Letting Ground Turkey Thaw in the Fridge
Place the frozen ground turkey in the fridge in its package or a leak-proof dish. Make sure that the ground turkey is in sealed packaging so that it does not leak as it thaws. Place the ground turkey, in its packaging, in a dish or a plastic bag just in case it leaks. Put the ground turkey on a shelf or in a drawer in your fridge away from any open foods, such as fruits and vegetables, just in case there are any leaks. Never thaw frozen ground turkey on the counter because bacteria can develop on the outer parts of the meat that warm up first.
Leave the ground turkey in the fridge for up to a day until it thaws. The time the turkey takes to thaw will vary based on the temperature of your refrigerator. Even 1 lb (0.45 kg) of ground turkey will take 12-24 hours to thaw. The back and bottom of the fridge generally stay the coldest. Cold air sinks to the bottom, and warm air rushes in the front of the fridge every time you open the door.
Cook the ground turkey within 1-2 days after it thaws. The ground turkey will stay good up to 2 days after it thaws. Refreeze it within this timeframe if you will not be able to cook it all. If you don’t want to wait until the turkey is thawed all the way, keep in mind that it is perfectly safe to cook it while it is still all or partly frozen. It will just take about 50% longer to cook this way than thawed ground turkey. You can also finish thawing the turkey in a dish of cold water or in the microwave. Keep in mind that the meat will begin to lose quality the more you thaw and refreeze it. This is due to loss of moisture every time you thaw it out.
Defrosting Ground Turkey in the Microwave
Put the ground turkey on a microwave-safe plate or dish. Take the turkey out of its packaging and place it on a plate or dish. Make sure the plate or dish has at least 1 in (2.5 cm) of room between the turkey and the sides so that any juices don't spill over the edges. Don’t put the turkey in the microwave in its regular packaging because it can melt or catch on fire.
Defrost the turkey at 50% power for 2 minutes per 1 lb (0.45 kg). Put the ground turkey in the microwave and set the power to 50%, or use the defrost function. Keep defrosting it in increments of 1 minute if it is still not thawed after the initial cook time. Rotate the meat in the microwave after the first 2 minutes if you need to defrost it longer. This will help it thaw evenly since microwaves have some spots that get hotter than others.
Cook the ground turkey right away after it is thawed. You need to cook the ground turkey quickly after you thaw it in the microwave to avoid letting bacteria grow. Refrigerate or freeze any leftovers after you cook the turkey. Some of the ground turkey will likely start to cook while it thaws in the microwave, which is why it is easier for bacteria to grow on turkey thawed in this way. If the turkey is already partially defrosted, then start with 1 minute per 1 lb (0.45 kg) instead of 2 minutes.
Thawing Ground Turkey with Cold Water
Place the ground turkey in a sealed plastic bag. Take the turkey out of its store packaging and put it in a plastic bag with a zipper seal, or other hermetic plastic bag. Make sure the meat is completely sealed inside the bag to prevent bacteria and water from getting in. This method of thawing is much faster than letting the turkey thaw in the fridge, but requires you to pay more attention during the process. Thawing ground turkey in cold water will defrost it more evenly than in a microwave because the temperature is even all around.
Place the bag with the turkey in a big bowl or container and fill it with cold water. Make sure the bowl or container is large enough that you can completely submerge the bag with the turkey. Fill it almost to the top with cold water and set it in the sink or on a counter. Never use hot water to thaw ground turkey because this will greatly increase the likelihood of dangerous bacteria.
Leave the turkey for at least 1 hour and change the water every 30 minutes. It will take about 1 hour for every 1 lb (0.45 kg) of ground turkey to thaw. Change the water every half hour to make sure it stays cold and reduce the risk of bacteria growth. Set an alarm on your phone or a watch to remind you to check on the turkey and change the water. If the turkey is already partially thawed, then it might only take 30 minutes to finish thawing it in cold water.
Cook the turkey as soon as it has thawed completely. You will need to cook the ground turkey right away to avoid potential bacteria growth. Put any cooked leftovers in the fridge or freezer. Remember that it is okay to cook the turkey even if it has not thawed completely. The frozen parts will just take a bit longer to cook, but you can do this if you don’t want to wait for it to thaw all the way. If the turkey is not thawing fast enough in the water, you can finish defrosting it in the microwave.
Comments
0 comment