# Turkey cooking **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 22, 2011, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turkey-cooking/568589 "2011-01-22T18:46:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2011, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turkey-cooking/568589/1 "2011-01-22T18:46:41Z")
Someone gave me a turkey in Nov. I have waited til now to make it, its pretty big. How long can I safely have it thawed out. I put it in the fridge Wednesday evening and our fridge is pretty cold. How long do i have before not being able to cook it? ---
**Author:** ![Rahne\_McCloud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@Rahne\_McCloud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rahne_McCloud)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2011, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turkey-cooking/568589/2 "2011-01-22T19:45:37Z")
When thawing out our turkeys that we cook for Thanksgiving we put the frozen bird in the fridge on Sunday, cook on Thursday. General rule of thumb is that you have a week to cook after it’s been thawed. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turkey-cooking/568589/3 "2011-01-23T16:30:46Z")
If you want to hurry things up, fill your sink with cold water and stick the bird in there for a few hours. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turkey-cooking/568589/4 "2011-01-23T17:10:42Z")
If you are going to brine the turkey you can start before it’s fully thawed, and the brining will finish the job. ---
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turkey-cooking/568589/5 "2011-01-23T17:50:33Z")
No brining, its been 4 days. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turkey-cooking/568589/6 "2011-01-23T18:12:17Z")
> [@BigBertha](#): > > No brining, its been 4 days. It should be ready after 4 refrigerated days of thawing. As long as it is thawed enough to be able to pry the neck, gibblets and stuff out of the body cavity. Then you can rinse out the body and you should be good to go. If it is still too frozen to get the stuff out, soak it in cold water until you can. ---
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turkey-cooking/568589/7 "2011-01-23T18:32:16Z")
Would 5 days be too late? ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turkey-cooking/568589/8 "2011-01-23T20:26:18Z")
I’m thinking not at all. You should be good to go - use a meat thermometer and set it for 165 or 170 or so. The bird will still rise in temp 5 - 10 degrees after you take it out. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turkey-cooking/568589/9 "2011-01-24T01:09:58Z")
Don’t forget to throw the turkey carcass in a freezer bag for yummy soup-making goodness later on. We just made our Thanksgiving carcass dumpling soup this weekend and it was truly delightful. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turkey-cooking/568589/10 "2011-01-24T01:54:28Z")
Awesome [turkey 101](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=7969228&postcount=1)