Defrosting and brining a turkey at the same time is a great way to save time and effort when preparing your holiday bird. But is it safe? The short answer is yes – you can brine a turkey while it’s defrosting. Here’s what you need to know.
Why Brine a Turkey?
Brining imparts flavor and moisture into the turkey meat. The salt in the brine denatures proteins, allowing the turkey to retain more moisture when cooked The result is a juicy and flavorful turkey. Popular brine ingredients include salt, sugar, herbs, spices, and citrus.
Brining does take some time, with average brining times being 8-16 hours. For a frozen turkey, that brining time would need to be added on to the defrosting time, which could end up being a few days.
Brining while defrosting lets you accomplish both tasks simultaneously, saving you major time and freeing up fridge space.
Is it Safe to Brine a Frozen Turkey?
Safety is the number one concern when defrosting and brining together. While the USDA recommends thawing turkeys in the refrigerator, you can thaw and brine in a cooler simultaneously as long as you keep the temperature at or below 40°F.
Here are some tips for safely thawing and brining at the same time:
- Use an insulated cooler, not just a bucket or container. The cooler will help maintain a safe temperature.
- Place the wrapped frozen turkey in the brine in the cooler. Keep it submerged with a plate weighted on top if needed.
- Use a probe thermometer with an alarm to monitor the brine temperature. It should never go above 40°F. Add ice as needed to maintain temperature.
- Change the ice at least every 8-12 hours, and check that the turkey remains submerged.
- Keep the cooler in a cool area like the garage, not on the countertop.
As long as you monitor it closely and maintain safe temperatures brining while frozen is completely safe. The USDA recommends allowing approximately 24 hours of defrosting time per 4-5 pounds of turkey.
Brining Time When Defrosting
For a thawed turkey, recommended brining time is generally 8-16 hours. But when brining a frozen turkey, the brining time may need to be adjusted.
Here are some guidelines on brining time based on turkey weight:
- 12-15 lb turkey: Brine for 12-16 hours total
- 16-20 lb turkey: Brine for 16-20 hours total
- 20-24 lb turkey: Brine for 20-24 hours total
You want to make sure the turkey has enough time to defrost completely and absorb flavors from the brine. For larger birds, err on the side of more time.
Once fully defrosted and brined, cook the turkey immediately and safely. Don’t let it sit out too long.
Step-By-Step Guide
Here is a simple step-by-step guide to brining while defrosting your turkey:
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Mix up your brine recipe. Cool to 40°F or below before using.
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Place the frozen turkey, still wrapped, into a large insulated cooler.
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Pour the chilled brine over the turkey until fully submerged. Weight down if needed.
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Place a probe thermometer into the brine, with alarm set for 40°F.
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Secure the lid and place the cooler in a cool area like the garage.
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Check temperature and ice pack every 8-12 hours. Monitor to keep at safe temp.
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Once fully defrosted, remove turkey from brine and cook immediately.
Tips for Brining Success
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Chill the brine before pouring over the turkey. This helps keep the overall temperature low.
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Use ice packs or bottles to supplement regular ice, since they melt slower. Easier temperature maintenance.
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Weight down the turkey if it tries to float. Keeps the bird fully submerged in brine.
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Give yourself more time than you think you’ll need. It’s better the turkey has time to fully defrost and brine.
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Use flavored brines with herbs, citrus, spices to impart maximum flavor.
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Don’t brine pre-brined or kosher turkeys. They already have added sodium.
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Cook the turkey immediately after brining is complete for food safety.
Brining While Defrosting FAQs
Can I brine a turkey right in my refrigerator?
While you can thaw a turkey in the fridge, there usually isn’t room to thaw and brine together. The large cooler method gives lots of space for the bird to soak.
Do I need to take the turkey out of the wrapper before brining?
Yes, remove packaging so the brine can fully penetrate the turkey. Make sure hands and surfaces are clean first.
Can I stuff my turkey after brining?
It’s not recommended. Stuffing a wet brined bird can make the stuffing soggy and delays cooking time, increasing food safety risks. Cook stuffing separately.
Do I rinse the turkey after brining?
Rinsing removes some of the flavors imparted by brining, so it’s best to cook the bird immediately after removing from the brine. Pat dry with paper towels.
Can I brine just part of the defrosting time?
It’s safest to only introduce the brine once the turkey is mostly defrosted, to ensure thorough brining. If brining the whole time, monitor temp closely.
Get Your Brine On
Brining while defrosting is a great way to infuse flavor into your holiday turkey and get both tasks done at once. As long as you monitor temperatures and exercise food safety, your resulting turkey will be moist, seasoned, and delicious.
Happy brining!
Frequency of Entities:
turkey: 24
brine: 16
defrost: 11
Brining: 5
time: 10
temperature: 6
cooler: 5
frozen: 5
flavor: 3
salt: 2
herbs: 1
spices: 1
citrus: 1
How to Thaw a Turkey
There are 3 ways to defrost the turkey, one is a great idea, one is a good idea, and one is a definite no-go.
How to Use a Refrigerator to Thaw a Turkey
The best way to thaw a turkey is in the refrigerator. Pull the bird out of the freezer and put it breast side up in a pan in the fridge. Keeping it cool as it defrosts helps retain natural flavor and juices. It takes around 4 hours per pound to defrost it in the refrigerator. Keep it sealed and in a pan to catch any liquid that may seep out. The turkey will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days.
How Long Does it Take
- 1 day for up to a 7 pound turkey
- 2 days for an 8 – 12 pound turkey
- 3 days for a 12 – 16 pound turkey
- 4 days for a 16 – 20 pound turkey
- 5 days for a 20 – 24 pound turkey
How to Use Cold Water to Thaw a Turkey
A quick way to defrost a turkey is in the sink, submerged in cold water. This is a good way to thaw a turkey, however, Tommy the turkey needs to be babysat. The cold water must be changed out every 30 minutes with new cold water. It takes approximately 30 minutes per pound to thaw. It is imperative that the bird is consistently in cold water so it may retain the flavor and juices. This prevents the bird from getting warm or forming dry spots which can make sections of the bird dry out when cooked. When thawing a turkey in cold water, you must cook it immediately after. Thaw time:
How Long Does it Take
- 2 – 4 hours for a 4 – 7 pound turkey
- 4 – 6 hours for 8 – 12 pound turkey
- 6 – 8 hours for 12 – 16 pound turkey
- 8 – 10 hours for 16 – 20 pound turkey
- 10 – 12 hours for 20 – 24 pound turkey
Thawing a Turkey in the Microwave
Thawing a turkey in the microwave is not a good idea, nor would we recommend it. There’s no way to ensure the bird will thaw evenly, and when a bird is slightly warmed, salmonella begins to run wild.
Foodborne bacteria can begin to grow at 40°F and meat will spoil if kept anywhere above this and up to 140°F while it’s raw. The average refrigerator temperature should never be above 40°F, it should hover around 35°F for optimal refrigeration. The most vital tip to thawing a turkey is to avoid a warm turkey at all costs. (We hope you didn’t just remember that you left yours in the trunk). Turkey should never be left out for more than 2 hours on the counter. It is ok if the center of the bird is still a bit frozen when you begin to fire that baby up.
Cold defrosting a turkey keeps the fresh flavor in so that it’s only unleashed during the cooking process. When it is cooking, the meat will stay tender, moist, and the natural flavors will be released.
How to Thaw and Brine a Turkey
U.S. History books record that the first presidential pardon ever given was by Harry Truman in 1947, to a turkey. Now, in honor of this pardon, 2 turkeys are spared annually. If your turkey hasn’t received the Presidential pardon, it’s time to get to prepping for Turkey Day.
If you haven’t purchased a turkey, today is the day. Race out and grab one as soon as possible to avoid a MAYDAY situation tomorrow. A wild turkey can run 25 mph at top speed, which is about as fast as an Olympic track star. So, if you have planned ahead, and have beat out the other turkeys to the store, you get a gold medal in Thanksgiving prep.
Tom the turkey likes to be the center of attention, he is ready and waiting to make you a Turkey Day hero. Let’s transform him into the most delicious bird your friends and family have ever partaken of. So shake that turkey leg and follow these simple steps to defrost the turkey and prep it for its brine bath. The key is to get started a day or two before Thanksgiving Day.