Ever cooked turkey from frozen?

queensgrt

I've seen several recipes for this recently, and they really sing the praises for the bird being frozen: no dripping while defrosting, no worring about dry breast meat, no worry about forgetting to defrost, etc. They say cook at 325 from frozen and that you'll just have to cook a few hours more depending on size. If the giblets are present, cook about 2 hours and then you should be able to dig them out. Just wondering if anyone has ever heard of this or tried it.

BayouMark

I did that at a demo cook I did at my dealers store. The turkey was 12# and it had defrosted for about four hours prior to the cook. I put it on indirect on the grate of an XL and cooked it at 375 for appx 6 hrs to an internal of 175/160. It was golden and delish. The dealer couldn't get over it. While I was cooking the turkey I did abt's, shrimp, etc. I pulled the giblets out after two hrs and you should have heard the customers gasp. Some hung around to get a taste of the finished bird.

Grandpas Grub

 
Cook on the egg a fully frozen turkey????

GG

Grandpas Grub

 
it had defrosted for about four hours prior to the cook
A 12# bird would probably be defrosted and should turn out good.

GG

Little Steven

queensgrt,

I haven't done it yet but plan to. It is becoming quite a popular method and it would work well in the egg. It is said to be a much safer way to prepare a bird. Can't stuff it though and the window for removing the plastic bag o' stuff from the cavity is fairly short. I actually prefer stuffing made outside the bird.

Steve

CBBQ

I can guarantee you some of the top bbq'ers going put meat such as butts, brisket, chicken and ribs on frozen in their restaurants. I've seen it myself. I will get an order of butts from my supplier this Friday and they'll go on Saturday whether they're thawed are not.

Grandpas Grub

 
Fully, hard frozen?

What cooking method are you going to use?

Kent

Little Steven

Same as most others Kent. The cooking time increases by about 50%. The thinking is that the thighs and legs will cook faster and the breast will cook more slowly because if the greater mass. Obviously you couldn't stuff it and you have to get the organs out when it is starting to cook. The whole idea is that cross-contamination from the turkey and the fridge, utensils, cutting boards etc is eliminated because the bacteria is frozen whenever the bird is being handled. Bear in mind I haven't done it but have read lots about it.

Steve

LFGEnergy

I think you would lose a few things with a frozen turkey, that perhaps you could make up by continual basting after turkey defrosted by cooker, and that is the added flavor of herbs, etc. Obviously you could not brine turkey, but you could baste with perhaps a stronger base of wine and herbs, butter, etc. Maybe go early with a wine/herb reduction then go to drippings as you progress.

Look forward to your future post and success!!!

Dave in Keller, TX

Grandpas Grub

 
I have always been told food must be thawed, so this is new concept for me.

Would one just cook the turkey from frozen at say 350° until done?

Put seasoning on the bird at what point?

I understand the elimination of contamination. However, there wouldn't be any rinsing of the bird from the initial slaughter, we seem to get a fair amount of blood/fluids out of a fresh and even frozen bird. I wonder if that would be a problem.

Where are you finding the information about cooking a frozen bird (or frozen meats)?

Always something new.

Kent

Grandpas Grub

 
Another thought about the faster cooking of the thighs & legs.

At times we use foil to prevent overcooking of the breast I wonder if an initial foil (insulation) of the thighs & legs would help equalize the larger mass in the breast.

USDA now says 165° throughout the turkey/chicken rather than split temperature is safe.

Kent

AuntieEgger

Grandpas Grub
Before I got the BGE I always put the meat on to cook while it was frozen except for the poultry because I always stuffed it. I just did a roast beef two weeks ago ,, it went from the freezer into the DO I added spices and water and put it into the oven I left the lid off for an hour @400F for it to be well on it’s way to defrosting then put the lid on and left it and it was the most tender beef you’d ever want to eat. And when you put meat on frozen you don’t loose any of the natural juices so your gravy has more flavor and with beef you want to keep all those natural oils and juices to keep the meat tender. I do the same thing with a ham when I cook one it goes on frozen unless I’m putting it in the egg.
I use to always put chicken parts in the oven frozen. You just wet them under the tap then put your seasoning on them and put them in the oven you could also do that with a whole bird rinse it off season it and put it in the oven. I do the same thing with pork chops. Try doing frozen shake N bake pork chops and they will be so tender they will melt in your mouth. Putting meat on frozen just takes a little longer to cook but it’s worth it because you get more tender meat.

If your bird is frozen you can still rinse is off and put your seasonings on it before you put it in the oven/egg.

When I do a combination of chicken parts on the egg I will defrost the leg quarters but keep the breast a little frozen and it works out great.

AuntieEgger