Three Easy Ways to Defrost Your Thanksgiving Turkey

Every year millions of frozen turkeys are bought for Thanksgiving.  And every year thousands don't make it to the table on time. With Thanksgiving right around the corner here are a few ways to make sure your turkey is defrosted in time.

Turkeys are a tricky things to defrost.  Many people don't know this, but there are three different ways to defrost a turkey.  I'm going to share them with you so that you can have plenty of time to cook it for Thanksgiving dinner.

1. Thaw in the Refrigerator

It takes 24 hours per 4-5 lbs of turkey to defrost.  So if you have 4-12 pound turkey it will take 1-3 days, 12-16 lbs will take 3-4 days, 16-20 lbs will take 4-5 days and 20-24 lbs will take 5-6 days.  Keep the turkey in its original wrapper. Place it on a tray or in a pan to catch any juices that may leak.

2. In Cold Water

Most people think that they can thaw a turkey in hot water, but that is not a good idea.  The best way is to defrost it in cold water.  But if you are going to do this, you must cook your turkey as soon as it is defrosted.  For a 4-12 lbs it take 2-6 hours, 12-16 lbs it takes 6-8 hours, 16-20 lbs it takes 8-10 hours and 20-24 lbs takes 10-12 hour.

Wrap your turkey securely, making sure the water is not able to leak through the wrapping. Submerge your wrapped turkey in cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes. do not refreeze.

3. Microwave

This will only work if your turkey fits in your microwave, so check your owner's manual for the size turkey that will fit in your microwave oven, the minutes per pound and power level to use for thawing.  Remove all wrapping and place on a microwave-safe dish to catch any juices that may leak.  Cook your turkey immediately. Do not refreeze or refrigerate your turkey after thawing in the microwave oven.

These are the best ways to defrost your turkey enjoy good luck and Happy Holidays fro The Hacker Morning Show!