Remember to defrost your Turkey

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Hopefully ianbu. If you have a frozen turkey ( I went with Cook this year), remember to take it out of the freezer and put it in the fridge.
Mine says 48 hours before cooking. So now! (Ish)

@DunravenBadger What a good idea, wish I had thought of that.

I'd defrost then cook.

Mine is COOK too. I’ve had for last few years. It takes a good bit longer than 48 hours. I allow 3 days in the fridge.

@ZenNudist erm halloumi in blankets??? Where can I get my hands on these!!!???

Took ours out last night abs following bbc good food defrosting guide but went a night early as it will be 4degrees outside tomorrow which is like the fridge so might take a little longer. It is in the garage. It said 3 days for fridge defrosting , 2 for garage so thought 2 1/2 was a good compromise!

No turkey this year, bought a fresh cockerel- a 4KG in weight from Aldi this year.

@userxx I’m going by the packet. Says 39 hours lol I did say ‘that’s a bit precise’. If it’s not bang I. 39 hours I no ei be complaining lol. ‘This is unacceptable it took 39 hours snd 34 minutes!’

I think I might take mine out of the fridge for a few hours. It is a huge crown and I want to cook it early Christmas morning to save oven space later in the day...

I wish I'd read this, this morning!! I suddenly remembered at 1pm, and it says it takes 50 hours. I'll need to speed this process up, so I'm leaving it on the side for a bit. Any tips?? If I can't defrost it in time, I'll NEVER hear the end of it from my mother!

First time needing to defrost a joint of beef (topside, 1kg)
How long do you think I’ll need it in the fridge to defrost?

Im having to cook from frozen (box says that's ok but takes and extra 1.5 hours) after discovering mice have invaded out garage last week and gobbled up/crapped all over my carefully collected cooking apples
Thanks for the reminder tho OP. May we all have a pleasant and non food poisoned christmas!

@estatenonestate halloumi in blankets at Aldi, loads left in ours still, perhaps they are a bit 'way out man' for some people.
Defrosting your meat on a metal baking tray definitely speeds up the process

We've had thd halloumi in blankets, very salty, but I love them!

We took ours out yesterday as we're putting it in brine on Christmas eve overnight. I've heard that's a good way to ensure a moist turkey so we're giving it a go!!

Good reminder OP! Thanks.

@17CherryTreeLane it's not that you definitely can't defrost it on the side, at least partially, but that you have to be very careful to not let any of it get warm.

The reason defrosting in the fridge is recommended is that you don't then have the risk of any part of it getting above a few degrees.

If it's on the side it could, in theory at least, mean that the outside gets to a temperature where bacteria starts to multiply whilst the inside is still defrosting.

I sometimes partially defrost smaller joints and chickens on the side, but very carefully.

Thanks sofiamichelle - I've stuck it back in the fridge to be safe

@17CherryTreeLane

I wish I'd read this, this morning!! I suddenly remembered at 1pm, and it says it takes 50 hours. I'll need to speed this process up, so I'm leaving it on the side for a bit. Any tips?? If I can't defrost it in time, I'll NEVER hear the end of it from my mother!

Put it in a bucket of cool water (still wrapped). You can change the water every few hours.

Ham defrosting since yesterday as I'm cooking that on Christmas Eve and it takes 36 hours to defrost. Turkey defrosting in fridge since this afternoon as it takes 48 hours to defrost.

For those cooking a ham joint the day before, do you slice it up once cold and then refrigerate until Christmas day, and serve cold with the rest of the hot dinner, or do you heat it up in a tray on Christmas Day to make it 'hot' ? Is this safe?
Not sure if I can serve cold ham with a hot dinner?

Thanks.

Thanks kumquatsald / I'll do that!!

Honestly though, how are people fitting a turkey in the fridge as well as the other food? It’s simply not possible.

Fattoushka I'm sure 1kg topside will only need 24hrs in the fridge. You can always take it out if it needs to speed up a little.

Weve now got the turkey sitting out on the side as even after 24hr in the fridge is was rock solid!! It'll go back in the fridge overnight and we'll reassess in the morning!

@DonkeyMcFluff we have an old fridge freezer that gets turned on for all the Christmas food. There's no way it'd fit inside our regular fridge!!

There are normally about 12 of us if I'm hosting and I buy a fresh one from the local farm on Christmas Eve and store it in our (very cold) spare room overnight.

This year, I have the saddest, tiniest Asda frozen turkey crown 😢. Honestly, it's smaller than the average chicken. I did remember to take it out this morning, but every time I look at it, I'm reminded of what a quiet Christmas we'll be having!

Okay, I have twitched this morning. Unwrapped from bottom of fridge and still seems pretty solid to me.
I've bunged it in the unheated utility room for now

I have a Turkey crown. Says cook from frozen..that's a result...

I took my beef out yesterday evening but this morning it was still solid....an hour in a bowl of water (still wrapped) and it’s almost completely defrosted.
Worth a try with the turkey

@teenagetantrums

I have a Turkey crown. Says cook from frozen..that's a result...

I got a 'cook from frozen' turkey crown from Iceland a few years ago. It was bloody brilliant! Tasty, moist, easy - didn't even have to find the roasting tin, just bunged it in the oven as per instructions. Unfortunately I've not see any since.