Frequent question: How long should I cook a frozen turkey?

Thawed turkeys require about 15 minutes of cook time for every pound of meat. With a frozen turkey, you need at least 50 percent longer, or about 22 ½ minutes per pound. A 12-pound turkey, which would cook in about three hours if it’s fully thawed, now requires 4 ½ hours.

How long does it take to cook a 15 pound turkey from frozen?

For instance, the typical roasting time for a 15-pound fully thawed unstuffed turkey would be about 3 to 3 ½ hours (assuming an oven temperature of 325° F). The same-sized frozen turkey would take about 4 ½ to 5 hours to cook.

Can I cook a turkey from frozen?

Yes, cooking a turkey from frozen or partially frozen is totally safe and is even USDA-approved. … Oven-roasting is the only truly safe way to cook a frozen turkey. Do NOT deep-fry or grill a frozen turkey. Also, it’s best to cook the stuffing separately.

How long does it take to cook frozen turkey meat?

Roasts or whole chickens may take up to 3 hours. For whole turkeys, estimate about 30 minutes per pound. If thawed completely, the food must be cooked immediately. Do not refreeze foods thawed by the cold water bath method without cooking.

How long does it take to cook a 14 pound frozen turkey?

12-14 lbs turkey: 4 1/2-5 3/4 hours. 14-18 lbs turkey: 6-6 3/4 hours. 18-20 lbs turkey: 6 3/4-7 1/2 hours. 20-24 lbs turkey: 7 1/2- 7 3/4 hours.

Is it better to cook a turkey frozen or thawed?

Cooking a frozen turkey will take around 50 percent longer than cooking one that’s already been thawed. … This will ensure that the turkey stays above any liquid that may drain out, which would cause it to steam rather than roast. And it will cook more evenly on a shallow pan than one with high sides.

What if your turkey isn’t completely thawed?

If There’s No Time to Thaw

If you’re up against the clock and have no time left for even the “quick” cold-water thaw, then just cook the turkey as it is. It’s perfectly safe to cook a frozen or partially frozen turkey — you just need to allow some extra cooking time.

How do you cook a frozen turkey overnight?

How to Cook a Turkey Overnight

1. When you’re starting to think about going to bed, preheat your oven to somewhere between 170-180ºF. …
2. Roast the turkey while you sleep and get ready in the morning (as long as 9-11 hours). …
3. Remove the foil and take the turkey’s temperature with an instant-read thermometer.

What is the quickest way to thaw a turkey?

The fastest way to thaw a turkey

By submerging it in ice water, even a 24-pound bird can be defrosted in just 12 hours (Thermoworks says to count on about 8 hours for a 15-pounder).

Can you cook a Butterball turkey from frozen?

Your secret weapon, Butterball’s Cook from Frozen Stuffed Turkey goes from the freezer, to the oven, to the table – no thawing and no fuss preparing stuffing.

How long do you cook a turkey?

Calculate Turkey Cooking Time and Temperature. The simplest way to figure out turkey roasting times is to calculate 13 minutes per pound at 350°F for an unstuffed turkey (that’s about 3 hours for a 12- to 14-lb turkey), or 15 minutes per pound for a stuffed turkey.

Is it bad to cook frozen chicken?

Fortunately, we can all take a collective sigh of relief, because the USDA says it is fine to cook chicken from frozen, just keep in mind that the cooking time will be about 50 percent longer. However, chicken should never be cooked from frozen in a slow cooker or microwave.

Should I unwrap turkey to thaw?

Refrigerator Thawing

Thaw turkey breast side up, in an unopened wrapper on a tray in the fridge (40 degrees F or below). Allow at least 1 day of thawing for every 4 lbs of turkey. Keep turkey in original wrapper and place on tray. Use turkey within 4 days after thawing.

Do you cover a turkey when cooking?

To achieve that balance, the ideal is to let the bird spend time both covered and uncovered: We recommend covering your bird for most of the cooking time to prevent it from drying out, then removing the cover for the last 30 minutes or so to allow the skin to crisp.

How long does it take to defrost a 12-pound turkey?

Allow 30 minutes of thawing time for each pound of turkey, which translates to two to six hours for a 4- to 12-pound turkey. A 12- to 15-pound bird will thaw in six to eight hours.

Do you cook a turkey at 325 or 350?

Roast the turkey uncovered at a temperature ranging from 325°F to 350°F. Higher temperatures may cause the meat to dry out, but this is preferable to temperatures that are too low which may not allow the interior of the turkey to cook to a safe temperature.