How to Thaw Frozen Turkey Fast: How to Save Thanksgiving & Thaw a Frozen Turkey in a Day

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If you wake up on Thanksgiving and realize you forgot to thaw your turkey in the fridge for the required number of days, all is not lost. While it’s more labor intensive, it is possible to thaw a turkey at the last minute and still get dinner on the table.
Place the turkey in its original wrapper in a large bucket filled with cold water and let it thaw for 30 minutes per pound; a 12-pound bird would therefore take 6 hours. Here’s where it takes some work and vigilance: You have to change the water every half hour. (If the water warms up, bacteria can start grow in the bird.)
You can use this method on Thanksgiving (assuming you start early in the day) or on Wednesday. Better still, mark your calendar so you remember to let the bird thaw, fuss-free, in the fridge for as many days as needed.
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[@AmericasTestKitchen]

What Smart Cooks Do on Thanksgiving: How to Quickly Thaw a Frozen Turkey in 1 Day: bit.ly/11FLMKc

[@nmglass80]

the problem with just throwing it in the oven is super dry turkey. nobody likes super dry turkey.

[@ezrabrooks12]

I started to thaw mine in the Fridge 4 days before.THE DAMN BIRD WAS STILL FROZEN SOLID!!! I HAD TO GO TO THE WATER THAW METHOD!!! I WAS TRYING TO DO IT THE EASY WAY AND NOT TIE UP A SINK THAWING OUT A TURKEY!!! THIS CHRISTMAS I'LL BE USING THE KITCHEN FRIDGE AND NOT THE ONE IN THE GARAGE TO THAW MEAT!!!

[@CorneliusSneedley]

Or if you have a large sink in your laundry room, you can put that bucket in it, and leave the faucet cracked so there is constant small flow of water. This will thaw the bird even faster without need of manually changing the water.

[@ladylove32219]

That's how i do it at home.

[@sevinj7938]

@@zone07 How many ours would it take for lets say 13lb turkey in the sink that way?

[@sevinj7938]

@@zone07 Thank you so much for the response. I'll try and if I can measure the time I'll note in here:) Happy Thanksgiving!!!

[@L30_037]

Are you changing the water every 30 minutes to 1) replace the colder water with warmer water to facilitate thawing, or 2) to "keep bacterial growth in check?" How does changing the water keep growth in check?

[@josephcapra8484]

it keeps the water (and the outside of the turkey) from reaching temperatures in the danger zone ( like room temp)

[@madthumbs1564]

Wouldn't it thaw faster if the water could get inside it as well?

[@tielohnoms]

Yeah, but you would prefer it to be relatively dry inside.

[@madthumbs1564]

tielohnoms Thawing only from the outside leaves it with frost or ice chunks on the inside even when the meat is thawed. (It's going to be wet either way).

[@ezrabrooks12]

Doge/// YOUR'E GOING TO RINSE IT INSIDE AND OUT ANYWAY,THEN PAT IT DRY,SO WHY CARE IF WATER GETS INSIDE!!! I ACTUALLY PREFER TO LET WATER INSIDE, WHEN USING THE WATER METHOD.IT SPEEDS THINGS UP!!!

[@Chilax]

Thing i never understood turkey gets cooked way pass the killzone for bacteria so why about it.

[@TheLeesto]

bacteria isnt the only thing that makes you sick it's also the proteins that they produce or are comprised of and remember they do multiply exponentially. heating wont remove those proteins and so when you eat them you'll still get sick.

[@josephcapra8484]

best not to let them grow in the first place

[@AmericasTestKitchen]

What Smart Cooks Do on Thanksgiving: How to Quickly Thaw a Frozen Turkey in 1 Day: bit.ly/11FLMKc