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Started By
Message
First things first. We gotta thaw this bird.
Posted on 11/21/25 at 11:13 am
Posted on 11/21/25 at 11:13 am
I got a 25 lbs. turkey this year, and besides it size in general there isn't much room in the fridge and there will be less room as Thanksgiving approaches.
Last year, I tried something new. I put the frozen turkey in a rotomolded ice chest with nothing else 5 days out. Think like a mid sized YETI or RTIC. (It was a No Colors brand)
IYKYK
Day 1 still frozen.
Day 2 still frozen and what condensation was in there was also frozen on the bottom of the ice chest.
Day 3 still frozen but condensation was melted.
Day 4 you could push the breast in about 1/4 inch
Day 5 it felt thawed.
Prepared to cook day 6 and I had to run water in the inside for an hour to get the neck and giblets outs. In other words, it was still pretty dang frozen.
Anything wrong with this technique? Any other recommendations to thaw a turkey without refridgerator space?
How do you do it?
Last year, I tried something new. I put the frozen turkey in a rotomolded ice chest with nothing else 5 days out. Think like a mid sized YETI or RTIC. (It was a No Colors brand)
IYKYK Day 1 still frozen.
Day 2 still frozen and what condensation was in there was also frozen on the bottom of the ice chest.
Day 3 still frozen but condensation was melted.
Day 4 you could push the breast in about 1/4 inch
Day 5 it felt thawed.
Prepared to cook day 6 and I had to run water in the inside for an hour to get the neck and giblets outs. In other words, it was still pretty dang frozen.
Anything wrong with this technique? Any other recommendations to thaw a turkey without refridgerator space?
How do you do it?
8
Posted on 11/21/25 at 11:17 am to Clyde Tipton
Set it in the sink for the first day or so.
Posted on 11/21/25 at 11:21 am to Clyde Tipton
Ice chest with water will thaw in a day or so. Need it faster? Ice chest with water in the back of your truck and take a 2 hour drive. It will be thawed when you finish.
Posted on 11/21/25 at 11:34 am to Clyde Tipton
Mount your sous vide on the side of a bucket and set it for 60 degrees.
Posted on 11/21/25 at 11:38 am to SixthAndBarone
quote:
Set it in the sink for the first day or so.
quote:
Ice chest with water will thaw in a day or so. Need it faster? Ice chest with water in the back of your truck and take a 2 hour drive. It will be thawed when you finish.
Both good ideas.
It's so hard to determine the right time to start the process. The last thing I want is to completely thaw it a couple days early.
I think I might experiment with a combination of both ideas.
Still go 5 days, but sit it in the sink day 1. Then fill the ice chest with water on Thanksgiving eve morning.
I'll be doing my usual pecan wood smoke... This was last year about half way through the cooking process.
Posted on 11/21/25 at 11:43 am to Clyde Tipton
Put it in an ice chest with water 3 days prior. Check on it twice a day. If it’s mostly thawed, drain the water and add ice.
I’m serious about the truck though. Put a turkey in an ice chest with water and drive around town. It will thaw in hours with the moving water.
I’m serious about the truck though. Put a turkey in an ice chest with water and drive around town. It will thaw in hours with the moving water.
Posted on 11/21/25 at 11:52 am to SixthAndBarone
quote:yep
Ice chest with water will thaw in a day or so.
Posted on 11/21/25 at 12:56 pm to Clyde Tipton
quote:
I got a 25 lbs. turkey this year
quote:
How do you do it?
I get 2 12 pound turkeys instead.
Posted on 11/21/25 at 12:59 pm to Clyde Tipton
I got a 21lb bird yesterday. Put it in the fridge to start the thaw. I plan to break it down to smoke it, mainly to do the breasts TX style.
Posted on 11/21/25 at 1:54 pm to BMoney
quote:
I get 2 12 pound turkeys instead.
That makes too much sense.
I want a gigantic centerpiece of a bird.
Posted on 11/21/25 at 1:57 pm to Clyde Tipton
I bought a frozen 17 lb. Butterball 2 days ago and have it sitting in my beer fridge in the man cave in a food safe plastic container to thaw. I checked it earlier today and it is still quite frozen, but I won't need to fool with it until Tuesday morning when I put it in the brine to sit until Wednesday night.
If it is still partially frozen I will simply add water to the container it's in to finish thawing it.
I've done the frozen bird in a container of cold water thaw many times and it works well. Usually no more several hours in a big bowl of water in the sink for a large chicken. Upsize from there for a frozen 25 lb. turkey.
If it is still partially frozen I will simply add water to the container it's in to finish thawing it.
I've done the frozen bird in a container of cold water thaw many times and it works well. Usually no more several hours in a big bowl of water in the sink for a large chicken. Upsize from there for a frozen 25 lb. turkey.
Posted on 11/21/25 at 2:06 pm to gumbo2176
5 lbs per day approximately to thaw frozen turkey in the fridge.
Posted on 11/21/25 at 2:09 pm to BMoney
quote:We got 6 Cornish hens.
I get 2 12 pound turkeys instead.
Posted on 11/21/25 at 2:13 pm to Clyde Tipton
Wet brine helps with thawing
Posted on 11/21/25 at 3:46 pm to Clyde Tipton
quote:
It was a No Colors brand
I put a thawed turkey in mine one year and the next morning it was frozen.
Posted on 11/21/25 at 5:59 pm to TU Rob
Thaw it early and then add ice to the cooler once thawed to keep it cool. Then brine it
Do you brine it? I brine for 24 hours but I’m sure you can push that to 36 or 48 hours. But my point is that also buys you time.
Much better
Do you brine it? I brine for 24 hours but I’m sure you can push that to 36 or 48 hours. But my point is that also buys you time.
Much better
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