Refrigerator Thawing When thawing a turkey in the refrigerator, plan ahead. Microwave Thawing Follow the manufacturer's instructions when thawing a turkey in the microwave oven. Plan to cook it immediately after thawing because some areas of the turkey may become warm and begin to cook during microwave thawing. Cold Water Thawing Allow about 30 minutes per pound when thawing a turkey in cold water. Be sure the turkey is in leak-proof packaging.
Tissues can absorb water like a sponge, resulting in a watery product.
Submerge the turkey in cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes until the turkey is thawed. Turkeys thawed by the cold water method should be cooked immediately because conditions were not temperature controlled. Copyright 2000 everything about food. All rights reserved.