{"id":1717358,"date":"2022-11-21T05:49:46","date_gmt":"2022-11-21T11:49:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/?p=1717358"},"modified":"2025-03-13T09:01:39","modified_gmt":"2025-03-13T14:01:39","slug":"can-you-leave-a-turkey-out-to-thaw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/article\/can-you-leave-a-turkey-out-to-thaw\/","title":{"rendered":"Can You Leave a Turkey Out to Thaw Overnight?"},"content":{"rendered":"The more you can\u00a0prep before Thanksgiving<\/a>, the better. I don't know what Thanksgiving morning looks like in other households, but mine is hectic\u2014potatoes getting mashed in the slow cooker, intermittent phone calls from relatives,\u00a0pumpkin pies<\/a>\u00a0covering the counter and roasted vegetables waiting for a turn in the oven.\r\n\r\nAnd hopefully, you remembered to thaw that 20-lb. turkey beforehand. There are many ways to get that turkey ready; some might have even decided to leave that turkey out to thaw overnight. Here's why this method is an absolute no-go.\r\n\r\n

Can you leave a turkey out to thaw overnight?<\/h2>\r\nYou shouldn't. This might be surprising since many of us have\u00a0defrosted frozen chicken<\/a> on the counter at least once, but the answer is a hard \"no\" when questioning if you should leave that full turkey out to thaw overnight. And for chicken, you're really not supposed to thaw it out on the counter anyway.\r\n\r\nFrozen meat thaws from the outside in. Left to defrost on the counter, the exterior of a turkey\u00a0will thaw faster than the center<\/a>, putting areas that reach the USDA \"danger zone\" temperature (anywhere between 40\u00b0 and 140\u00b0F) at risk for bacteria development.\r\n\r\nThe two-hour mark is where things start to get pretty dicey. Remember, we're talking about a 20-lb. turkey, which, if left out, will take hours to thaw completely. If you thaw raw meat at\u00a0room temperature<\/a>\u00a0for two hours or more, it will be subject to rapid bacteria growth.\r\n\r\n

Is thawing a turkey at room temperature a good idea?<\/h3>\r\nNope. If you've done it and gotten away with it, you're lucky. But it's not the method we'd recommend.\r\n\r\n[dam-video dam-id=\"24717\"]\r\n

The Right Way to Thaw a Turkey<\/h2>\r\nThe best way to\u00a0thaw your frozen turkey<\/a>\u00a0is in the refrigerator. It's not the quickest method, but it is the safest. Plan to let the bird thaw at a consistent temperature under 40\u00b0 over a few days.\r\n\r\nYou can also thaw a frozen turkey in water, but remember that the cold water needs to be changed every 30 minutes to maintain a consistently chilled, safe temperature.\r\n\r\nNow that you know how to thaw a Thanksgiving turkey, you can shift your attention to the many sides you'll serve. Here are\u00a0Thanksgiving cooking tips<\/a>\u00a0that will keep things running smoothly!\r\n\r\n\t\t\t
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Every Way to Roast a Turkey for Thanksgiving<\/div>\t\t\t\t
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