Grocery shopping ahead of time is a simple way to alleviate some of the pre-Thanksgiving craziness, which is one reason why frozen turkeys are a hot-ticket item. Americans spend over $1 billion at Thanksgiving time, buying up nearly 400 million pounds in November alone, and 51% of people go with frozen whole turkeys, versus the 32% who buy them fresh. To achieve the best results, it's important to know how frozen is different—brush up on the do's and don'ts of frozen Thanksgiving turkey to ensure your dinner guests have perfectly cooked meat to douse in gravy on the big day.
1. You can buy them way ahead of time.
The benefit of buying a frozen bird is that you don't have to worry about the sell-by date as much as with fresh turkey. According to a consumer research study conducted by Honeysuckle White, 66% of people purchase their turkey one week or more before Thanksgiving. An unopened, whole turkey keeps perfectly well for up to 2 years in the freezer.
2. You've got to keep them ice cold.
To ensure your turkey tastes great, you want it to be totally frozen up until it's cooked. Frost-free refrigerators aren't great for maintaining super-cold temperatures, which can lead to freezer burn (yuck), so make sure it's stored in a spot where it'll freeze all the way through.
3. They're injected with a special solution.
You're not just getting pure poultry when you buy a frozen turkey. They often are injected with a basting solution of water, salt and spices—more of it than with fresh turkeys—to amp up the flavor and make the meat extra juicy. Honeysuckle White turkeys are treated to a brine of turkey broth, salt, sugar, celery and rosemary extract.
4. Thawing can be tricky.
If you've got a massive crowd coming for dinner, you'll need to get a great big bird to feed them all. Check out our chart that lays out how much food to make—we suggest 1 1/2 pounds of turkey per person—and adjust your prep timeline accordingly. You'll need to give yourself about 24 hours to thaw every 4 pounds of frozen turkey, so you might need to make room in the fridge a full week before Thanksgiving. A fridge-thawed turkey can stay in the fridge for 1 to 2 days before cooking.
To speed up the process you can try cold water thawing. According to Honeysuckle White, just put the turkey in a plastic bag and submerge it in cold tap water, changing the water every 30 minutes until thawed—it will take 2 to 6 hours for a 4- to 12-pound bird, and up to 12 hours if your bird is between 20-24 pounds. Make sure to cook it immediately once thawed!
5. But you CAN roast them frozen.
If you wake up the morning of Turkey Day only to realize that your bird is still frozen—or you completely forgot to thaw it at all—don't have a complete meltdown. Though not recommended for ultimate flavor, you can roast a turkey while it's still frozen. The USDA ensure us that it's safe, but warns that the cooking time will take at least 50% longer than recommended for a fully thawed turkey ... which might mean a super late dinnertime.
6. It's important to read the labels.
If you're health conscious, you're probably already scanning all the details on the back of your food packages, but beware that info on frozen turkeys can be confusing. Buzzwords like "cage-free" and "hormone-free don't mean a thing—according to the USDA, raising turkeys in cages and using hormones on them are both prohibited in the U.S. If you're concerned with the wellbeing of your turkey, look for the following certifications on the label as well: certified humane, global animal partnership, or animal welfare approved.
7. There's a surprise inside.
If it's your first time cooking a whole bird, don't freak out when you realize there's a mysterious package inside the cavity. Most frozen turkeys come with a bag containing the giblets, which are great for making gravy.
8. They come pre-cooked and even pre-stuffed.
If you can't be bothered with prepping a typical fresh or frozen turkey, you'll be glad to know there are alternatives for lazy hosts as well. Track down a frozen, fully cooked turkey which just requires thawing before serving, or get a frozen, stuffed whole turkey with the bread stuffing already stuffed inside, which is designed to go straight from the freezer to the oven without thawing.
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