Parrothead Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 I bought a frozen turkey yesterday afternoon. When I got it home I put it in the alternative 'fridge (mudroom) since there is plenty of room there. I checked on it a bit ago and it is not thawing. I don't know the exact temp out there, but it does not feel below freezing. Although it might be since it is 31* outside. Should I bring it inside during the day? It is about 55*F inside the house. Should I just give it more time? There is no room in the actual 'fridge. It is small and oddly positioned in the kitchen. I can't get the doors open all the way because of this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Cold water bath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Do you have an oven thermometer or something you can pop in the fridge and figure out the temperature of the outside fridge? I think it's supposed to be between 35 and 40 degrees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trresh Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 I think the rule is 1 day of thawing for every four or five pounds. How big is it? When are you cooking it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted November 21, 2011 Author Share Posted November 21, 2011 Do you have an oven thermometer or something you can pop in the fridge and figure out the temperature of the outside fridge? I think it's supposed to be between 35 and 40 degrees. I guess I should go get the garden thermometer and check. I thought it would be warm enough since the drinks out there are not frozen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanceXToo Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Cold water bath. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted November 21, 2011 Author Share Posted November 21, 2011 I think the rule is 1 day of thawing for every four or five pounds. How big is it? When are you cooking it? 16 pounds. I need to brine it Wednesday night for cooking on Thursday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoxcell Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Cold water bath. :iagree: I can never get them to thaw all the way through in the fridge. Just put it in a sink full of cold water, and change the water ever hour or two. There may even be instructions for this on your turkey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Peregrine Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Well, I leave mine in the counter during the day and put it away at night so you might not want to listen to me;) but that's what I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted November 21, 2011 Author Share Posted November 21, 2011 Well, I leave mine in the counter during the day and put it away at night so you might not want to listen to me;) but that's what I do. I was thinking about putting it in the sink during the day then back outside at night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trresh Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 I got this from the Butterball site: Cold-Water Thawing: Thaw breast side down, in unopened wrapper, in enough cold water to cover it completely. Change the water frequently to keep the turkey chilled. Estimate a minimum thawing time of 30 minutes per pound for a whole turkey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 I was thinking about putting it in the sink during the day then back outside at night. I'd be worried about it refreezing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted November 21, 2011 Author Share Posted November 21, 2011 I'd be worried about it refreezing. That would defeat the purpose, eh? :D I'll just leave it out there until Wednesday morning. I'll put it in the cold water bath while I'm making/cooling the brine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 I bought a frozen turkey yesterday afternoon. When I got it home I put it in the alternative 'fridge (mudroom) since there is plenty of room there. I checked on it a bit ago and it is not thawing. I don't know the exact temp out there, but it does not feel below freezing. Although it might be since it is 31* outside. Should I bring it inside during the day? It is about 55*F inside the house. Should I just give it more time? There is no room in the actual 'fridge. It is small and oddly positioned in the kitchen. I can't get the doors open all the way because of this. Do you have a thermometer you can put in that fridge? If you can adjust the temp, and get it up to about 38-40, it might thaw. I bet that fridge, being in an unheated room, is much colder than you'd normally keep a fridge. Or speed up the process by cold water bathing it and then return it to the fridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Yep. I do mine in a big cooler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 That would defeat the purpose, eh? :D I'll just leave it out there until Wednesday morning. I'll put it in the cold water bath while I'm making/cooling the brine. It will still take 8 hours to thaw in a cold water bath. So, you might want to do it overnight, changing the water in the morning and giving it a little extra time while making the brine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amey311 Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 can you count the brining time as part of the thawing? That would be a version of the cold water bath ;) that said, i read a story online of someone who thawed her turkey in a jacuzzi tub in the house - the water kept moving, as did the turkey. they started with cool water. i'm willing to believe it's an urban legend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 can you count the brining time as part of the thawing? That would be a version of the cold water bath ;) that said, i read a story online of someone who thawed her turkey in a jacuzzi tub in the house - the water kept moving, as did the turkey. they started with cool water. i'm willing to believe it's an urban legend. I'm willing to believe someone could actually get that desperate. ;) Not that I've ever forgotten to thaw a turkey or anything. I have so far neglected to buy one... :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margo out of lurking Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Not that I've ever forgotten to thaw a turkey or anything. I have so far neglected to buy one... :tongue_smilie: TWO years in a row I kept thinking, Ooh, I'll pick up that $.49/lb. turkey, except that both years, I went shopping on Wednesday--and they are frozen turkeys.:glare: I had to pay for the more expensive, thawed ones. I think I have finally learned this lesson though. This year, dh bought an 18 lb. turkey on Friday and keeps freaking me out by saying it won't defrost. It'd better thaw, or I'll be secretly bathing it all Wednesday night long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dahliarw Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 One year my BIL called us Thanksgiving morning asking how to thaw his completely frozen turkey! This thread is totally bringing up those memories. It was in a college apartment, so he ended up cold water bathing it in his bathtub because the sink wasn't big enough and eating LATE at night! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassoonaroo Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Then don't thaw it -- cook it from frozen: http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/barfblog (Right now, it's the third story down from the top but the guy who writes this blogs adds to it pretty frequently -- so it could be further down than that when you read this). The article says it takes 1.5 times as long to cook a turkey from frozen to cooked, but that it's perfectly safe. So, skip the jacuzzi, kitchen counter, back porch, and let it sit in the frig. If it is still frozen, simply throw it in the oven earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i.love.lucy Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Or, use the brine as part of the thawing bath. I just saw this mentioned on a live Food Network show on Saturday with Alton Brown. A refrigerator is only about 40*F, so you should be fine with putting it in the bath and setting it in the garage or someplace safe but cooler than the house. That way it thaws and brines at the same time. **BTW, is your house really 55*F inside? brrrrrrrr :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Don't brine it...yuck! And don't sweat it if it is slightly frozen still. Just do not stuff the turkey and it will cook fine, it just might take a little longer. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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