When to start thawing a frozen turkey?

Frozen Whole Turkeys and Frozen Whole Turkey Breasts need to be thawed before cooking. For the best results, follow one of these methods: Refrigerator Thawing. Thaw breast side up, in an unopened wrapper on a tray in the fridge (40 degrees F or below). Allow at least 1 day of thawing for every 4 lbs. Keep turkey in original wrapper and place on tray. read more

While frozen, a turkey is safe indefinitely. As soon as it begins to thaw, bacteria that may have been present before freezing will begin to grow again. There are three safe ways to defrost a turkey: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in a microwave oven. read more

While frozen, a turkey is safe indefinitely. However, as soon as it begins to thaw, any bacteria that may have been present before freezing can begin to grow again. A package of frozen meat or poultry left thawing on the counter more than 2 hours is not at a safe temperature. read more