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Original poster

My DF is defrosting my turkey now! Help

53 replies

andjustlikethisorthat · 21/12/2023 14:00

I'm really funny with meat anyway but this is turning my stomach already.
Is this right? They have put the frozen turkey crown in the fridge to slowly defrost yesterday. (Wednesday) so 4-5 days to defrost. Is this right?

I dont feel like eating it already

OP posts:
Warwickshireisnice · 21/12/2023 15:13

Like you OP if there’s a slither of doubt I wouldn’t be able to eat it - I haven’t eaten meat for decades but feel the same about fish now

MistletoeandJd · 21/12/2023 15:15

What weight is it?

ohtowinthelottery · 21/12/2023 15:16

My parents used to defrost the turkey in the bath for days when I was a child. I'm still here!

TeenagersAngst · 21/12/2023 15:23

I can't believe the turkey threads I'm reading on here at the moment. There just seems to be such a lack of confidence/common sense about food preparation - and don't get me started on people chucking stuff in the bin at a moment's notice.

Dutch1e · 21/12/2023 15:25

It will absolutely be fine. The crucial thing is that it's defrosting in the fridge and not getting into that danger zone of temp.

But if you're feeling weird about it you will never enjoy it so yes, buy a little chicken.

snowitall · 21/12/2023 15:26

Our fresh cockerel arrived today and will stay in the fridge so I don’t think there’s anything wrong with defrosting now as surely it’s the same?

idontlikealdi · 21/12/2023 15:29

I can take 2 days for a pack of mince to defrost in my fridge. It will be fine.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 21/12/2023 15:32

I never defrost in the fridge, you'd have a fit at my house 🤣

Chewbecca · 21/12/2023 15:35

I think it'll be fine, after all, I know my (fresh) turkey is sitting in a fridge somewhere right now, before I pick it up. There is a greater risk from it not being fully defrosted OR from it being defrosted at room temperature.

gotomomo · 21/12/2023 15:36

It's fine, the fresh ones arrived in the shop days ago

verrymerryberry · 21/12/2023 15:37

Yes is safer to do it in the fridge from now on.

If you don't you risk ice crystals in the middle of the meat and therefore higher risk.

Defrosting a home frozen bird is really tricky but if it was bought frozen it will have been blast frozen from fresh. So you will have time from when it is throughly defrosted.

You need a temp probe really to see how cold it is. If you are funny about meat invest in a thermapen.

Spirallingdownwards · 21/12/2023 15:38

You are mire likely to be ill if it isn't defrosted enough. Getting a little chicken for you and DS is over the top and trying to teach DS to be unreasonable roo.

SlightlygrumpyBettyswaitress · 21/12/2023 15:55

Honestly mine has been in the fridge since last week. Marks turkey crown, best before date is the 26th.

FrenchandSaunders · 21/12/2023 16:02

Blimey I've never understood this kind of palaver with turkeys .... I just buy a boned, stuffed crown ... bung it in the oven on xmas day for about 2 hours.

ConsistentlyElectrifiedElves · 21/12/2023 16:05

My M&S turkey was dated 27th and I still froze it! It says on the pack to take it out 2 days before, but our fridge is very cold (3 degrees), so I might take it out tomorrow to be on the safe side. I froze it the day I bought it, so it should last ages even once thawed.

Ours is a crown that feeds 6-7 according to the pack. If yours is any bigger, taking it out now, particularly if the fridge is very cold, is fine.

LifeonMarsnotVenus · 21/12/2023 16:14

Of course that's fine. Even a small one will probably take 2-3 days to defrost and then it's being kept very cold in the fridge.

Honestly, do some people never learn how to store, prepare and cook food these days? 😂

stepintochristmas1 · 21/12/2023 16:28

I would never buy a frozen turkey , did it once (thanks DH) . So much dithering on what day to get it out freezer and also on the day is it defrosted hmm . Never again .

AttillaThePlum · 21/12/2023 16:31

You are actually more likely to get sick from cooking a bird which has not defrosted properly than from one which has been in the fridge for longer.

Even with a simple chicken, I would get it out of the freezer and into the fridge today to cook on Sunday, so a turkey crown with stuffing needs at least a day longer.

Jingleballs2 · 21/12/2023 16:35

JenJenJenJenJenJen · 21/12/2023 14:48

Good idea because there’s no way your turkey will be near any dripping meat juices in a butcher’s.

Show quote history

Hopefully not if they've got good hygiene standards 😅

MaryActsLikeSheDontCare · 21/12/2023 16:36

I would only be worried if he was defrosting it in the bath 🤣

The fridge will be fine from around now

rookiemere · 21/12/2023 17:28

Crikey I bought mine yesterday from Tescos fridge department with a best before of 26/12. I had meant to buy frozen but there weren't any crowns big enough that were left.

Things always take longer to defrost in the fridge than you'd imagine and I'd think your chances of getting food poisoning from a turkey that hasn't been defrosted properly is higher than one that sat in the fridge for a day or so after being defrosted and then was cooked thoroughly.

Interestingly on the dripping meat theme, I've come across dripping turkey crowns in two separate Morrisons, I'm not overly fussy but even I draw the line at buying meat that has had carcass juice dripping all over it and isn't wrapped up properly- main reason I got it from Tescos is the packaging was a lot more secure.

Cheepcheepcheep · 21/12/2023 17:37

MaryActsLikeSheDontCare · 21/12/2023 16:36

I would only be worried if he was defrosting it in the bath 🤣

The fridge will be fine from around now

I was going to say, DH and I watched that Royle Family episode last night where they defrost it in the bath (while sharing a bath with it) and under a sun bed, before sawing off legs still frozen - that might put me off! But the OP’s scenario sounds fine to me 😁 luckily we all hate Turkey in our family so will be beef for us on Monday (and OP would likely hate it as it will be mega mega rare… cannot wait)

lightinthebox · 21/12/2023 17:38

Ours is defrosting in the fridge now, it’ll be fine.

But it sounds like your mind is made up so reassuring here won’t help.

HappyintheHills · 21/12/2023 17:41

andjustlikethisorthat · 21/12/2023 14:22

Ok so general thoughts are we won't get sick?
I'm very funny about meat anyway and the slightest doubt makes me not want to eat it

When you cook it use a meat thermometer then you will be sure it’s done

FusionChefGeoff · 21/12/2023 17:50

Our butchers has fresh turkey collections from tomorrow so they seem to think it would be fine in the fridge from fhen