Defrosting turkey
Is it too early to defrost am almost 19lb turkey? Just bought at Shop Rite this afternoon and put it in on a tray in fridge.
Gardenfish A 19lb turkey is going to be about 5 days if you're doing it strictly in the fridge. That should make it ready on Wed. A bit early, but not much. Just don't put it in water or it'll be way to early.
GC 
Old Gent @Gardenfish - if it helps I've started defrosting our 19lb turkey tonight. According to the calculations it's a little early but it should be ok.
Bonv Just watched a video on the Butterball website. 24 hours per 4lbs- 18lb can take about 5 days...can stay thawed in fridge up to 4 days.
Thanks everyone
Darrin I pull it out of the freezer ( -10ºF ) on Tuesday , and in the refrigerator ( 37º ) .
On wednesday .... morning, I place it in a pot of cold water completely covered.
Wednesday afternoon, I add ice cubes.
Wednesday evening, it is thawed with ice in the cavity. I wash it out pulling the neck and bag of innards out, then place the bird in salt ( 1 cup ) water and add ice.
By Thanksgiving day usually at 6:00 AM, it gets rinsed again, then stuffed and thrown in the oven.
Embryodad Here ya go guys... I can take all of your guess work away, what size to buy, how long to defrost, how long to cook.
http://www.norbest.com/turkey-calculator/
JrzyGirl88 Jrzygirl, your calculator is broken. I put in 2 people plus leftovers and it said I needed 3 pounds. I need at least 16, lol. Turkey sandwiches, turkey salad, turkey soup, turkey pot pie...
iPhone-imal Sorry Iphone, calculator is dead on.. in our business we figure about 1.5lbs per person.. The formula is for one meal plus some leftovers not enough to make dinners for a month.. LOL! I have spent the last week calculating hundreds of peoples orders for their birds using that formula, I don't carry any birds under 10lbs so you would have been ok LOL!! I'm so sick of turkey I am having pizza for thanksgiving LOL!!
jrzy girl88 - there wasn't any time or temperature given - can you fill in? I have a 3 pound breast, no legs, no wings
brownie Brownie ~ Here is the link for the USDA guidelines for cooking your bird. Hope this helps
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/poultry-preparation/lets-talk-turkey/CT_Index
Thanks jrzy girl -not easy to find directions for such a small bird. printed it out and will keep. thanks again.
Your welcome Brownie. Just make sure you use a thermometer, even if your turkey has one of those pop-up timers in it. They are not always right.
Calico696 I am glad to see there is a govt paid employee at the USDA letting us know how to thaw a turkey. Freaking ridiculous.
CraftBeerBob Umm if you are referring to ME, CraftBeerBob, I am not a Government employee, I actually work for my family. But for your information it is part of the roles and responsibilities of the USDA to provide Food Safety Information to consumers. Part of my job is to ensure Food Safety and Safe handling practices at our company so I easily had the information available and why not share it with someone who needed it.
Was not referring to you as the govt employee. I just find it funny that a govt run agency needs to tell us how to thaw a turkey. Thats it. Nothing more nothing less.
Reggie Voter 
hapiest girlI don't understand why when someone posts an accurate, helpful, and timely chart of information that a poster has specifically asked for, some people make it an opportunity to bash the government. There are a lot of things I don't like about the way the government works but I found no issue with linking the answer to a government page in this instance. I guess the vent your spleen faction just can't let a mention of the government doing anything pass whether right or wrong.
MK If you rely on those pop-ups, you're going to wind up with dry breast meat. Those thermometers are held closed by an epoxy that melts at 180 degrees, because that is the temperature at which the dark meat on the turkey is considered to be done. Dark meat is very good at 180 degrees; white meat, however, is not. White meat is perfect at 160 or 165; it's practically sawdust at 180.
I like Alton Brown's trick. Before you put the turkey in the oven, get a large piece of foil fold into a rough triangle and pat it on to conform it to the shape of your turkey breast. Make sure it covers the whole thing. Then carefully take it off, set it aside. Don't let your significant other or child say "what's this?" and squash it flat.
As your turkey is roasting when the breast is getting dark and the rest still isn't ready yet, put the foil breast plate on, it protects that 160 degree white meat and still allows the rest to cook until done.
I admit I keep calling the turkey Brunhilde as I do this.. and its not racist, I'm part Norwegian.
hktownie I have a 20lb Turkey. I know i have to cook it for 41/2 to 5hrs but at what temperature. Can somebody please help?! Thanks
Bella76 
5catmom Hi Bella, try this site:
http://allrecipes.com/howto/turkey-cooking-time-guide/
Recommended temp is 350 degrees
Bella, see the link JrzyGirl88 posted above 4 days ago. Oven temp 325. 4 1/2 to 5 hrs is for unstuffed. Stuffed 4 3/4 to 5 1/4 hours. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Chickadee Thanks MK and Chickadee!! This year it's my turn to cook the Turkey :). Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!
Commenting is no longer available.