UNDATED (WKZO-AM) — If you have a big frozen turkey and you plan to have it ready to go Thanksgiving morning, you may want to take it out of the freezer today and put it in the refrigerator to thaw.
Experienced thanksgiving chefs know it takes a day of thawing for every four pounds of turkey.
A frozen bird may be the easiest kind to get. Thomas Elam, a consultant to the poultry industry, says this year’s bird flu outbreak has had an immediate impact on the supply of fresh birds.
“There will be more spot-shortages of fresh turkeys this years and people may have to buy a frozen bird — or a ham,” Elam said.
He said there are plenty of frozen birds because they were slaughtered, bagged and frozen before this year’s outbreak.
“I’m more worried about next year than I am this year in terms of frozen bird supplies,” Elam said.
Most of Michigan’s turkey producers located in Ottawa, Allegan and Barry Counties were not touched by the bird flu this year because of special precautions that were taken beforehand.
– John McNeill
