How to Thaw a Turkey Breast
The turkey breast in your freezer is closer to dinner than you think. Two methods, timed out by the pound, and nobody has to know how close it was.
Servings 1 turkey breast (2 to 8+ lbs)
Equipment
- Rimmed sheet pan or shallow tray
- Instant-read thermometer (Thermapen)
- 1-gallon zip-top or heavy-duty leak-proof bags
- Large stockpot basin, or clean sink
- Paper towels
Ingredients
- 1 1 frozen turkey breast, bone-in or boneless (2 to 8 lbs)
- Cold tap water (cold water method only)
- Ice as needed
Instructions
Refrigerator Method,
- Inspect and Bag: Check the packaging for tears or a broken seal. If it is compromised, slide the whole thing into a leak-proof bag.
- Set Up: Set the breast on a rimmed sheet pan and place it on the bottom shelf. Confirm the fridge is at 40F or below.
- Wait and Check: Allow about 6 hours per pound. Check every 12 hours. Done when the thickest part reads 32 to 40F with no hard spots and no ice crystals.
Cold Water Method
- Seal Watertight: Confirm the packaging is fully sealed, or move the breast to a heavy-duty leak-proof bag and press out the air.
- Submerge: Fill a stockpot or clean sink with 60 to 70F cold tap water and submerge the breast completely. Weigh it down with a plate if it floats.
- Change and Rotate: Drain and refill with fresh cold water every 30 minutes, rotating the breast each time. Add ice if the bath climbs past 70F. Allow about 30 minutes per pound.
- Confirm and Cook: Check three spots for 32 to 40F, a slight give under the thumb, and no ice crystals. Pat dry with paper towels. Cook a cold water thawed breast immediately.
Notes
- Refrigerator thawed breasts can be refrozen raw. Cold water and microwave thawed breasts cannot; cook them first.
- Bone-in breasts run to the long end of every time range. Netted boneless roasts finish sooner.
- Never thaw on the counter. The surface sits in the 40 to 140F danger zone for hours while the center is still frozen.
- Once thawed, cook within 1 to 2 days.
