As the time for Christmas dinner rapidly approaches, you will likely be getting all your final preparations done for the big meal.
It's no secret that cooking up a Christmas dinner can be nothing short of stressful. However, putting all that work in is definitely worth it for creating what is arguably the most iconic part of the festive season.
Despite all the rushing around that you will likely do while preparing the dinner, it is important that you keep in mind the importance of doing so safely. After all, the last thing you want on Boxing Day is to have all your friends and family come down with a case of food poisoning because you're food wasn't cooked properly.
READ MORE: What the inflation rate drop means for cost of living, interest rates and your bills
Fortunately, the NHS has expert advice on the safest way to defrost your Christmas turkey without causing any upset stomachs. According to the health service, defrosting should take place in the fridge or an otherwise cool area if there is no room.
The turkey should also be separated from any other food items while being placed into a dish or container big enough to catch all the liquid that will build up from the defrosting process. This is to help avoid the unwanted spread of potentially harmful bacteria.
Read on to find some top tips for defrosting a turkey efficiently and safely.
Tips for defrosting a Christmas turkey as safely as possible
- Timing: Work out how long it may take for the turkey to defrost as overnight may not just cut it.
- Packaging: Remove your turkey from its packaging and place it in a large dish and cover it. It is also best to place it at the bottom of the fridge so that it doesn't spread bacteria to other foods.
- Speeding up: To help the process move a little quicker, remove the giblets and neck as soon as possible. And don't forget to wash your hands afterwards.
- Check for ice crystals: Before cooking you need to make sure there aren't any ice crystals in the bird's cavity. Also, remember to test the thicker parts of the turkey with a fork to see if the meat still feels frozen.
- Regular checks: Regularly pour away the liquid that comes out of the defrosting turkey to stop it from overflowing and spreading bacteria.
- Not using the fridge? If your turkey is too big to fit in the fridge, keep it in a cool room, shed or garage. Also, be aware of changes in room temperature as this could cause problems with the turkey thawing out evenly.
How long a turkey takes to defrost
According to NHS advice, if you're using a fridge to defrost a turkey, you should allow up to 10 to 12 hours per kilogram. For example, if your turkey weighs 4kg then it will take around 44 hours to defrost properly.
However, if you're defrosting in a cool - anything below 17.5C - then you should allow three to four hours per kilogram. Therefore, if your turkey is 4kg then it will take around 16 hours to defrost.
But, if you're defrosting at room temperature - roughly around 20C - then you should allow around two hours per kilogram. For a 4kg turkey, that's around eight hours of defrosting time.
READ NEXT:
