You are ready to tackle that big Thanksgiving cooking feast but don’t forget to thaw that bird in advance.

The safest way to thaw frozen turkey is either in the refrigerator or in cold water.
Never thaw your turkey at room temperature.

REFRIGERATOR METHOD:

This method of thawing a turkey is the safest, as it keeps the meat cold until it is completely defrosted.

Place turkey on a tray on a bottom shelf in refrigerator.
Allow 5 hours of thawing time per pound (10 hours/kg).

COLD WATER METHOD:

Keep the turkey in its original wrapping.
In a large container, cover the turkey completely with cold water.
Change the water at least every hour.
Allow 1 hour of thawing time per pound (2 hours/kg).
Once thawed, keep your turkey refrigerated and cook within 48 hours.

SOURCE: Canadian Turkey

CanadianTurkeyCalculator

If you still need to purchase your turkey, use this handy calculator to determine what size of bird you should get.

What else should you serve? Here are a few suggestions.

…. and just in case you are DONE with PUMPKIN PIE and everything else PUMPKIN! A few treats sans pumpkin.

Filed under: Thanksgiving, Turkey