Refrigerator Thawing Times for a Frozen Turkey :
- 4- to 12-pound turkey — 1 to 3 days
- 12- to 16-pound turkey — 3 to 4 days
- 16- to 20-pound turkey — 4 to 5 days
- 20- to 24-pound turkey — 5 to 6 days
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When properly stored, raw turkey pieces should stay good in the freezer for up to 9 months, while whole raw turkeys last for a year when frozen. Cooked turkey pieces last in the freezer for 2–6 months. Is a frozen turkey as good as fresh?
Turkey and other cooked food can safely be left out of the refrigerator for no longer than two hours. If the temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit where the food is held, whether indoors without air conditioning or outside, the safe window decreases to one hour. After that, it should go into the refrigerator pronto.
According to the Butterball Turkey Talk Line, you can keep a turkey stored in the freezer up to two years and it’s still safe to cook. Make sure your turkey is unopened. For the best quality, the USDA recommends using the frozen turkey within the first year of storage. How long can a turkey be frozen before it goes bad?
How long can you keep a frozen turkey in the refrigerator?
Have you ever wondered how long you can keep a turkey frozen in the refrigerator without it spoiling? The simple answer is that it is safe to eat a turkey that has been in the freezer for a year or two.
For best results with frozen turkeys, it is recommended that you consume them within a year of freezing and cook properly.
A frozen turkey can be thawed in three different ways: in a container of cold water, in the refrigerator, or in a microwave. Though it is the slowest method, thawing in a refrigerator is also the best method. This is because the turkey can be thawed in a controlled environment.
Utilize the defrost function depending on the weight of the turkey. As a rule of thumb, thaw for six minutes for every pound of frozen turkey.
A frozen turkey can be thawed in three different ways: in a container of cold water, in the refrigerator, or in a microwave.
The reason for this is that freezing food slows the movement of molecules which ensures that the microbes enter a dormant stage. Freezing food as such preserves it for extended periods of time because the growth of microorganisms that cause food spoilage and foodborne illnesses is prevented.
To accurately determine the internal temperature, use a digital food thermometer on the turkey. There are other ways of determining the temperatures in the kitchen as well such as basing one’s judgment on how brown the bird looks.