This is when you should start thawing your turkey for Thanksgiving

As you prepare for Thanksgiving dinner, News4JAX is here to answer all your turkey-related questions.

To make sure the star of the show is ready for the big day, this is where you should start thawing your turkey.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, if a turkey is frozen, it is safe indefinitely. Once it starts to thaw, bacteria that were present before freezing will start to grow again. There are three safe ways to thaw a turkey: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave. A completely thawed turkey can last up to four days in the refrigerator before cooking.

The USDA recommends that people plan one day of thawing for every four to five pounds. Depending on the size of the turkey, some households may need to start thawing the weekend before. A 16- to 20-pound bird will need four to five days in the refrigerator to thaw completely. But if you have a smaller crowd, an 8- to 12-pound turkey can go into the refrigerator on Monday.

If you’re still not sure what size turkey to buy, here’s a good rule of thumb: you typically want two pounds per adult and one pound per child. If you’re still unsure, the Butterball calculators will tell you exactly what size bird you need and how much stuffing. You can even take into account leftovers and how much you normally eat.

Here you will find more information about thawing your turkey from the USDA:

Defrost refrigerator (recommended)

The USDA recommends thawing your turkey in the refrigerator. This is the safest method because the turkey thaws at a consistent, safe temperature. This method takes some time, so allow one day for every 4 – 5 pounds of weight. If your turkey weighs 16 pounds, it will take about four days to thaw. Once thawed, the turkey is safe for two days, so you can start thawing it six days before Thanksgiving (the Friday before Thanksgiving).

The other two methods (cold water and microwave) must be done immediately before you start cooking the turkey, so you’ll have to wait until Thanksgiving morning.

Cold water defrost

For the cold water method, leave the turkey in its original packaging and submerge it in a sink (or container) full of cold water. It is important that the water is cold so that the turkey remains at a safe temperature. You should change the water every 30 minutes. Pour out the water and replace it with fresh, cold water. Using this method, you should allow 30 minutes of defrosting time per pound, so a 16-pound turkey will take 8 hours to thaw using this method (so you may need to start around 4 a.m. if you want to eat in the afternoon!). Once the turkey is thawed, cook it immediately

Microwave defrost

Before you decide to thaw your turkey in the microwave, check your owner’s manual for the size turkey that will fit in your microwave, the minutes per pound, and the power level to use when thawing a turkey. Remove all outer wrapping and place the turkey on a microwave-safe dish to catch any juices that may leak. Use the weight-based defrost function. As a general rule, when defrosting a turkey in the microwave, allow 6 minutes per pound. Make sure to turn and even flip it several times during the defrosting process.

If the turkey actually starts to cook instead of just thawing, let it rest for about five minutes before continuing to thaw. Halfway through defrosting, you can cover the tips of the wings and drumsticks with a small piece of foil to protect them from the microwaves and prevent them from cooking. Once the turkey is thawed, cook it immediately.

How NOT to thaw a turkey

In case you’re wondering, here are some defrosting methods not recommended:

• Defrost a turkey on the counter, in the garage or on the back porch

• Thaw a turkey in a brown paper grocery bag or plastic garbage bag

• Defrosting a turkey in the dishwasher (with or without water)

• Any method that is not the refrigerator, cold water or microwave