CLEARWATER, Fla. — A Clearwater man threw his Thanksgiving turkey in his swimming pool to defrost it.
Mark O'Donnell said it's a family tradition to toss the bird into the pool.
He said every year they take a video of the annual tradition.
"Most people wonder 'doesn't chlorine get into your turkey?' These bags are sealed by factories. We've never had a leakage yet and no chlorine in our turkey," said O'Donnell.
O'Donnell said they tossed the 16-pound turkey into the pool on Tuesday. It took about four hours to defrost.
He said the tradition started about 18 years ago when they forgot to take the turkey out. of the freezer.
"Grandma was all upset because we weren't going to have a thawed turkey in time and Uncle Dave came out and tossed it in the pool. Four hours later, we were cooking," laughed O'Donnell.
The USDA recommends three ways to thaw your turkey safely: in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave oven.
O'Donnell said his video is getting a lot of attention on social media. He believes everyone is looking for a laugh in 2020.
"I think this year because it's 2020 people were looking for some light-hearted fun, 'hey look at this, these crazy people.' We're crazy about Florida," he said.
