Step 2

Your turkey CAN look like this on Thanksgiving...just follow the steps



Step 2: Thaw the Turkey

Shopping List:

• Turkey (frozen, if you're executing this step)
• Thermometer

If you chose to buy a frozen turkey, here's how to thaw it:  simple enough; place it in the refrigerator no later than the Sunday before Thanksgiving.    A  20 lb frozen turkey will need five days to thaw out at 40 degrees (if you bought fresh, you may want to purchase a thermometer to make sure the interior of your refrigerator is between 38-40 degrees) the temperature of the average refrigerator.  Thawing meat in the refrigerator is the safest way to go; it will allow the meat to remain cool enough to keep harmful bacteria from forming.  Give the bird a poke with your finger sometime Tuesday afternoon; the surface should give slightly at  your touch, if it doesn't, find a container that will be large enough to contain the turkey submerged in water, and fit in the refrigerator.  Continue to check every few hours or so for thawing; the goal is to have the turkey completely thawed by Thursday morning, so that you can move on to Step 3: Preparing the Turkey.