How to Cook a Frozen Turkey

Cooking Frozen Turkey is as Easy as Cooking a Thawed One

It's the morning of a major holiday and your turkey is still frozen—but don't panic. You can cook a completely frozen turkey and still make it delicious. The key is to cook it low and slowly so it cooks evenly without drying out. The only downside to cooking a frozen turkey is that it increases the cooking time by 50 percent. So, instead of 4 hours, you're looking at about 6 hours to cook a 14-pound turkey.

Total Time: 4 to 6 hours | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Serves: 10

Ingredients:

• frozen turkey, 

  14 pounds 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon dried basil * 1/4 cup melted butter

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 325F.
2. In a large roasting pan, place your turkey on a rack. Do not remove the giblets or season.
3. Cook the turkey for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
4. Take the turkey out of the oven and carefully remove the giblets. If the turkey is too frozen to remove the giblets, continue cooking and check every 30 minutes until you're able to remove them.
   
5. In a small bowl, mix the salt, pepper, paprika and basil.
6. Brush the turkey with the melted butter and sprinkle on the herbs.
7. Return turkey to the oven and continue to cook until the internal temperature reaches 165F, about 2 to 3 hours.
   
8. Let the turkey rest for 30 minutes, then carve and serve.

References

• Epicurious: How to Cook a Frozen Turkey
• Taste of Home: Seasoned Roast Tureky Recipe

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