How can I defrost a frozen turkey fast overnight?

[bleedingheart]

I need to make this bird tomorrow!

[darknemus]

1. Soak it in a metal container

filled with water. (keep the bird wrapped) the metal will draw out the cold from the bird.

-darknemus

[DemoTex]

5. Hmmmm? Shakey thermodynamics there Darknemus.

Heat lost equals heat gained. The H-2-O loses heat. The turkey bird gains heat. Any marginal heat transfer by the vessle should be minimal in a long-thaw process.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

2. They have these cool cold absorbing plates now...

Sit something frozen on it, and it absorbs all the cold...It's really awesome. I think the one we had we got at walmart or a kitchen place. Check walmart...
Duckie

[politicat]

7. Consumer Reports says....

That A) those things don't work any faster than putting item X on a standard plate and b) since they're hard to clean contribute to food poisoning.

Thanks, but no thanks.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

18. Sorry, I had no idea.

Duckie

[TXlib]

20. Sort of.

I bought one.

(The physicist in me wanted to run an experiment...)

I believe they're made of aluminum, or some alloy that has even better thermal conductivity.

And it's black, to enhance radiation heat transfer, although for something with as little surface area, radiation heat transfer will be a minor effect; it would need a fairly large heat sink/radiator to make that aspect useful.

Still, it is useful if you run a small trickle of hot water across the plate as your chicken or whatnot is thawing on it.

[corarose]

3. Don't leave it out on your sink

Is it small enough to put it in your microwave? I would defrost it halfway in the microwave and let it finish defrosting in the fridge overnight.

Or

Defrost it under cold running water.

That's how we are taught to do it in Culinary College.

[bleedingheart]

8. I have heard the cold water trick before...I may try to fit the

beast in the microwave!

[SOteric]

21. If you do partially or entirely defrost the bird in the microwave -

under no (NO) circumstances should you delay cooking the bird for another 24 hours. If the bird reaches a temperature above 40 degrees F., but under 140 degrees F, it becomes a bacteria culture which amplifies 3-fold every hour. After 4 hours, it's enough to make anyone who eats it very, very ill.

So...fine, thaw it in the microwave, but don't let it sit at room temperature and when you cook it, make sure you get to at least 155 in the centre or 165, even better.

[MrWinkle]

11. do that only on defrost setting (microwave)

or you overcook it and parts of it chewy.

[corarose]

13. Right & Double check to make sure it is on defrost

One time I thought that I was defrosting a chicken and it wasn't on defrost. I freaked out because it cooked it with the liver inside and it smelt so bad I had to go down the street to toss it out into the garbage can. That's when I had my house and I couldn't put it in the backyard because of the coyotes.

[scarlet_owl]

22. Welcome MrWinkle!

Glad you're here! Did you get your name from that cute little dog?

[newyawker99]

24. Hi MrWinkle!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[MissMillie]

4. you can't and you shouldn't try (n/t)

.

[Superfly]

6. Microwave it using the thaw setting...

Works every time, if you enjoy turkey jerky.

[Nailzberg]

9. I'd go to Boston Market cause I'm a lazy SOB

eom

[corarose]

23. I've done that before

Hell, It saved me time and I didn't have to clean the kitchen and dishes afterwords.

[hlthe2b]

10. From USDA and public domain so I include all:

Turkey Basics: Safe Defrosting
"The Big Thaw"
Turkeys must be kept at a safe temperature during "the big thaw." While frozen, a turkey is safe indefinitely. However, as soon it begins to defrost, any bacteria which may have been present before freezing can begin to grow again.

A package of frozen meat or poultry left thawing on the counter more than 2 hours is not at a safe temperature. Even though the center of the package may still be frozen, the outer layer of the food is in the "danger zone" between 40 and 140 °F -- at a temperature when foodborne bacteria multiply rapidly.

There are three safe ways to defrost food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave.

Handling Frozen Turkeys
Immediately after grocery store checkout, take the frozen turkey home and store it in the freezer -- or refrigerator, if you want to begin defrosting it.

Frozen turkeys should not be left on the back porch, in the car trunk, in the basement, or any place else where temperatures cannot be constantly monitored or ensured.

Refrigerator Thawing
When thawing a turkey in the refrigerator, there are several variables to take into account:

Plan ahead: allow approxi-mately 24 hours for every 5 pounds in a refrigerator set at 40 °F.
Some areas of an appliance may keep the food colder than others. A turkey placed in the coldest part will require longer defrosting time.
Refrigerator Thawing Times
(Whole turkey)

8 to 12 pounds..........1 to 2 days
12 to 16 pounds..........2 to 3 days
16 to 20 pounds..........3 to 4 days
20 to 24 pounds..........4 to 5 days
Foods defrosted in the refrigerator can be refrozen without cooking, but there may be some loss of quality.

Microwave Thawing
Follow the microwave oven manufacturer's instructions when defrosting a turkey. Plan to cook it immediately after thawing because some areas of the food may become warm and begin to cook during microwaving. Holding partially cooked food is not recommended because any bacteria present would not have been destroyed.

After cooking, meat from a turkey thawed in the microwave can be refrozen.

Cold Water Thawing
Allow about 30 minutes per pound. First be sure the food is in a leak-proof package or plastic bag. If the bag leaks, bacteria from the surrounding environment could be introduced into the food. Tissues can also absorb water like a sponge, resulting in a watery product.

Immerse the turkey in cold tap water. Check the water frequently to be sure it stays cold. Change the water every 30 minutes until the turkey is thawed.

Cold Water Thawing Times
8 to 12 pounds...........4 to 6 hours
12 to 16 pounds...........6 to 8 hours
16 to 20 pounds.........8 to 10 hours
20 to 24 pounds.......10 to 12 hours
A turkey thawed by the cold water method should be cooked immediately. After cooking, meat from the turkey can be refrozen.

For Further Information Contact:
FSIS Food Safety Education and Communications Staff
Meat and Poultry Hotline:

1-800-535-4555 (Tollfree Nationwide)
[phone] (Washington, DC area)
1-800-256-7072 (TDD/TTY)
Source:

Food Safety and Inspection Service,
Food Safety Education & Communications Staff
[phone]; Fax [phone]

http://southernfood.about.com/library/info/bltrkeyb.htm

[Maddy McCall]

14. LOL!! bleedingheart, in case you were considering defrosting it in the...

trunk, that's a big no no.

"Frozen turkeys should not be left on the back porch, in the car trunk, in the basement, or any place else where temperatures cannot be constantly monitored or ensured."

A frozen turkey on my back porch would be a defrosted carcass tomorrow morning, because Bisbee would have a heyday!

[hlthe2b]

15. I didn't notice that! Cute... although

my grandmother always left them on the back porch in northern Missouri-- but clearly it was cool enough in November/December...

[bleedingheart]

16. I will be sure not to put it in the trunk! hahaha

that was funny.

I am going to put it in the fridge downstairs and then microwave it in the morning...

[spinbaby]

25. Cold water is what I do

Leave turkey in bag, old water in sink, change water often, be patient. I think my instructions were from the Joy of Cooking.

[buff2]

12. AFTER you get it defrosted........

HOW TO COOK A TURKEY


1) Go buy a turkey.

2) Take a drink of whiskey (scotch) or Jack Daniels.

3) Put turkey in the oven.

4) Take another 2 drinks of whiskey.

5) Set the degree at 375 ovens

6) Take 3 more whiskeys of drink.

7) Turn oven the on.

8) Take 4 whisks of drinky.

9) Turk the bastey.

10) Whiskey another bottle of get.

11) Stick a turkey in the thermometer

12) Glass yourself a pour of whiskey.

13) Bake the whiskey for 4 hours.

14) Take the oven out of the turkey.

15) Take the oven out of the turkey.

16) Floor the turkey up off of the pick.

17) Turk the carvey.

18) Get yourself another scottle of botch.

19) Tet the sable and pour yourself a glass of turkey.

20) Bless the saying, pass and eat out.


:evilgrin:

[otohara]

17. Run It Under Cold Water

slowly - or go buy a defrosted one at a butcher shop or health food market and leave the frozen one for another day...

[corarose]

19. Thanksgiving is around the corner

Save it for Thanksgiving.