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How getting a turkey from freezer to table

BUYING

Allow 1 to 1 ½ pounds per person for a whole turkey, 3/4 pound for a whole breast, ½ pound for boneless meat. For a crowd, buy two small birds (12 to 15 pounds) rather than one big one; turkeys over 20 pounds cook unevenly.

THAWING

• Defrost a frozen turkey in its original wrapping in the refrigerator, allowing 24 hours for each 5 pounds (three days, for example, for a 15-pound turkey). Thawed, raw turkey will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days.

• Speed thaw: The only faster safe method is to put the still-wrapped turkey in a sink or big basin and cover it with cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes, and allow 30 minutes per pound — 6 hours, for example, for a 12-pound turkey.

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