While frozen, a turkey is safe indefinitely. As soon as it begins to thaw, bacteria that may have been present before freezing will begin to grow again. There are three safe ways to defrost a turkey: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in a microwave oven.
The holiday season is approaching, and for many families, that means roasting a turkey for gatherings with loved ones One of the first steps in preparing the perfect turkey is proper thawing But is it safe to defrost a turkey on the counter or at room temperature?
The short answer is no. Defrosting a turkey at room temperature is risky and provides the ideal conditions for bacteria like salmonella to multiply rapidly. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) explicitly warns against this method for food safety reasons.
In this article, we’ll cover why room temperature thawing can be dangerous, safe alternative defrosting methods recommended by experts, answers to common questions, and tips to keep your holiday turkey safe.
Dangers of Defrosting Turkey at Room Temperature
Freezing keeps a turkey safe by halting bacteria growth. But as soon as it begins to thaw any harmful bacteria present before freezing can start multiplying again. The temperature danger zone for rapid bacteria growth is between 40°F and 140°F – right in the range of most room temperatures.
Here are some of the specific risks the USDA cites with room temperature thawing:
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Rapid Bacteria Growth: Room temperature provides ideal conditions for bacteria like salmonella to multiply quickly.
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Partial Thawing The outer parts of the turkey thaw first while the cavity remains frozen longer, creating uneven temperatures that further encourage bacteria.
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Time: It takes hours to defrost a large frozen turkey at room temperature, allowing more time for dangerous bacteria levels to grow.
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Cross-Contamination: Raw turkey juices dripping around your kitchen can spread bacteria to surfaces, hands, and food.
Consuming turkey contaminated with pathogens like salmonella can cause severe foodborne illness. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fever. For high-risk groups like the elderly, ill, or infants, it can even become life-threatening.
Safest Methods for Defrosting Turkey
To avoid the risks of room temperature defrosting, food safety experts including the USDA recommend these safe alternatives:
Refrigerator Defrosting
- Place the frozen turkey sealed in its original wrapper on a tray to catch juices.
- Allow 24 hours of defrosting time per 4-5 pounds of turkey weight.
- Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below throughout the process.
Cold Water Defrosting
- Submerge the turkey sealed in its wrapper in a sink or tub of cold water.
- Change the water every 30 minutes to keep it cold.
- Allow 30 minutes defrosting time per pound of turkey.
Microwave Defrosting
- Check appliance manual for directions. Cook turkey immediately after thawing.
- Rotate and flip during the defrost cycle.
- Confirm ice crystals are gone and minimal juices are frozen.
The refrigerator method keeps the turkey consistently chilled at safe temperatures under 40°F. The cold water method speeds thawing while keeping the turkey cold. The microwave defrosts the fastest, but partially cooks the turkey.
Frequently Asked Turkey Defrosting Questions
To clear up any other concerns around turkey defrosting methods, here are answers to some common questions:
Is it safe to defrost turkey on the counter or at room temperature?
No. Room temperature defrosting is unsafe and provides ideal conditions for bacteria to grow rapidly. Always use recommended methods.
How long does it take to defrost a turkey in the refrigerator?
Allow 24 hours of defrost time in the refrigerator for every 4-5 lbs of turkey weight. For example, a 16 lb turkey will take about 4 days to defrost.
Can you defrost a turkey in warm or hot water?
No. Only use cold water for faster defrosting. Warm water can promote bacteria growth on thawing meat.
Is it safe to cook a partially frozen or fully frozen turkey?
Yes, but it will require significantly longer cooking time. Use a meat thermometer to confirm the turkey reaches 165°F at the thickest part before serving.
Can you defrost a turkey at room temperature if it’s sealed in a bag?
No. Bacteria can still multiply rapidly in the outer layers despite the bag. Follow recommended defrosting methods only.
Can you defrost a turkey outside in the cold?
No. Outdoor temperatures fluctuate and can reach unsafe bacteria growth levels. Only use refrigerator, cold water, or microwave defrosting.
Can you refreeze a thawed turkey?
Turkey thawed in the refrigerator can be safely refrozen, but quality may decline. It’s best to cook thawed turkey immediately.
Turkey Food Safety Tips
Follow these tips for a safe and delicious holiday turkey:
- Never defrost turkey at room temperature or in standing water. Use only recommended methods.
- Cook turkey immediately after microwave defrosting until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Refrigerate thawed turkey if not cooking immediately and use within 2 days.
- Wash hands, utensils, sinks, and anything in contact with raw turkey juices to avoid cross-contamination.
- Use a meat thermometer to verify full cooking to 165°F in the thickest section.
- Refrigerate cooked turkey within 2 hours and discard after 3-4 days.
The Bottom Line
While room temperature defrosting seems quick and easy, it poses major food safety risks and provides ideal conditions for dangerous bacteria growth. For a worry-free holiday meal, always thaw turkey using the refrigerator, cold water, or microwave methods recommended by food safety experts. Following proper defrosting, cooking, storage, and handling procedures will keep your turkey delicious and your holiday gathering safe from foodborne illnesses.
How NOT to Thaw a Turkey
In case you are wondering, here are some thawing methods that are not recommended:
- 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
3 Ways to Thaw a Turkey
The USDA recommends thawing your turkey in the refrigerator. This is the safest method because the turkey will thaw at a consistent, safe temperature. This method takes some time, so allow one day for each 4 – 5 pounds of weight. If your turkey weighs 16 pounds, it will take about four days to thaw. 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.
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
Before you commit to thawing your turkey in the microwave, check your owner’s manual for the size turkey that will fit in your microwave oven, the minutes per pound and the power level to use when thawing a turkey. Remove all outside wrapping and place the turkey on a microwave-safe dish to catch any juices that may leak. Use the defrost function based on weight. 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. Partway through thawing you may wish to cover the tips of the wings and drumsticks with a small piece of foil to shield them from the microwaves and keep them from cooking. Once the turkey has thawed you should cook it immediately.