How to Thaw a Frozen Turkey in a Brown Paper Bag

You have to thaw out a turkey before it can be cooked.

When you think of turkey, you may automatically think of Thanksgiving, but in actuality turkey is a low-calorie meat that can be cooked on regular basis. Before you can cook a juicy turkey, you have to properly thaw the frozen bird. There are several ways that you can do this, but if you have a small bird (less than 14 pounds), you can use the brown paper bag method.

Things You'll Need

• Large brown paper bag
• Paper bag twist ties
• Plastic wrap
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Remove your frozen turkey from the freezer and remove the outer packaging.

2. Place the turkey in a large brown paper bag. Seal the bag with a twist tie.

3. Wrap the bag with plastic wrap until there are no gaps or air holes. Place the turkey on the counter for 30 minutes per pound, or you can place the turkey in the refrigerator for one day for every four pounds.

4. Retrieve the turkey after the thawing period and cut the plastic wrap from the outer shell.

5. Remove the paper bag. Wash your hands and insert one hand inside the turkey to check whether it is thawed.

Tips & Warnings

• Wash your hands consistently when dealing with poultry.

• Do not use the counter method for birds over 14 pounds. It is not safe to leave a large bird outside of the refrigerator for that long.

References

• USDA: Let's Talk Turkey
• Butterball.com: How to Thaw Your Turkey
• BarfBlog: Thawing and Cooking, Turkey