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Question: I’m defrosting a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. Once it is completely thawed, how long can I safely keep the thawed turkey in the fridge before cooking it? Answer: It depends on how you’re thawing it. Safely keeping a thawed turkey in the fridgeIf you’re defrosting the turkey in the fridge, you can safely keep it refrigerated for an additional one or two days after it’s fully thawed, says the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Another bonus of thawing your turkey in the refrigerator: If you happen to have a last-minute change in plans, you can refreeze the raw turkey within that same timeframe. On the other hand, if you’re planning to thaw the turkey in cold water (see here for details on how to do this), the USDA advises that you cook it immediately. The same goes for a turkey that you’re planning to defrost in the microwave. That’s because with either of those methods, the turkey could at least temporarily warm up to a temperature higher than 40°F. At that point, harmful bacteria can begin to multiply rapidly and prompt cooking is required to destroy it. One final thing to keep in mind: You should never thaw a turkey on the counter or in hot water. The USDA cautions that it’s dangerous to eat any meat or poultry that’s been thawed under those two methods, as the outer layer of the food would have been allowed to sit between the bacteria-breeding temperatures of 40° F and 140° F for far too long to be safe. See Also: Should You Rinse a Raw Turkey Before Cooking It?How to Thaw a Frozen Turkey (And How Not To)Can You Cook a Frozen Turkey Without Thawing It First?About Our Authors Have a question? Click here More Questions
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Your Questions AnsweredSteak that's changed color Can you refrigerate a turkey after thawing in water?A thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. If necessary, a turkey that has been properly thawed in the refrigerator may be refrozen.
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Thawing Your Turkey.. Can I put turkey in fridge after thawing?It takes approximately 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds of whole turkey to thaw in the refrigerator. Once the turkey is thawed, you can keep it in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 additional days before cooking. For more information about thawing a turkey, go to Turkey Basics: Safe Thawing.
Can I thaw turkey in cold water and cook it next day?Frozen turkeys can thaw in cold water, but the water needs to be changed every 30 minutes. The "cold water method" will thaw a turkey at a rate of about 30 minutes per pound, so a 16-pound turkey will take about eight hours to be ready to cook.
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Can you thaw a turkey in water and then put it in the fridge
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