies I'm glad you're all as organised as ever

Angelraesunshine

Nanaof2 wrote: »

If you have no room in the fridge to defrost the turkey (does anyone) place it in a clean bucket full of cold water. Change the water every few hours and the turkey will defrost safely and with no messy drips going every where.
With this method you can put the bucket safely in porch, garage, shed etc if reqd. When the turkey starts to feel soft on outside. undo tag and remove any giblets which have been put in the body cavity as this will then speed up the defrosting and you can boil giblets for gravy in advance if reqd.
I have used the method many times over the years and its a method my Mum used when I was a child.
For your 8kg turkey I start doing this 1st thing Sunday

wish i knew about that one sooner but with the extension all buckets are full of plaster lol dont fancy sharing that with my turkey

Tigerlilley1980

Hi there I was just wondering if anyone can answer my question about my turkey. I realise that everyone posted here last Christmas but it's better than starting a new thread. I have read through your previous posts and will be putting my turkey in the fridge tonight to defrost for Christmas Eve cooking. Do I leave my turkey in the packaging to defrost or will it be better unwrapped and put in foil? I was going to sit it in a baking tin whatever in the bottom of the oven but completely unsure this year as last year I bought a fresh one. The turkey feeds 8 people but without going in the freezer I can't remember the weight. Any help would be greatly appreciated, Many thanks x

billieboy_2

Just a warning. I took mine out Sunday morning (along with a ham) and put in fridge. This morning when I checked they were still hard as a rock:eek:. So I've now put them in a cold room for a bit. The guidance notes for the turkey said thaw for at least 36 hours in a fridge. So by that reckoning the turkey could have been thawed by teatime today:rolleyes:.