There are one or two safe ways to thaw a turkey. They increase the chances of the meat becoming rubbery. Our suggestion is to thaw your bird slowly in the fridge over a few days – the right way. Whatever you do, don’t even think about using this microwave.

Defrost a turkey beforehand thanksgiving takes a long time – much longer than cooking. To safely move the bird from frozen to thawed, you need to do it right. This will take several days, even for a small or medium-sized turkey.

Below is the slow, yet very easy, way to safely defrost your turkey before your holiday celebration this year. If you’re serving something other than turkey, such as brisket, leg of lamb, pork shoulder, or duck, and need to thaw your main dish, the same techniques work best for almost any cut of meat.

Can you defrost or roast a turkey at room temperature?

No. It is not safe, nor recommended, to thaw a turkey, rib roast, or other large piece of meat at room temperature. The key to safe thawing is not to heat any part of the meat to around 40 degrees Fahrenheit for an extended period of time, otherwise food-borne bacteria will begin to grow and multiply. Thawing smaller cuts of meat like steaks and pork tenderloins at room temperature may get the job done, but larger cuts of meat take so long to thaw that you can’t safely thaw them this way.

The best way to thaw holiday meat: Use your refrigerator

This method is the most time-consuming option but produces the best results: the USDA suggests Refrigerate 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds set to 40 degrees Fahrenheit or less, meaning you need to allow a few days or up to a week for a large bird. This method requires the least amount of effort. All you have to do is place your turkey in a container to catch any drips and let it hang (covered) in the fridge.

To make sure your turkey (and any other meat) you serve is safe to eat, get a meat thermometer. It’s an affordable investment that will help you find out when your food is ready and keep your guests safe.

Details

How long does it take to thaw a frozen turkey?

Here’s a snapshot of how long it might take to thaw a frozen turkey of varying weights. See? It’s definitely wise to have a plan and set an alarm for the day your turkey needs to come out of the freezer.

• 4 to 8 pounds: 24 hours
• 8 to 12 pounds: 36 hours
• 12 to 16 pounds: 4 days
• 16 to 20 pounds: 5 days
• 20 to 24 pounds: 6 days

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The quickest (safest) way to thaw a large piece of meat: Use cold water

This method of defrosting a turkey is quicker than refrigerating, but requires a few more steps. Start by placing the turkey in a leak-proof bag and placing it in a cold tap water bath in the sink or in a large container (such as a cooler or clean recycling bin). The USDA recommends changing the water every 30 minutes. I’ve found that it’s easiest to thaw your turkey in a cooler with a tap: This allows you to easily drain the water to make room for fresh water – or drain it completely once the bird is thawed. It takes about 30 minutes per pound to completely thaw your turkey this way.

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Can you defrost meat in the microwave?

The USDA says you can defrost a turkey in the microwave as long as you follow the product instructions and cook it immediately after defrosting. Even if it can fit a large brisket or bird, I would be extremely cautious about relying on a microwave to defrost such a large piece of meat. I would suggest avoiding the microwave at all costs. Even whole chickens are difficult to defrost well in the microwave and are usually half the size of a turkey.

If at all, use the defrost function for just a few minutes to start and then use a combination of the cold water bath and refrigerator methods above to thaw your turkey. Don’t use all the time your microwave suggests to thaw this amount of frozen meat, especially not all at once. It won’t be pretty, I promise you.

For more Turkey Day tips, check out 6 Ways People Screw Up Turkey about Thanksgiving and how to do it Make crispy filling in the air fryer.