Put the ground turkey on a shelf or in a drawer in your fridge away from any open foods, such as fruits and vegetables, just in case there are any leaks. Never thaw frozen ground turkey on the counter because bacteria can develop on the outer parts of the meat that warm up first.
The back and bottom of the fridge generally stay the coldest. Cold air sinks to the bottom, and warm air rushes in the front of the fridge every time you open the door.
If you don’t want to wait until the turkey is thawed all the way, keep in mind that it is perfectly safe to cook it while it is still all or partly frozen. It will just take about 50% longer to cook this way than thawed ground turkey. You can also finish thawing the turkey in a dish of cold water or in the microwave. Keep in mind that the meat will begin to lose quality the more you thaw and refreeze it. This is due to loss of moisture every time you thaw it out.
Don’t put the turkey in the microwave in its regular packaging because it can melt or catch on fire.
Rotate the meat in the microwave after the first 2 minutes if you need to defrost it longer. This will help it thaw evenly since microwaves have some spots that get hotter than others.
Some of the ground turkey will likely start to cook while it thaws in the microwave, which is why it is easier for bacteria to grow on turkey thawed in this way. If the turkey is already partially defrosted, then start with 1 minute per 1 lb (0. 45 kg) instead of 2 minutes.
This method of thawing is much faster than letting the turkey thaw in the fridge, but requires you to pay more attention during the process. Thawing ground turkey in cold water will defrost it more evenly than in a microwave because the temperature is even all around.
Never use hot water to thaw ground turkey because this will greatly increase the likelihood of dangerous bacteria.
Set an alarm on your phone or a watch to remind you to check on the turkey and change the water. If the turkey is already partially thawed, then it might only take 30 minutes to finish thawing it in cold water.
Remember that it is okay to cook the turkey even if it has not thawed completely. The frozen parts will just take a bit longer to cook, but you can do this if you don’t want to wait for it to thaw all the way. If the turkey is not thawing fast enough in the water, you can finish defrosting it in the microwave.
