How to Thaw a Turkey
- Most frozen turkey products should be thawed before cooking. Specifically, whole birds, bone-in breasts, ready-to-cook roasts and bulk frozen parts. Instruct your staff to plan ahead and properly thaw frozen turkey products to avoid service issues in your operation. The cooking times and quality of the finished product can vary greatly if not thawed first.
- In general, allow about 24 hours thawing time for every 4–5 pounds of whole body turkey and other large pieces of turkey.
- Some exceptions are fully cooked products such as meatballs, medallions and pulled or diced turkey, which can be used in the frozen state or tempered briefly in the refrigerator before use.
- It is recommended that all ready-to-cook turkey burgers and breakfast sausage products are cooked from a frozen state to maximize yield and finished product quality.
