Non-motoring > Defrost Dilemma	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Skip	Replies: 61

Sun 21 Dec 14 08:01   Defrost Dilemma - Skip

How long will a 2kg frozen turkey crown take to defrost in the fridge ? Google came up with 18-20 hours, but i'm not sure that is long enough as a 500gr pack of mince can take that long. Thanks. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 08:15   Defrost Dilemma - Bromptonaut

Just get it out night before, remove packaging and cover loosely with foil. Should defrost OK in 12+ hours and no way it'll get warm enough to start going off. Either way, the key is to ensure it's piping hot all way through. A meat thermometer is your friend. Reply to this message | Report message       1

Sun 21 Dec 14 08:46   Defrost Dilemma - Zero

>> How long will a 2kg frozen turkey crown take to defrost in the fridge ? >> Google came up with 18-20 hours, but i'm not sure that is long enough as >> a 500gr pack of mince can take that long. Thanks. dont defrost it in the fridge. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 10:08   Defrost Dilemma - legacylad

Why not? Just curious. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 10:15   Defrost Dilemma - Pat

Always defrost slowly in the fridge otherwise parts of it on the outside will warm (thaw) enough for bacteria to brow. I would say 24 hours at least for that size. Pat Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 10:24   Defrost Dilemma - Zero

>> Always defrost slowly in the fridge otherwise parts of it on the outside will warm >> (thaw) enough for bacteria to brow. Which are killed in the cooking process. Specially the outside. Not given anyone food poisoning yet so I must be ok doing it that way. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 10:26   Defrost Dilemma - mikeyb

i'm with Zero - never defrost something like that in the fridge. Our kitchen is the coldest room in the house so we would just leave it out overnight Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 10:23   Defrost Dilemma - Cliff Pope

>> Why not? Just curious. >> >> Because the fridge is sealed. The thawing bird has to take a lot of heat from the other items in the fridge, which seriously slows down the process because the bird will probably have the greatest mass of anything else in the fridge. Large frozen things in my experience take ages to thaw properly in the fridge. ventilation in a cool pantry works best. Reply to this message | Report message       1

Sun 21 Dec 14 10:27   Defrost Dilemma - Runfer D'Hills

We put things like that on a shelf in the garage for 24 hours prior to cooking. Isn't as warm as anywhere in the house but generally warmer than the fridge where it can take ages to defrost. Still alive so it must work. Reply to this message | Report message       1

Sun 21 Dec 14 10:26   Defrost Dilemma - Zero

>> Why not? Just curious. >> Because the inside probably wont get thawed, its also the place which is most likely not to get cooked properly so is also the place most likely to brew bacteria. As brompo say, a meat probe is your friend. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 10:53   Defrost Dilemma - Skip

Ok, thanks everyone. Next question - defrost in the wrapper or not ? Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 10:57   Defrost Dilemma - Zero

>> Ok, thanks everyone. Next question - defrost in the wrapper or not ? No reason not to, makes for easier handling & storage while defrosting. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 21:38   Defrost Dilemma - Bromptonaut

>> No reason not to, makes for easier handling & storage while defrosting. The wrapper will restrict air circulation. Remove it and place thawing bird/crown on trivet to allow air all round Ensure trivet is over plate or tray to catch drips. The risk with frozen poultry is failure to thaw either near bones or between legs and main body. In turn, these are last places for oven heat to penetrate during cooking. A good stand period after cooking allows heat to equalize. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 10:55   Defrost Dilemma - CGNorwich

Even non frozen meat should be removed from the fridge well before cooking to allow it to rise to room temperqture. Quoted cooking time are for food at room temperature. If the the meat is still at 4 degrees it will take considerably longer to cook and you are at risk of the outside being overdone before the inside is cooked. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 11:34   Defrost Dilemma - MD

A large chicken for Sunday lunch will come out of the freezer on Friday afternoon and will remain on the top in the Kitchen for several hours. It will then will be put in the fridge until Sunday morning when it will emerge and be left in the Kitchen again until it meets it's second fate. Mmmmmmm Lovely... Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 12:17   Defrost Dilemma - BiggerBadderDave

"a meat probe is your friend" You read that on a Durex packet didn't you? Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 11:35   Defrost Dilemma - Robin O'Reliant

>> How long will a 2kg frozen turkey crown take to defrost in the fridge ? >> I take it you've got the Aldi one as well? Really nice and cracking value, we get one every year and one of their ducks for New Year. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 11:40   Defrost Dilemma - sooty123

one of their ducks >> for New Year. >> Us too, not from Aldi though. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 11:46   Meat at xmas - sooty123

www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-30420477 What are we are all having for xmas? Turkey or not? I'm not a big fan of turkey. We've having a couple of wild ducks we shot last week. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 11:41   Defrost Dilemma - Skip

>> I take it you've got the Aldi one as well? No it came from Sainsburys. I agree that Aldi have some cracking food but the problem is that they have become so popular around here that they are packed all the time and the car parks are gridlocked with Audis, Mercs and RR's etc ! Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 12:32   Defrost Dilemma - Duncan

>>Aldi have some cracking food but the problem is that they have become so popular around here that they are packed all the time and the car parks are gridlocked with Audis, Mercs and RR's etc ! And knackered Lancers! Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 14:50   Defrost Dilemma - Zero

>> And knackered Lancers! You most definitely wont find one of those in Aldi. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 16:09   Defrost Dilemma - legacylad

Personally I don't like turkey. Dead pig for me, although Christmas dinner will be mainly poured. Meeting my waifs & stray friends in the pub at noon, then progress to at least one other local pub. Merrily home at 4, dry cured bacon, on white bread with a little lurpak. Eaten & washed up 30 minutes later. Out to friends party at 5. Job done. Although I would rather be in foreign parts skiing. Gotta count my blessings, not complaining though. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 17:21   Defrost Dilemma - Ted

Starting tonight here, really. Party tonight next door but one at the local Buddhist's for the solstice. Loads of excellent food and drink available. The girls aren't veggies so we're all catered for. Chrimbo Day at youngest daughter's , Son and his lot here on Boxing day then a day off and 20 ish family and in-laws coming here for a buffet and drinkypoos. Anyone knocking on the door won't be turned away ! New Year will be quiet...we don't bother with it at all. My birthday just before New Year so mate and mrs will motor down from Appleby and we'll all go out for lunch somewhere. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 17:39   Defrost Dilemma - MD

Postcode please:0) Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 18:08   Defrost Dilemma - Armel Coussine

>> Personally I don't like turkey. I don't much either, but I can eat a couple of nice breast slices with crispy skin on them not to be curmudgeonly. I don't eat very much anyway. I'm looking forward to the Boxing Day glazed gammon though. With luck one of the vegetables will be rice and gungo peas cooked with coconut milk or that congealed coconut slurry. Very good with a bit of hot pepper sauce, London West Indians taught me long ago. And I love Christmas pudding, so that's all right. And Christmas cake when there is any, with marzipan and plenty of rum and sherry in it. Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Sun 21 Dec 14 at 18:11 Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 18:18   Defrost Dilemma - rtj70

I'd say don't defrost it in the fridge either. Somewhere cool but not warm is where I'd leave it. For us that's the cellar. I think I did follow the defrost instructions one year and it was still slightly frozen on Christmas morning. Ooops. It was mainly because of the packaging. But it never said to remove it. My solution last year and this? Buy a fresh turkey crown in Aldi :-) About £10 cheaper than Tesco for similar size. Although Tesco had larger crowns for a price, e.g. 4.9kg for £40. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 18:23   Defrost Dilemma - MD

Anybody who spends £40.00 on dried tasteless carp needs their bumps felt. Quality Chicken is far superior as is Guinea fowl. Bah! Bumhug! Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 18:44   Defrost Dilemma - rtj70

>> dried tasteless carp I didn't think the carp they ate for Christmas in some countries was dry or tasteless :-) They keep it in the bath initially too - so it is pretty fresh. It's eaten on Christmas Eve and not Christmas Day. Last edited by: rtj70 on Sun 21 Dec 14 at 18:45 Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 18:52   Defrost Dilemma - CGNorwich

I see Waitrose now have fresh carp for sale. How do you cook them. Baked? Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 19:54   Defrost Dilemma - bathtub tom

>> They keep it in the bath initially too - so it is pretty fresh. They keep it in the bath for a few days so it expels most of the muddy sludge its been swimming in. Still tastes like mud to me. I've experienced one of those Christmas eves. Carp soup, followed by carp, full of tiny bones. They all agree it's terrible, but it's tradition. Once was enough for me. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 19:57   Defrost Dilemma - Zero

yeah, tasteless, texture of an old mat, bony. There is a reason we don't eat carp. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 21:21   Defrost Dilemma - Armel Coussine

>> With luck one of the vegetables will be rice and gungo peas cooked with coconut milk or that congealed coconut slurry. Herself says there won't be any of that. Damn! I'll have to make do with gravy and jam. With a bit of pepper sauce. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 21:35   Defrost Dilemma - MD

Pheasant and Woodcock if I had my way, but of course........ Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 21:41   Defrost Dilemma - Bromptonaut

>> Pheasant and Woodcock if I had my way, but of course........ They make a nice meal but need to be casseroled or pot roasted. We thought about Guinea Fowl but decided a small turkey was better. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 21:46   Defrost Dilemma - MD

We casserole Pheasant as I cannot be faffed to fluck the puckers. However one friend cooks his Woodcock and spreads it on toast innards and all, and for the life of me I cannot remember how he cooks it , but it is delicious anyway. Another just roasts them and eats them all to himself. I gave him two fine specimens yesterday. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 22:03   Defrost Dilemma - sooty123

Not sure if I understand you right, you just chuck them in the oven without gutting and plucking them? Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 22:12   Defrost Dilemma - MD

Yes. The innards turn to 'cream'. There's nothing much to them. Not to be feared. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 22:16   Defrost Dilemma - sooty123

What about the feathers? Not tried it before, we got two hen birds this weekend. Usually pan fry the breasts Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 22:21   Defrost Dilemma - MD

The Fevvers are of course Plucked prior, but I guess you knew that Sooters :-0) Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 22:27   Defrost Dilemma - sooty123

Well I did think that, but you did say you couldn't be bothered plucking! ;) Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 22:29   Defrost Dilemma - MD

The 'gut in' job applies to the Woodcock only. NOT the Pheasant. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 22:47   Defrost Dilemma - sooty123

Righto, mind you don't see too many woodcock round here. Plenty of geese this year though. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 23:30   Defrost Dilemma - Armel Coussine

I did a post about my squeamish dislike of game, the reasons for it and how I once shot a woodcock by a fluke - mistook it for a pheasant in the heat of the moment -, sweet little bird with a very fine beak, and felt bad about it. It appeared but has now gone. Have I caused offence by saying I don't like bad poultry all that much, saying that I'll eat pheasant, but only long before 'the maggots are dropping from it'? Oh dear. What a minefield the world is. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 22 Dec 14 08:51   Defrost Dilemma - MD

I only hang Pheasants overnight and that can be too long if you get a heat spike. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 21 Dec 14 22:34   Defrost Dilemma - Slidingpillar

I'm not a pheasant plucker, I'm a pheasant plucker's son I'm only plucking pheasants 'till the pheasant plucker comes. Me husband is a keeper, he's a very busy man I try to understand him and I help him all I can, But sometimes in an evening I feel a trifle dim All alone, I'm plucking pheasants, when I'd rather pluck with him. I'm not a pheasant plucker, I'm a pheasant plucker's mate I'm only plucking pheasants 'cos the pheasant plucker's late ! I defy anyone to sing that correctly the first time or after a couple of drinks! There are more words if you want them here: www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~mentor01/song.htm Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 22 Dec 14 00:19   Defrost Dilemma - Armel Coussine

I know what a turkey is but what's a 'turkey crown'? Never heard of one of those. And it wouldn't make a meal for four if a turkey could wear it on his little head. If it was that red thing they have on their heads... hardly enough for a sparrow. And only a game enthusiast would really fancy it. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 22 Dec 14 00:25   Defrost Dilemma - henry k

Tis just the breast part. Lots of meat without all the faffing about. Better words than mine. www.britishturkey.co.uk/cooking/crowns-other-cuts.html Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 22 Dec 14 00:48   Defrost Dilemma - Manatee

>>Tis just the breast part. I knew that. But not until I'd bought one a few years ago, got it home, and discovered it had no legs. I thought I'd been done. Reply to this message | Report message       1

Mon 22 Dec 14 00:59   Defrost Dilemma - rtj70

And the fact it's the breast part made me wonder how big the actual turkey had been for the 5kg turkey crown in Tesco! That would not fit in most ovens if still the whole turkey! Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 22 Dec 14 08:11   Defrost Dilemma - Cliff Pope

>> got it >> home, and discovered it had no legs. I thought I'd been done. >> You could have gone back to complain, but you wouldn't ....... You can guess the missing words :) Reply to this message | Report message       1

Mon 22 Dec 14 11:02   Defrost Dilemma - Mapmaker

Goose. Goose. Goose. Far nicer than turkey, and moreover the traditional English thing. Reply to this message | Report message       1

Tue 23 Dec 14 09:32   Defrost Dilemma - Bromptonaut

A somewhat confused piece in the Wail: www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2883439/75-risking-food-poisoning-thawing-turkeys-bath-garage-garden-experts-warn.html The FSA advice on which the article is based is only a little better: www.food.gov.uk/news-updates/news/2014/13366/defrost-your-turkey-properly The report, concerning whole turkeys rather than OP's crown, mentions the spread of campylobacter and implies the bug will spread when bird is defrosted in an unsuitable place. The real issue though seems to be bird not being fully thawed so that parts do not get hot enough to kill off the nasties. With a whole bird that means places like where thighs meet carcass and the point at which breast meat is deepest. FSA, while recommending the fridge, recognise this may not be possible and suggest alternative of somewhere cool. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 23 Dec 14 10:37   Defrost Dilemma - Haywain

"FSA, while recommending the fridge, recognise this may not be possible and suggest alternative of somewhere cool." I must admit, my own preference would have been for defrosting in the fridge - that's what I normally do in the case of smaller frozen items; I also figure that it must just help keep the fridge a bit cooler and reduce its running cost by a fraction of a p. However ………… yesterday, I put a frozen 500g pack of minced beef in the new fridge to defrost ready to make a chilli con carne today ……… and the rascal was still frozen this morning. With a larger lump of flesh, I now think I'd be tempted to put it in a cool place for 24hrs, free from dogs, cats, rats etc. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 23 Dec 14 10:45   Defrost Dilemma - Cliff Pope

>> >> However ………… yesterday, I put a frozen 500g pack of minced beef in the new >> fridge to defrost ready to make a chilli con carne today ……… and the rascal >> was still frozen this morning. >> Exactly - size matters. If the thing you want to defrost is at -6 degrees, and the other stuff is the same weight at +6 degrees, then they will eventually average out at zero - ie still frozen. You have to think where the thawing heat is going to come from. A fridge and its contents are not the best source of heat. It's different if you are only thawing a small pack and don't much care how long it takes - the fridge just works a little less hard. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 23 Dec 14 10:40   Defrost Dilemma - Pat

I did say that at the start of this thread......! Pat Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 23 Dec 14 18:24   Defrost Dilemma - Alastairw

I always defrost mince in the microwave. Takes about 10 minutes for 500g. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 24 Dec 14 02:30   Defrost Dilemma - Pat

I never defrost mine! I throw it in a frying pan with onions, carrots and parsnips and wait until it is all cooked through and separated. Drain all the fat off and put into a casserole dish with a packet of Colemans Shepherds Pie mix and pop in the oven for hours. .....or at least until I get an ETA from Ian! To those of you who live around Reading and shop at Tesco, your panic buying of Christmas sweets has meant a 3am booking at Tesco Reading today:) Since he can't start from here legally until 2am, it's going to be late and that means he will get parked up in their sin bin as punishment....yes, really! Something tells me it's going to be a long day. Pat Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 24 Dec 14 02:38   Defrost Dilemma - Pat

I blame WdeB, he shops at Tesco and must have been eating all the chocolate to fill those hollow legs of his. Pat Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 24 Dec 14 03:20   Defrost Dilemma - legacylad

I hope your day goes well Pat. Most people do not appreciate the unsociable, and long hours that result in our supermarkets being stocked. When in trade for myself, I really enjoyed the retail industry. Not a single day off between mid Nov and Dec 25th, in the warehouse AM on the 26th, bookkeeping PM then open for business again on the 27th. And strangely I loved every minute of it, especially delivering a full van of Christmas presents to customers who wanted goods on Christmas Eve. I normally got finished by 9.30 pm, in bed soon afterwards. I could not manage those hours now, mores the pity. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 24 Dec 14 03:46   Defrost Dilemma - Pat

Thanks for that Legacy Lad, so many people never think of it like that. We have loads going out on Boxing Day again but thankfully agency drivers are doing them. I too, love the atmosphere at this time of the year when working, it just seems that it's on the road where the goodwill of Christmas never seems to reach and the journey back from Reading this afternoon will be a nightmare, I bet. We were tempted by the option of me going too and I could have started driving at 11pm to hit Reading on time, but double-manned that would have given us 20 hours we could have worked so the potential finishing time would have been 7am Christmas Day....and yes, any good boss will use your full potential;) So all I have to do is stay home and watch the Traffic England map for hold ups! I still blame WdeB:) Pat Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 24 Dec 14 12:46   Defrost Dilemma - No FM2R

>>I blame WdeB, he shops at Tesco and must have been eating all the chocolate to fill those >>hollow legs of his. I doubt it, he's only just got back. In fact, he may not actually be back yet, he may still be mobile. German cafe's in Santiago have had a very good December though. Last edited by: No FM2R on Wed 24 Dec 14 at 12:47 Reply to this message | Report message