Can You Buy A Thawed Out Turkey?
You shouldn’t :
- Leaving your turkey out on the counter to thaw
- Using the dishwasher to thaw your turkey
- Thawing your turkey in a paper or plastic trash bag
This is the safest method because the turkeywill thaw ata consistent, safe temperature. This method takes some time, so allow one day for each 4 – 5 pounds of weight. If your turkeyweighs 16 pounds, it will take about four days to thaw. See more result ››
If you want a fresh turkey, Ray says you should still buy it ahead. He suggests purchasing a fresh turkey the weekend before Thanksgiving. “Before it gets handled and all thrown around,” he says. When you take a fresh turkey home, leave it in the vacuum seal and store it on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
How Long Can You Keep a Fresh Turkey In The Refrigerator? Fresh turkey should keep in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. If you wait any longer, the meat might begin to show signs of spoilage. Store the bird in the coldest section of the fridge, and freeze it if you aren’t going to be able to cook it off within 48 hours.
They include:
- Leaving your turkey out on the counter to thaw
- Using the dishwasher to thaw your turkey
- Thawing your turkey in a paper or plastic trash bag
Where to thaw a turkey?
thawing a turkey on the counter, in the garage or on the back porch. thawing a turkey in a brown paper grocery bag or plastic garbage bag. using the dishwasher to thaw a turkey (with or without water) any method that is not the refrigerator, cold water, or the microwave.
Also, the meat tissue may absorb water, resulting in a watery product if you are thawing using cold water.
There are three safe ways to defrost a turkey: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in a microwave oven.
For the cold water method, leave the turkey in its original wrapping and submerge it in a sink (or container) full of cold water. It is important that the water be cold so that the turkey stays at a safe temperature. You should change the water every 30 minutes. Empty out the water and replace it with fresh cold water. With this method, allow 30 minutes of defrosting time per pound, so a 16 pound turkey will take 8 hours to thaw using this method (so you might need to start around 4 a.m. if you want to eat in the afternoon!). Once the turkey has thawed, cook it immediately
As a general rule, allow 6 minutes per pound when thawing a turkey in the microwave. Be sure to rotate it several times, and even flip it, during the thawing process. If the turkey starts to actually cook instead of just defrost, let it rest for 5 minutes or so before you resume thawing.
Once thawed, the turkey is safe for another two days, so you can start thawing it six days before thanksgiving (the Friday before Thanksgiving). The other two methods (cold water and microwave) must be done immediately before you start cooking the turkey, so you’ll have to wait until Thanksgiving morning.
Empty out the water and replace it with fresh cold water. With this method, allow 30 minutes of defrosting time per pound, so a 16 pound turkey will take 8 hours to thaw using this method (so you might need to start around 4 a.m. if you want to eat in the afternoon!). Once the turkey has thawed, cook it immediately.