Yes, you really can cook a frozen turkey. It might sound completely improbable — even slightly alarming. But, against all odds, yes, it works. There is hope if you find yourself on Thanksgiving morning staring down a turkey that is still frozen solid and wondering how you’re going to get dinner on the table in a few hours. Here’s how to transition smoothly from frozen to golden
How to Cook a Frozen Turkey
This approach is as simple as they get; I don’t have any tricks up my sleeve. We’re simply roasting the frozen turkey at 325 degrees Fahrenheit on a roasting rack. Your turkey will require about 50% more time to cook from frozen than usual. A 14-pound frozen turkey, for example, will take approximately 5 3/4 hours to cook; see the chart below for additional estimated cooking times. The estimated cooking times for a partially thawed turkey will be slightly shorter than for a frozen turkey.
The turkey cooks as it thaws. Due to their small size and location on the turkey’s exterior, the wings and drumsticks will cook the fastest, while the large, thick muscle in the breast will take the longest. Additionally, because it cooks from the outside in, when you check the temperature while cooking, the meat near the surface may already be done cooking while the meat nearer the bone will still be cool. Make sure to check the turkey’s temperature several times and at different depths; once it reaches 165°F, it’s time to eat.
With a frozen turkey, you have to stick to pretty basic preparation methods rather than using fancy rubs, brines, or other days-ahead preparations. When the turkey’s exterior has thawed, about halfway through cooking, you can brush it with butter (or another sauce!) and season it however you like with salt, pepper, and other spices.
Yes, You Absolutely Need a Good Thermometer
When employing this technique, you must absolutely use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of the turkey. The inner layers may still be frozen or under-temperature even though the exterior may appear completely finished and the juices to be running clear. A thermometer should be available, or you should send someone to the store to get one.
If you don’t already have one, I also strongly advise purchasing a digital thermometer. Compared to a standard meat thermometer, these are much more accurate, simpler to read, and take temperatures much faster. I believe it’s crucial to be able to quickly and accurately gauge the temperature around the frozen turkey in several different locations.
Food Safety When Cooking a Frozen Turkey
Yes, cooking a turkey from frozen or partially frozen is totally safe and is even USDA-approved. Whenever we’re thawing and cooking turkeys, our goal is to move it through the danger zone of 40°F to 140°F as quickly as possible. This is because, within this range, harmful bacteria and toxins can accumulate to harmful levels if the food is left for too long (longer than two hours).
Even though the total cooking time is longer when cooking a frozen turkey, no part of the bird is exposed to the temperature danger zone for any longer than is safe. The meat cooks through as it thaws because of the oven’s heat, which also keeps the outside toasty. The turkey is cooked when 165°F is registered in all of its parts. Since the interior of the meat will be the last to thaw and cook through, be sure to check the temperature multiple times.
The only method for cooking a frozen turkey that is actually secure is oven roasting. Do NOT deep-fry or grill a frozen turkey.
Also, it’s best to cook the stuffing separately. The cooking process is slowed down even more when a turkey is stuffed, and since the stuffing must reach 165°F along with the meat, the meat will overcook and become dry before the stuffing is done.
The million-dollar question is: Does a turkey cooked from frozen taste good? You can cook a frozen turkey, but will you want to eat it?
Actually, I can confirm that frozen turkey is quite tasty after preparing a few of these. Although it might not be the best Thanksgiving turkey you’ve ever had, I think you’ll be more than happy with it as a last-minute Hail Mary that gets your holiday dinner on the table.
The breast meat of a regular, thawed turkey tends to cook the fastest and frequently turns out to be overcooked and dry while you wait for the thighs and drumsticks to catch up. With a frozen turkey, however, the process is reversed because the large, dense breast meat requires much more time to thaw and cook than the smaller thighs and drumsticks. The breast meat actually stays quite moist because it’s the last to finish cooking. The dark meat can withstand a little extra cooking while still remaining quite moist, despite the fact that the legs and thighs cook more quickly.
If the breast meat’s top inch or so quickly reaches 165°F while the meat beneath it stubbornly remains below temperature, don’t be alarmed. Even though the meat was technically overcooked, I discovered that it remained surprisingly moist. My suspicion is that the liquids that are evaporating from the meat’s interior help prevent the top layers from drying out completely.
Additionally, gravy fills in the gap if your turkey ends up being a little on the dry side.
FAQ
Can you cook a turkey breast from frozen?
Yes, it is completely safe and even USDA-approved to cook a turkey that has been frozen or partially frozen. When thawing and cooking turkeys, we try to get it out of the dangerous range of 40°F and 140°F as quickly as we can.
How do you cook a frozen turkey breast in the oven?
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Place the solid frozen turkey on a roasting rack after removing the wrapping. Roast for 2 hours. Remove the giblets and season with salt and pepper.
How do you cook a frozen boneless Butterball turkey?
- Cook from Frozen. Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).
- Remove plastic bag. Do not remove inside netting.
- Place breast on rack in shallow roasting pan. Brush with oil to prevent drying.
- Do not cover. …
- After letting stand for 10 to 15 minutes, cut and remove the netting.
How long to cook a frozen fully cooked turkey breast?
…
Serve Cold:
- Remove turkey breast from the wrapper.
- 15 minutes at room temperature will remove the chill from the meat.
- Carve turkey breast and serve immediately.
