Waking up on Thanksgiving morning to find your turkey still frozen solid can be a nightmare scenario. But don’t panic! With the right techniques you can still cook your frozen bird and save the holiday feast.
Assess the Situation
First, carefully check the turkey to determine if it’s completely frozen or just partly frozen. Feel the breast, thighs, and cavity to see if there’s any softness or if it’s solid ice throughout.
If the turkey is fully frozen, you’ll need to quickly but safely thaw it before roasting. Look up the size of your turkey and estimate how much total defrosting time it needs in the refrigerator – usually 24 hours for every 4-5 pounds.
Then figure out what time you realistically need to serve the meal. This lets you calculate how much thaw time you have to work with.
Choose a Quick Thaw Method
With a fully frozen turkey you’ll need to use a quick defrosting method to get it ready in time. Avoid any techniques that partially cook the turkey to speed things up.
Here are 2 safe quick thaw options:
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Cold Water Thaw – Submerge the wrapped turkey in a sink full of cold tap water, changing the water every 30 minutes. Allow 30 minutes per pound. For a 15 lb turkey, that’s 7-8 hours to thaw. Keep turkey refrigerated until ready to cook.
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Microwave Thaw – Check manufacturer guidelines for timing instructions. Microwave in 6 minute bursts per pound, flipping occasionally. This can defrost a 15 lb turkey in 1-2 hours. Cook immediately after microwaving.
Prep and Roast the Turkey
Once thawed, pat the turkey dry and remove the giblets. Season the outside of the turkey but don’t put seasonings in the cavities.
Roast the turkey at 325°F, allowing 15-20 minutes per pound. Use a meat thermometer to confirm it reaches 165°F in the breast and 180°F in the thighs. Let rest 30 minutes before carving.
Cook Turkey Pieces Separately
If there’s not enough time to thaw and roast the whole bird, break it down into parts. Remove the legs, wings, slice off the breast meat, and separate the thighs.
Cook the turkey pieces at 375°F in pans until they reach 165°F in the breast and 180°F in the thighs and legs. This takes 1-2 hours. Make gravy from the drippings.
Partially Frozen Turkey
If your turkey is still icy in some spots Thanksgiving morning, you have a few options:
- Continue thawing in the fridge if time allows
- Use a cold water bath to thaw cavity and thick areas
- Microwave to defrost problem spots
- Cook as-is, adding 50% more cooking time
- Deep fry turkey to finish thawing and cook it
Avoid Risky Thawing Methods
Never thaw turkey on the counter or in hot water. These techniques can lead to bacterial growth and food poisoning.
Cooking a frozen turkey without thawing is risky too, as the inside could still be frozen while the outside is cooked. Defrost first for food safety.
Cook Your Frozen Turkey Safely
Here are some additional tips for handling a frozen turkey:
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Use a meat thermometer to verify the internal temperature.
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Handle raw turkey carefully to avoid contamination.
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Discard any turkey not cooked to 165°F. Do not refreeze or recook.
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Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use within 3-4 days.
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Clean surfaces and utensils that touched raw turkey to prevent illness.
Don’t Let a Frozen Turkey Ruin the Feast
A frozen turkey on Thanksgiving can definitely cause panic. But with proper thawing techniques, food safety practices, and some adaptation, you can still put a delicious meal on the table. Prioritize defrosting the bird, allow extra cooking time, use a thermometer, and handle the turkey carefully. With some planning, even a solidly frozen turkey won’t stop you from enjoying the holiday!
What to do if your turkey is still frozen
Updated from an original article written by Beth Waitrovich, Michigan State University Extension.
To avoid the frozen bird disaster, plan ahead. Here are some safe ways of quickly thawing and preparing a frozen turkey.
Photo: Pexels/Monstera.
The turkey is still frozen, and you have a big gathering. It is still possible to safely thaw and prepare the turkey for your event.
First and foremost, do not thaw the turkey at room temperature on the counter! As the frozen turkey begins to thaw, any bacteria present before freezing will still be present after thawing. In addition, thawing the turkey at room temperature allows the bacteria to grow and multiply. This creates an unsafe meal despite being cooked.
According to Michigan State University Extension, it takes 24 hours per four to five pounds of turkey to thaw in the refrigerator. A 20-pound turkey takes four to five days to completely thaw in the fridge.
There are other ways to thaw a turkey, though.
One way is to submerge the turkey in cold water. To do this, leave the turkey in the original package and put it in a properly sanitized sink or container full of cold water under 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Set the timer for 30 minutes. Next, change the water, replacing it with cold water. Changing the cold water every thirty minutes until the turkey is completely thawed. A 20-pound turkey will take up to 10 to 12 hours to thaw, while a four- to 12-pound turkey will take two to six hours.
Once the turkey is thawed, it must be cooked to prevent further bacterial growth.
Check and follow your microwave manufacturer’s instructions for thawing the turkey. Once defrosted, cook the turkey immediately to prevent further bacterial growth. Since microwave ovens do not heat evenly, you may have a partially cooked turkey in one area and still frozen in another.
It is safe to cook a turkey that is frozen. A solidly frozen turkey will take 50% longer to cook than a thawed turkey. If it is only partially frozen, it will still take longer to cook than a thawed one.
Michigan State University Extension recommends using a food thermometer to determine if the turkey has reached a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the innermost portion of the thigh and thickest part of the breast. Only when the turkey has reached that temperature is it ready to serve. The oven should be at a minimum temperature of 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
For more information on safely preparing poultry, check out this Michigan Fresh Poultry factsheet.
How to Thaw a Frozen Turkey
FAQ
What do I do if my turkey isn’t fully defrosted?
Pro hack: Regardless of when you put it in the fridge, if it isn’t thawed by Wednesday morning, fill a stock pot 1/2-2/3 full of a good – chilled – turkey brine and soak that sucker in that, in the fridge till it’s go time. It will accelerate the defrosting and brine it in the same step.
Can I leave my turkey out overnight if it’s still frozen?
No, frozen meat should not be left out at room temperature overnight. When meat is left out, it can enter the “danger zone” (between 40°F and 140°F or 4°C to 60°C), where bacteria can multiply rapidly.
How do I defrost a turkey quickly?
- Thaw turkey breast side down, in an unopened wrapper, with enough cold water to cover your turkey completely.
- Change water every 30 minutes and if turkey cannot be completely covered, rotate every 30 minutes to keep the turkey chilled.
- You can expect 30 minutes of thawing per pound of turkey.
Can you cook a frozen turkey without thawing?
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Place turkey in a roasting pan breast side up
- Brush or spray with oil
- Roast until turkey is fully cooked, which could take 50% longer than a thawed turkey
- The turkey is done when the internal temperature reaches 170°F in the breast and thigh
- Remove from oven and let rest for 20-30 minutes
- Carve and serve
Can You Thaw a frozen turkey?
How to safely thaw a frozen turkey. This option can thaw even a large turkey in time for the holiday. Here’s how to do it safely, according to the USDA: Submerge the wrapped turkey in cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes. Cook the turkey immediately after it is thawed. Allow about 30 minutes per pound. So that would be:
How do you defrost a frozen turkey?
Equipment – A big roasting pan, preferably with a wire rack to hold the roast turkey up above the drippings. If your turkey is frozen, you will need to completely defrost it in the refrigerator before you even remove any of the packaging. Place your bird in a deep roasting pan in the fridge to catch any juices that may run out.
Can you submerge a frozen turkey?
Here’s What to Do Submerge the turkey in a cold-water bath. The water will need to be changed every 30 minutes and it will take roughly 30 minutes per pound of turkey. Just cook it frozen. It’s perfectly safe to cook a frozen turkey, although it will take about 50% longer to do so.