Help! Turkey defrost advice needed, 2.70kg bird

cazpumpkin

Ok, just went to look at the 2.70kg turkey crown I bought a few weeks ago from Sainsburys, it was a frozen crown and I took it straight home and put it in the freezer.




Just had a look at the defrosting instructions and usually defrosting instructions include how to defrost in two ways, in the fridge or on a tabletop at room temperature.


For the first time ive ever noticed it only gives instructions on defrosting in a fridge, it says defrost for 28 hours in a fridge below 4 degrees.


Well first off I don't have any space in the fridge although I could make space if forced. But I don't want to turn my fridge down from its usual 5 - 6 degrees in case the other food spoils.


So I would rather defrost on a tabletop.


But I don't want to give us all food poisoning so maybe that's why there are no defrost at room temp instructions on the bird, maybe its safer to defrost in the fridge.


So.... if I do defrost in the fridge but at 5 degrees rather than below 4 degrees it will take longer as that isn't as cold.


I was thinking of getting it out of the freezer and into my 5 degrees fridge tomorrow morning (Monday), this would allow 48 hours until xmas day morning (Wednesday) to thoroughly defrost.


so my options are


1/ defrost in the fridge at 5 degrees - Would 48 hours be enough time to thoroughly defrost as it says if you don't defrost thoroughly bacteria might survive the cooking process. the stated instructions say below 4 degrees fro 28 hours, this would be 5 degrees for 48 hours (assuming it wouldn't go off in the fridge before Wednesday hanging about)


2/ try and estimate how long it would take to defrost at room temperature - is this unadvisable from a food poisoning point of view as I wouldn't know how long to allow to defrost and I wouldn't want it hanging about getting warm and breeding bacteria


or


3/ defrost like it says below 4 degrees ( at 3 degrees) for 28 hours , , so this would mean taking it out of the freezer and putting it into the fridge at say 11 oclock Monday evening as im not getting up at 4am Tuesday morning, to cook once defrosted at 8am on xmas day, this would mean it would defrost in total for 32 hours and not 28 hours in the fridge


if I did do this would my other food (meats/cheeses/creams be safe at 3 degrees fro 32 hours?


so HELPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP




room temperature and how long fro a 2.70kg turkey crown or in the fridge

daisiegg

Erm, 5 degrees is hotter than 4 degrees so surely it will defrost more quickly not more slowly???

cazpumpkin

youre right.


My fridge is normally on 5 degrees, ive just turned it down to 4 degrees, im not going to below 4 as recommended for the turkey because everything in the fridge will start to freeze if its oto cold.


Ive read on another website you should defrost in a fridge not a room/cold water/microwave. as its safer


it says up to 12 pound bird takes 1` to 3 days to defrost or 24 hours for every 5 lbs.


Ive just put the bird in the bottom of my fridge at 6pm at 4 degrees and that will be 28 hours for defrosting which will be 10pm Monday night, will the bird be safe like that defrosted till 8am wed morning or should I not get it out of the freezer yet?

augustsmummy

5 degrees is warmer, so it will defrost faster (but not by much I wouldn't have thought).
Why don't you set the fridge to 4?
I can't see why having your fridge colder than usual would ruin the other food?
I have my fridge set at 2, and never had an issue with it ruining food.

cazpumpkin

Ive set the fridge to 4 degrees,


don't worry im not going to get the turkey out yet, ive read on another website defrost in the fridge at 4 degrees for 10/12 hours per kilo. As the bird is 2.70kg that's almost 3kg so that's 30 to 36 hours defrosting in the fridge .


So should I get it out 8am tomorrow morning and cook it 8am xmas day 48 hours later which gives it plenty of time to defrost thoroughly plus an extra 12 hours int he bottom of the fridge (is that safe?)


or do I leave it longer in the freezer? maybe get it out 8pm Monday evening that would be exactly 36 hours to 8am into the oven xmas day?


I would rather give it slightly longer than 36 hours so I know definitely its defrosted but would this be safe? once defrosted to have it in the fridge for an extra 12 hours before cooking


help anybody please xx

pigpen

Mine is going in the slowcooker frozen.. whether it likes it or not.

But if I were to defrost it I'd leave it in the fridge for as long as possible and leave overnight sat in the microwave (tabletop if I didn't have 6 cats) and cook in the morning.. I've got a crown for the first time this year so anything not eaten will be chucked in for casserole for Thursday..

augustsmummy

I would give it slightly longer than 36 hours. It will be fine in the fridge for a bit longer, better than it not being fully defrosted.

Just_be_2

Pigpen, I plan on doing mine in slow cooker too, not from frozen though (I'm having similar defrosting dilemmas!) but how long are you going to slow cook for? I read a recipe saying 7hours on low but I'm thinking to give it 9 on low to be safe? To do this I will have to get up at 3 am to put it in! Which I don't want to do! Any ideas?!

wallbash

All stop panicking. When in doubt defrost for longer , People are NOW buying and taking home fresh birds, so yours won't go off.

With todays weather, just store safely outside. A garage would be fine.

Laurajo_2

Yup, we normally pick our fresh turkey on the twenty second or twenty third and just keep it in the garage. Always been fine.

Jeepers, how big are your slow cookers to get a full turkey in?! I think I've got slow cooker envy! :rotfl:

pigpen

Just_be wrote: »

Pigpen, I plan on doing mine in slow cooker too, not from frozen though (I'm having similar defrosting dilemmas!) but how long are you going to slow cook for? I read a recipe saying 7hours on low but I'm thinking to give it 9 on low to be safe? To do this I will have to get up at 3 am to put it in! Which I don't want to do! Any ideas?!

Mine is going in at 9am and we'll eat it when it stops bleeding.. I'll just stab it a bit. I have a meat thermometer thing