Has it ever happened to you that you have forgotten to thaw out your turkey? Maybe it’s the day before Thanksgiving, and you start planning out your cooking strategy when you realize that the bird is still frozen?
Well, leaving it out on the counter overnight isn’t going to do the trick.
Enter today’s Quick Tip Friday.
Most turkeys, 14 pounds and heavier, take about a week to thaw out. This is your friendly reminder to thaw your turkey in the right amount of time, and how to thaw your turkey properly.
Pull your turkey out of the freezer, and place it in a rimmed baking pan or rimmed baking sheet.
Making sure you have enough room in your fridge, place your turkey in the refrigerator for a week to thaw. This is the safest and best way to thaw a turkey.
Also remember, you must allow time to brine your turkey, dry after brining, then of course cooking your turkey on Thanksgiving.
Here is what your time frame should look like:
- 9 Days before Thanksgiving, remove turkey from freezer and begin to thaw in fridge using the above technique.
- The Tuesday before Thanksgiving, make the brine and let turkey soak in brine for 24 hours.
- Day before Thanksgiving, pull turkey out of the brine. Place on metal rack over baking sheet and put turkey back in fridge to dry.
- Thanksgiving morning, pull turkey out of fridge 2 hours before you want to cook your turkey.
Follow these steps, and your turkey will be perfectly thawed and prepped for your big Thanksgiving feast.
Gobble! Gobble!
Enjoy today’s Quick Tip Friday!