Can these turkeys be saved?


 
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Randy D

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My refrigerator/freezer broke down yesterday and two 12-13 pound turkeys started to thaw. The temperatures outside were in the upper 30's, so I stuck the turkeys in a cooler and put the cooler out on the deck. Overnight temperatures were in the 20's and at 1:00 p.m. it's 32 degrees F. The refrigerator is being repaired as I type.

It's probably not a good idea to refreeze turkey once it's started to thaw, right? If I allow them to thaw in the refrigerator, they'll probably be completely thawed before I'm ready to cook. I'll be out of town Sunday and I'm going to a Christmas party Monday night. Will it be too long after thawing to wait until Wednesday to cook? Or, is there a way to slow down the thawing process so that I can brine a turkey on Tuesday and grill/smoke it on Wednesday morning for our office Christmas luncheon at noon?

Randy D
 
We usually let our turkeys thaw for 5 days in the refrigerator. Unless they have thawed more then a little you should be OK.
If you want to slow down the process, wrap them in newspapar. Newspaper is a great insulator and will keep things cold/forzen for quite some time.
 
I always err on the side of caution, but in this case it sounds like you would be alright freezing them again or just finish thawing them for Wendsday.
 
Randy,

You can always start a 24 hour brining process on Tuesday. I'm not the expert on preservation techniques (Doug D seems to know a lot about it and you could always post a question to him in the Just Conversation section) but I'm pretty sure it would buy you a lot of time.

My other thought is get some dry ice for your cooler. I'm sure that would get you the time you need.
 
Randy,
Here is your answer about refreezing thawed poulty from the USDA web site. <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Is it safe to refreeze food that has thawed completely?
Once food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through defrosting. After cooking raw foods which were previously frozen, it is safe to freeze the cooked foods. And if previously cooked foods are thawed in the refrigerator, you may refreeze the unused portion.

If you purchase previously frozen meat, poultry or fish at a retail store, you can refreeze if it has been handled properly.
(Source: Focus on Freezing) <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

USDA HOTLINE
 
If the turkey never exceeded 32°, I think it could safely be returned to the freezer until you are ready to begin thawing.
 
The turkeys went into the refrigerator Friday after the repairs were complete ($300+). I guess I didn't have to worry about them thawing too quickly. I spent the afternoon sitting in below 0 wind chill conditions watching Cleveland get frozen out by the San Diego Chargers and when I got back to Pa. tonight the turkeys were still partially frozen. Wonder what will thaw out first:
Me, the turkeys, or the Browns?
 
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