topic Re: Thanksgiving Turkey in Recipes

Thanksgiving Turkey

drizzellla — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 13:13:12 GMT

Yesterday my husband insisted we go out and buy the Thanksgiving turkey. I was out all day Saturday (Eddie Muller brought Film Noir movies to show and talk about). My husband had gone to the grocery and all the turkeys he saw were more than 20lbs . Too big for the number of people we are having.

So we bought a 12 pound frozen turkey yesterday at another grocery store. We are defrosting it in the refrigerator. My husband always cooked the turkey for all our family Thanksgivings. So I figured he knew what he was doing.

Just looked it up and 12 lb turkeys defrost in 2-3 days in the refrigerator. HUH? When I bring boneless chicken breast out of the freezer to defrost in the refrigerator sometimes it takes 2 days.

So now I will have a defrosted turkey on Wednesday or Thursday?!?!?!

I don't want my guests to get sick on Thanksgiving. So I guess it will have to be cooked by Thursday. Will a cooked turkey last until next Thursday? Or should I freeze the cooked turkey?

I have no idea why my husband insisted we buy the turkey yesterday and wish he were home to ask.

Re: Thanksgiving Turkey

catter70 — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 13:18:13 GMT

I would think it would be frozen enough yet to put back in the freezer. IMO, though, it takes longer to thaw then they say, but certainly not a week and a half ahead of time.

Re: Thanksgiving Turkey

PinkyPetunia — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 13:30:46 GMT

Good idea to put it back in the freezer. I doubt it has defrosted at all. Your husband was defrosting it a week too early. Those things take forever to defrost.

I remember one year I was defrosting a frozen turkey in the fridge and it was still solid the day before. I left it in the unheated garage for 24 hours prior to TDay and it defrosted enough to use it, but there was still frost/ice inside the cavity.

Re: Thanksgiving Turkey

Eileen in Virginia — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 13:46:22 GMT

I'd put it back in the freezer, too. Then, I'd take it out again on Saturday to start the defrosting process. While I don't make turkeys anymore, I remember that it took much longer than they said to defrost a turkey in the fridge (but not 2 weeks). If it defrosts too soon, just keep it in the fridge. Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!

Re: Thanksgiving Turkey

rockygems123 — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 13:53:22 GMT

@drizzellla

Put it back in the freezer. If you bought it yesterday it'll be fine.

Your husband's reply will be interesting.

Maybe he mixed up the weeks.

Re: Thanksgiving Turkey

beckyb1012 — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 14:07:42 GMT

Put it back in the freezer. I never pull mine out before the Sunday before and no later than the Monday a.m. before. He had great intentions but that is way too early.

Re: Thanksgiving Turkey

drizzellla — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 14:09:57 GMT

@rockygems123 wrote:
@drizzellla

Put it back in the freezer. If you bought it yesterday it'll be fine.

Your husband's reply will be interesting.

Maybe he mixed up the weeks.

YES! He just came home from his morning walk. He thought Thanksgiving was this Thursday. That is why he paniced when he saw only 20+ lb turkeys.

And he said he was going to get a hair cut today because my brothers were due to arrive Wednesday. And tomorrow he has an appointment for blood work up.

Well we are well prepared.

Re: Thanksgiving Turkey

drizzellla — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 14:43:15 GMT

@catter70 @PinkyPetunia @Eileen in Virginia @rockygems123 @beckyb1012

Thank you for your input. I just checked. It won't fit in the freezer. My brothers stay awhile (they have not said when they are leaving - so might be a week or so) so we bought enough food yesterday to make some meals through their visit.

We will wait until it thaws. I think 2 days that I read, isn't possible. We have waited 3-4 days and sometimes the turkey is still frozen inside. I think the only solution would be to cook the turkey and then remove the rib bones and then freeze the rest of the turkey.

I am sure they will have lots of comments. But since I am old, I am used to their comments.

Re: Thanksgiving Turkey

beckyb1012 — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 15:11:29 GMT

That is a good plan @drizzellla and this will be one of those stories you can tell on future Thanksgivings when hubbie was so prepared there was almost not a turkey on the table. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Re: Thanksgiving Turkey

rockygems123 — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 15:27:09 GMT

@drizzellla wrote:
@rockygems123 wrote:
@drizzellla

Put it back in the freezer. If you bought it yesterday it'll be fine.

Your husband's reply will be interesting.

Maybe he mixed up the weeks.

YES! He just came home from his morning walk. He thought Thanksgiving was this Thursday. That is why he paniced when he saw only 20+ lb turkeys.

And he said he was going to get a hair cut today because my brothers were due to arrive Wednesday. And tomorrow he has an appointment for blood work up.

Well we are well prepared.

@drizzellla

ha! It's certainly understandable as Thanksgiving is so late this year.

Good you're all prepared though lol.

We only had 20+lb Butterball turkeys this week but they put out the smaller if you can call 14lb that, which I had to get in the Kroger brand.

One of the workers at the store said they put out the big ones this week to make room in back and get rid of them, smaller ones go out next week.

Glad you found a smaller one, so much easier.

Re: Thanksgiving Turkey

drizzellla — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 15:39:51 GMT

@beckyb1012 wrote:
That is a good plan @drizzellla and this will be one of those stories you can tell on future Thanksgivings when hubbie was so prepared there was almost not a turkey on the table. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Husband just said he was upset that I wasn't home on Saturday, to buy the turkey on Saturday. He said all he could think about was the year that we bought a turkey and it was still frozen on Thanksgiving Day. And we had almost 20 people for Thanksgiving.

Hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving too.

Re: Thanksgiving Turkey

Nightowlz — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 19:15:52 GMT

If it's still frozen put it in the freezer. If it's thawed cook it & start eating it.

If It was me I would buy another turkey.

I put 2 boneless chicken breasts in the refrigerator for dinner the next day all the time. They thaw overnight.

Re: Thanksgiving Turkey

LisaMofSLC — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 05:24:06 GMT

Exactly. Either they underestimate, or my fridge is set too cold. I always end up with a half frozen turkey. I took my 15 pounder out tonight. It will be 5 days really, so hopefully this year I wont be in danger of frostbite while I prep it.