If you don’t have the time to smoke a whole turkey, buying the breast portion alone can be a lifesaver. Of course, when you buy it frozen, you’ll still have to take the defrosting step into account.
Here’s our ultimate guide on how long to defrost turkey breast in refrigerator, along with a few other tips.
How Long To Defrost Turkey Breast in Refrigerator
As a rule of thumb, turkey breast thaws at a rate of 24 hours for each 4 to 5 pounds when kept in the refrigerator the entire time. Since turkey breasts weigh about 4 to 8 pounds on average, 1 to 2 days of thawing will usually do the trick. Make sure to check the weight on the package to determine how long you’ll need.
About Turkey Breast
The breast is the white meat portion located in the chest region of the turkey. Because of its lean, tender texture, it cooks relatively quickly, making it a popular choice for time-conscious chefs.
The breast is the only white meat on the entire turkey. As such, this portion can disappear quickly when you’re serving a large crowd.
If you want to guarantee that every guest will get a serving of white meat, consider smoking turkey breast instead of the whole bird. As a bonus, you won’t have to worry that the breast meat will finish cooking before the thighs and drumsticks.
Be forewarned that the popularity of this cut tends to keep the per-pound price a bit higher than what you would pay for whole turkey. If it’s any consolation, though, the breast meat will take up less room in the fridge—and it’s also easier to prepare.
Can You Smoke a Turkey Breast?
Turkey breast is a good choice for the smoker as long as you don’t overdo it. This cut dries out quickly when it’s overcooked. Try to remove it from the heat as soon as it hits an internal temp of 160 degrees. It should climb up to 165 degrees as the meat rests.
This type of lean meat can also be overwhelmed by intense smoke flavor. Stick to mild woods like cherry or apple when turkey breast is on the menu.
Since the long stint on the smoker will make it easier for the meat to dry out, we would suggest brining or dry-brining the turkey breast. The salt solution will tenderize the meat and help it retain moisture better—and it will be tastier, too.
When cooked properly, turkey breast has a savory, slightly sweet flavor. Though the taste is mild and holds up well to herbs and other seasonings, it’s still richer than chicken breast. Try seasoning the breast with a blend of kosher salt, sage, and rosemary.
You can purchase turkey breast boneless or bone-in, but it’s better to stick with bone-in when you want to smoke the meat. Bone-in poultry is juicier and more flavorful than the boneless variety, and the crispy skin will give it increased texture and eye appeal.
How Much Turkey Breast Should I Buy?
When buying bone-in turkey and chicken, estimate at least 1-1/4 pounds per person. Round up to 1-1/2 pounds for each guest if you want to make sure there’s plenty of meat left over for soup or sandwiches.
On average, turkey breasts weigh between 4 and 8 pounds. That means each one should be able to serve 3 to 6 people. For a more accurate estimate, check the individual weight of each package before heading to the checkout.
Be aware that in some areas, turkey is considered a seasonal item due to its popularity around the holidays. You might want to call ahead to make sure the store has turkey breast in stock if you’re shopping during any other time of year.
How Long To Defrost Turkey Breast in Refrigerator
You can expect turkey breast to defrost at the same rate as most other large cuts. It usually takes 24 hours for each 4 to 5 pounds of meat. Therefore, a whole turkey breast should take 1 to 2 days to defrost—perhaps more if the cut is any bigger.
Once you’ve taken the turkey out of the freezer, set it on a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan. Your goal is to catch any of the juices that might leak out of the packaging as the meat thaws.
Try to keep meat on the bottom shelf of the fridge when you’re attempting to defrost it. If you put the turkey breast toward the rear of the unit, you can protect it from any warm gusts of air that enter the fridge when you open the door.
After the turkey is defrosted, it should maintain its flavor and texture for 1 to 2 days when properly stored in the refrigerator. If you don’t think you’ll be able to cook it within that time frame after all, go ahead and refreeze the meat.
Frozen turkey breast should keep in the freezer for up to 1 year. Actually, it should keep indefinitely, but the texture might start to suffer if you try to store it in the freezer too long. Prolonged exposure to subzero temps can cause meat to dry out.
Keep all meat stored at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, whether you’re dealing with raw product or smoked leftovers. After the turkey is cooked, it should keep for another 3 to 4 days.
How Long To Defrost Turkey Breast in a Cold Water Bath
A cold water bath provides an excellent shortcut if you’ve waited until the day of the cookout to defrost the meat. One caveat, though: Once the meat has been thawed using this technique, you have to cook it immediately.
Make sure the turkey is still wrapped securely in its original packaging. You may need to provide reinforcements by placing the turkey breast in a large zip-top bag, or by adding an additional layer of plastic wrap. This will prevent water from leaking in.
Fill the sink or a large container with enough cold water to submerge the entire turkey breast. If any part of the package is sticking out, you’ll need to rotate the meat every 30 minutes to make sure it doesn’t warm up to room temperature.
Once you’ve submerged the package, keep an eye on the clock. Swap out the cold water for a fresh batch every half hour. If necessary, rotate the package every time you replenish the water supply.
You don’t want the water to get too warm; otherwise, the turkey might spend too long in the temperature range between 40 and 140 degrees. This is known as the “danger zone” because at these temps, bacteria can breed at a rapid rate.
Turkey breast thaws at a rate of about 30 minutes per pound of meat when you use the cold water method. A 4-pound package should be ready for the smoker within 2 hours. Even a 10-pound turkey breast can be ready to cook on the same day you take it out of the freezer.
How Long To Defrost Turkey Breast in Microwave
As with the other methods, the length of the defrosting time depends on the size of the turkey breast. When you use the microwave, the turkey breast should thaw at a rate of around 6 minutes per pound.
We should point out, though, that the microwave isn’t ideal for defrosting raw meat. These units aren’t exactly renowned for their even heating skills. Parts of the turkey breast could start cooking while the rest of the cut is still frozen solid.
If you do decide to use the microwave to thaw your turkey breast, make sure the unit has a defrost setting. Rotate the meat after every 6-minute interval, and be sure to season and cook it as soon as it’s finished thawing.
Can You Thaw Turkey on the Counter?
Never try to speed the defrosting process by leaving meat out on the counter. You might be tempted to do this in order to save time, but in truth, you’d be risking your health and that of your guests.
As we mentioned, hazardous bacteria thrive in the temperature range between 40 and 140 degrees. When meat remains at room temperature for longer than 2 hours, it’s no longer safe to consume, even if you cook it afterward.
If you were to leave the turkey breast on the counter to thaw, portions of it would enter the danger zone while others remained frozen. That’s why you should always thaw meat in the refrigerator or a cold water bath—or at the very least, in the microwave.
How Long To Cook Turkey Breast Per Pound
When you use the smoker to cook your turkey breast, set the unit to 275 degrees. This temperature is low enough to provide a noticeable smoke flavor, yet high enough to cook the meat within a decent time frame.
At 275 degrees, plan on 20 minutes of cooking time for each pound of turkey breast. A 6-pound breast should be ready to come off the heat in about 2 hours.
325 degrees is also a suitable temp for turkey breast, whether you’re using the oven or the smoker. Lower your estimated cooking time to 15 minutes per pound when cooking the meat at 325.
Can You Cook Turkey Breast Without Defrosting It?
Bear in mind that if you’ve forgotten to thaw the turkey breast, it’s safe to skip this step. You’ll need to cook it a bit longer, but as long as the meat stays out of the danger zone for most of the cooking time, you shouldn’t run into any problems.
As a general rule, you should increase your estimated cooking time by 50 percent when the meat is still frozen solid. Therefore, if you planned to have the turkey breast on the smoker for 2 hours, push back your estimated serving time by 1 hour.
It’s preferable if the turkey is at least partially thawed before you start cooking it. Try using a cold water bath for an hour or two if you can spare the time. That way, you’ll only have to increase your cooking time by about 25 percent.
Final Thoughts
Planning ahead is essential when it comes to defrosting large cuts of meat in the refrigerator. Fortunately, turkey breasts are more forgiving in this regard than whole turkeys. You should be able to pull them from the freezer just a day or two in advance.
Happy grilling!
