How long does it take to defrost a turkey?

FREE ROAS Calculator! for businesses. World's easiest FREE ROAS Calculator. Calculate your AD spending budget, profits, and losses in advance. Don't miss out on maximizing your returns!

Calculate Now

You’ve got to handle that bird with care (Picture: Getty Images)

Christmas and the all-important Christmas dinner are almost upon us.

Preparing the traditional turkey is a high stakes endeavour, what with the fact that it’s the focal point of a meal we’ve all been looking forward to for weeks.

On top of that, turkey is a bird that can make people very sick if it’s not prepared safely, so it deserves your utmost attention.

If your turkey is frozen, the process of thawing it needs to be a careful one.

Here’s what you need to know about how to thaw that bird and keep everybody happy and healthy for Christmas.

How to thaw a turkey

If your turkey doesn’t come with thawing instructions on the packaging, then a good rule of thumb is that it takes 12 hours per one kg.

So, for example, if your turkey is two and a half kg, then it will likely take around 36 hours to thaw.

The safest and simplest way to defrost the bird is in the fridge, where the temperature is easily controlled.

Let’s hope he defrosted that turkey properly (Picture: Getty Images)

All you need to do is put the bird in a bowl or container large enough to collect the juices as it thaws.

Be careful not to get the juices on any surfaces – whatever the juices and raw meat touch will need to be washed thoroughly to get rid of bacteria. This includes hands and clothes.

If you can set the temperature of your fridge, 4C is a good temperature to thaw the bird and keep it safe.

You can test whether your turkey is totally defrosted by putting your hand inside the cavity to see if it still feels frozen.

More: Lifestyle

Even after a vaccine, can we ever go back to normal?

33 ideas to have a Zoom Christmas party that isn't rubbish

Tips for getting through Christmas when you have an eating disorder

If it’s thawed, the breast meat should feel soft.

If you’ve got a probe thermometer, stick that into the thickest part of the bird’s breast and check that it reads above 1C – anything below that and it’s still frozen.

Do you have a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk

MORE : Don’t fancy cooking Christmas dinner? These delivery services will do it for you

MORE : Christmas dinner rules this year – from how many people can get together to safely sharing food

MORE : How to cook perfect chestnuts this Christmas – from roasting to making stuffing

source https://metro.co.uk/2020/12/19/christmas-dinner-how-long-does-it-take-to-defrost-a-turkey-13776171/