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It’s not like the holidays are stress free but having a frozen turkey just hours before it needs to go in the oven? That’s enough to upset even the Good Humor guy!
And since most families will cook at least one turkey dinner this Holiday Season, it a good bet some of them are going to still be a bit frozen when they should be getting stuffed!
When defrosting a turkey, safety must be the first concern, even when you are pressed for time.
And while you can always make a note to “start earlier next year,” there are some ways to shortcut the process this year.
§ While refrigerator thawing is always recommended, there may not always be enough time. While we are often tempted to thaw the turkey at room temperature, that can allow bacteria to grow and therefore is never a recommended idea.
§ At this point your best choice is to submerge the turkey in cold water. Leave the turkey unopened (in its wrapper) and place it, breast down, in the sink. With cold water, fill the sink until the turkey is covered. Change the water every hour.
§ A totally frozen turkey takes approximately 30 minutes per pound but a partially thawed turkey will thaw much faster.
If the turkey is taking its sweet time and you have guest coming, you can consider adding a couple of appetizers pre-dinner or, serving a soup as a first course. That way nobody will know they are waiting on a slow turkey!
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