How Long Do U Cook A Frozen Turkey

Download Article

If it's Thanksgiving day and you've forgotten to defrost the turkey in your freezer, don't panic. It's totally possible to cook a frozen turkey in the oven and have it turn out delicious and safe for you and your family to eat.

1

Take your turkey out of the freezer and unwrap it. Use scissors to cut the netting and plastic off the turkey. Leave the bag of giblets inside the turkey for now.^[1]
2
Put the turkey on a roasting rack inside of a roasting pan. The turkey should be breast-side up on the rack in the pan.^[2]
- It's important that you use a roasting rack so the heat in the oven can circulate around the entire turkey.
Advertisement
3

Preheat the oven to 325 °F (163 °C). If there are multiple racks in the oven, remove all of them except for the one that's in the bottom third of the oven. That way there will be enough room for the turkey.^[3]
4
Place the frozen turkey in the oven and let it thaw for 2 and a half hours. Avoid opening the oven during this time so heat doesn't escape. After 2 and a half hours, the turkey should be mostly thawed and have a golden brown color.^[4]
- Don't worry about seasoning your turkey yet — seasoning won't stick to a frozen turkey. You can season the turkey later after it thaws for a couple of hours in the oven.
5
Use a meat thermometer to check the turkey's temperature after it's thawed. Stick the thermometer in the breast or thighs and give it a few seconds to read the temperature. At this point, the turkey should be around 100–125 °F (38–52 °C).^[5]
- If the temperature is lower than 100–125 °F (38–52 °C), let the turkey continue to roast and check on it periodically until it's up to temperature.
Advertisement

1

Take the bag of giblets out of the neck of the turkey. The giblets are the organs of the turkey that are bagged and stuffed in the turkey's neck by the butcher. Now that the turkey is partially thawed, you should be able to pull the giblets out so you can discard them (or make gravy with them).^[6]
2

Brush ¹⁄₂ cup (120 mL) of melted butter onto the turkey with a basting brush. Coating the turkey with butter will make it more flavorful. If you don't have butter, you can use olive oil instead.^[7]
3
Season the turkey with salt and pepper. Start with 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of salt and pepper and gradually add more if it's not enough to cover the whole turkey. Sprinkle the seasonings onto the top of the turkey and then gently rub them in with your fingers. ^[8]
- You can also use other kinds of seasonings, like rosemary, thyme, and sage.
Advertisement

1
Roast the turkey for 1.5-5 more hours depending on its weight. The more your turkey weighs, the longer you'll need to roast it for. You can find out how much your turkey weighs by checking the plastic wrapping that it came in.^[9]
- 8–12 pounds (3.6–5.4 kg): roast for 1.5-2 more hours.
- 12–14 pounds (5.4–6.4 kg): roast for 2-3 more hours.
- 14–20 pounds (6.4–9.1 kg): roast for 3-4 more hours.
- 20–24 pounds (9.1–10.9 kg): roast for 4-5 more hours.
2

Check on the turkey every hour. When you check on the turkey, check its temperature with the thermometer to make sure it's going up. You can also brush on more melted butter or oil to give it more flavor. If the turkey looks like it's burning or getting too crisp, cover the top with aluminum foil.^[10]
3
Take the turkey out of the oven once it reaches 165 °F (74 °C). Your turkey will be fully cooked and safe to eat at this temperature. Check the temperature with the thermometer at multiple depths in different places to make sure the whole turkey is cooked through.^[11]
- Check the center of the turkey with the thermometer since it will take the longest to cook.
4

Let the turkey cool for 30 minutes before serving. After 30 minutes, your turkey should be cool enough to carve and serve. Carve the turkey and serve it with stuffing, mashed potatoes, or your other favorite sides.^[12]

Advertisement

Add New Question

Question

How do I cook a frozen turkey breast in a slow cooker?

Place the turkey breast in the slow cooker, add water to cover it, add 2 tablespoons of butter, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of garlic salt. Cook on low heat for 6-8 hrs. Remove the breast and place the broth in a pan on the stove and make gravy.
Question

Can I cook a frozen turkey on the BBQ grill?

No, you would need to thaw it first.
Question

Is it possible to stuff a turkey when it is partially cooked?

Yes, it is. It's harder, but it's still possible.
Question

Is it safe to thaw a turkey that is supposed to be cooked from frozen?

Yes, as long as you defrost it safely (don't leave it out of refrigeration for too long and don't let it sit defrosted for too long). But it may impact the cooking time and the flavor/moistness of the final product. Make sure you account for these factors when cooking the turkey.
Question

Can I cook a frozen, stuffed butterball turkey in a roaster oven?

Place a rack in bottom third of oven. Heat oven to 325°F. Place unseasoned, frozen turkey in roasting pan, place pan on bottom rack. Cook frozen turkey for 2 hours to thaw. At 2 hour mark remove giblets. If giblets are wrapped in plastic use tongs or fork to carefully remove. Plastic can melt, releasing harmful chemicals to turkey. Season turkey, place back in oven. If package said cook thawed turkey for 5 hours, cook frozen turkey 1.5x longer. A frozen turkey will cook for 7 hours. Let turkey cook remainder of time. Check temp. w/ food thermometer in the innermost part of the thigh, & the thickest part of the breast. Turkey & stuffing must be @ 165°F, remove, let sit for 20 minutes. Carve.
Question

Can I cook the turkey the day before we plan to eat it?

Yes, you can. Place a rack in the bottom third of your oven and heat the oven to 325°F. Unwrap the frozen turkey and place it in a roasting pan on the roasting rack that you placed in the bottom third of the oven.
Question

Can I still use a pre-stuffed butterball turkey that has been in a deep freezer for a year?

A fresher turkey would have better flavor, texture, etc., but you can use the frozen turkey as long as it still appears to be in good condition.
Question

How long does it take to thaw out a frozen turkey?

It depends on the size of the turkey. Check the packaging, as it usually provides guidance. If thawing in water method, 30 minutes for every pound seems to be the golden rule.

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Video

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Never attempt to grill or deep fry a frozen turkey. Cooking a frozen turkey in an oven is the only safe way to prepare it without thawing it beforehand.^[13]

Things You'll Need

Oven
Roasting rack
Roasting pan
Meat thermometer
Basting brush
Seasoning

About This Article

Article SummaryX

To cook a frozen turkey, first remove the packaging and preheat your oven to 325 ° F (160 °C). Then, place a roasting rack inside of a roasting pan, put the turkey on top of the rack, and put it in the oven. Let the turkey thaw in the oven for 2 ½ hours, or until its internal temperature is between 100 and 125 degrees Fahrenheit (40 and 50 °C). Once it's thawed, take the giblets and neck out of the body cavity, and season the turkey with butter, salt, pepper, and your favorite herbs, like sage, rosemary, or thyme. Finally, roast the turkey in the oven for 1 more hour per 5 pounds (2 ½ kilograms) of meat. Brush the turkey with more melted butter as it's cooking if you'd like. You'll know the turkey is done when its internal temperature is 165 ° F (75 ° C). For more information, including how to correctly position your frozen turkey in the roasting pan, scroll down!

Did this summary help you?

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 288,348 times.

Did this article help you?