Thawing and roasting a holiday turkey safely

A frozen turkey is safe indefinitely, but once it starts to thaw, any bacteria on it before it was frozen can start to grow again. Left on the counter more than 2 hours, its outer layer sits between 40°F and 140°F, where bacteria multiply fastest, even while the center is still frozen. The safe ways to thaw it are in the fridge, in cold water or in the microwave, and the only sure test of doneness is a food thermometer.

What you need

• Room on a fridge shelf, and a tray or pan to catch the juices
• A shallow roasting pan with a rack
• A food thermometer
• Shallow containers for the leftovers

Steps

1. 1

   Thaw it in the fridge

   Keep the turkey in its wrapper on a tray or in a pan, in a fridge at 40°F or below. Allow about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds. A 12- to 16-pound turkey takes 3 to 4 days, and a 20- to 24-pound one takes 5 to 6. Once thawed, it keeps 1 to 2 more days in the fridge.

   5 min

2. 2

   Take out the giblets

   Remove them from the cavities after thawing, and cook them separately.

   2 min

3. 3

   Set the oven and the pan

   Set the oven to 325°F or higher. Put the turkey on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.

   5 min

4. 4

   Cook the stuffing on its own

   Stuffing cooks more evenly in a casserole dish outside the bird. It's done at 165°F in the center.

   45 min

5. 5

   Roast it

   An unstuffed 12- to 14-pound turkey takes about 3 to 3¾ hours at 325°F, and a 20- to 24-pound one about 4½ to 5. The times are approximate. A foil tent for the first 1 to 1½ hours keeps it moist and cuts splatter.

   240 min

6. 6

   Check the temperature in three places

   The turkey is safe at 165°F, measured with a food thermometer in the innermost part of the thigh, the innermost part of the wing and the thickest part of the breast. Check it even if the turkey has a pop-up indicator. Then let it stand 20 minutes before carving so the juices set and it carves more easily.

   22 min

If there's no time to thaw it in the fridge

Seal the turkey in a leak-proof bag and sink it in cold tap water, changing the water every 30 minutes. Allow about 30 minutes per pound, or 6 to 8 hours for 12 to 16 pounds. Cook it right after it thaws, and don't refreeze it raw.

A turkey that's still frozen

A turkey can go into the oven frozen. It takes at least 50% longer to cook than a thawed one. Pull the giblet packages out partway through, carefully, with tongs or a fork. A frozen turkey stuffed at a plant under USDA inspection goes into the oven frozen too, following the package directions.

If you stuff the bird

Cooking a stuffed turkey is riskier, because the stuffing may not get hot enough to kill bacteria even after the meat reaches 165°F. If you stuff it anyway:

• Cook any raw meat, poultry or shellfish for the stuffing first.
• Keep the wet and dry ingredients apart until just before stuffing, and stuff the bird right away.
• Stuff it loosely, about ¾ cup per pound, and put it straight into the oven.
• Leave the stuffing in until its center reaches 165°F, then let the turkey rest 20 minutes before taking it out.

Don't stuff a turkey that's going to be grilled, smoked, fried or microwaved.

The leftovers

Throw out turkey, stuffing and gravy left out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. Refrigerate the rest in shallow containers and eat it within 3 to 4 days, or freeze it and use it within 2 to 6 months. Reheat leftovers to 165°F. Wash your hands, the utensils, the sink and anything else raw turkey touched with soap and water.