Crisis Averted — This Is How To Quickly Defrost A Turkey

If your turkey hasn’t defrosted in time or you’ve forgotten… whatever the reason, there is still an opportunity to rescue it. Don’t worry, we’ve got this and, if it doesn’t defrost in time, just think, you can have turkey on Boxing Day. You rebel, you lawless scamp.

First thing’s first, this should go without saying but if you haven’t already taken it out of the freezer, make sure you do that immediately.

Then, there are several things you can try to do to get that turkey thawed in time for festivities. 

How to quickly defrost a turkey

Thaw it in cold water

According to The Kitchn, you can thaw your turkey in water to speed up the defrosting process. To do this, you need to put your turkey into a plastic bag and submerge it into cold tap water. 

They recommend 30 minutes for every lb, and the water should be refreshed every half an hour.

Don’t use warm water to try and speed up the process as this puts you in danger of food poisoning.

Additionally, ensure that your turkey is completely submerged and use a pot to weigh it down if needed. 

Cook it from frozen

Yes, you can do this!

The meat experts at Butcherbox say: “Remove the wrapping and place your completely frozen turkey breast side up on a roasting pan.

“Cook on the middle or bottom rack of the oven at 325 degrees. The turkey will take longer to cook (at least 50% longer than thawed). But it will be done on time with some simple math.”

They offer these timing guidelines: 

8-12 pound turkey = 4 to 5 hours

12-14 pound turkey = 5 to 5.5 hours

14- to 18-pound turkey = 5.5 to 6.5 hours

18- to 20-pound turkey = 6.5 to 7 hours

20- to 24-pound turkey = 7 to 8 hours

Their full advice can be found here.

Microwave it

Admittedly, this one is a little tricky and only really works for small turkeys but according to BBC Good Food, you can actually do it.

BBC Good Food say: “First, check the turkey will actually fit in the microwave. Remove all the packaging and any metal clips, as well as the bag of giblets from the cavity. Sit the turkey breast-side up in the microwave.

“Have a look at your microwave manual if you’ve got one or set on the defrost function for 30 mins, then for 5 min bursts until defrosted. Clean the microwave thoroughly as soon as the turkey has been removed.”

This can take up to an hour to fully defrost the turkey. 

Good luck!