Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26 this year, and the most common turkey mistake happens days before anyone turns on the oven: forgetting how long a frozen bird takes to thaw. A big turkey needs most of a week in the refrigerator. Here’s how to thaw one safely, how long each method takes, and the date to circle on your calendar.
The short version
- Refrigerator (best): about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds.
- Cold water (faster): about 30 minutes per pound, changing the water every 30 minutes, then cook right away.
- Never on the counter. Food safety guidance from the USDA is to thaw in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave, never at room temperature.
- Done means 165°F in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.
Method 1: Thaw it in the refrigerator
This is the easiest and safest way, and it’s the one to plan around. Leave the turkey in its original wrapping, set it breast side up in a rimmed pan or roasting tin to catch drips, and put it on the bottom shelf of a refrigerator at 40°F or below.
Allow about one day for every 4 to 5 pounds:
| Turkey weight | Time in the refrigerator | Put it in the fridge by (for Thanksgiving, Nov 26) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 to 12 lb | 1 to 3 days | Monday, Nov 23 |
| 12 to 16 lb | 3 to 4 days | Sunday, Nov 22 |
| 16 to 20 lb | 4 to 5 days | Saturday, Nov 21 |
| 20 to 24 lb | 5 to 6 days | Friday, Nov 20 |
Starting a little early is fine. A turkey thawed in the refrigerator keeps there for another 1 to 2 days before cooking, and it can even be refrozen if your plans change.
Method 2: Thaw it in cold water
Forgot to move the turkey to the fridge? Cold water is much faster. Keep the turkey in a leak-proof wrapper or bag, submerge it completely in cold tap water, and change the water every 30 minutes so it stays cold.
Plan on about 30 minutes per pound:
| Turkey weight | Time in cold water |
|---|---|
| 4 to 12 lb | 2 to 6 hours |
| 12 to 16 lb | 6 to 8 hours |
| 16 to 20 lb | 8 to 10 hours |
| 20 to 24 lb | 10 to 12 hours |
A turkey thawed in cold water (or in the microwave, following your microwave’s instructions) should be cooked right away.
What not to do
- Don’t thaw it on the counter, in the garage or on the porch. The outside warms into the temperature danger zone (40°F to 140°F) long before the center thaws.
- Don’t use hot water. It warms the surface unevenly for the same reason.
- Still frozen on Thursday morning? You can roast a turkey straight from frozen. It takes at least 50% longer, and you’ll remove the giblet packet partway through, once it loosens.
How to know it’s done
Whichever way you thaw it, cook the turkey until a food thermometer reads 165°F in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. Let it rest about 20 minutes before carving so the juices settle.
Keep your Thanksgiving menu in one place
Once the turkey’s sorted, the rest of the menu goes a lot smoother when every recipe is in one spot: the gravy, the cranberry sauce, the stuffing and Grandma’s pie. Keep the Sauce is the family recipe box app for iPhone, iPad and Android. Save recipes from anywhere, scale them for a crowd and plan the week’s menu, so nothing gets lost.
Want to get ahead on the rest of the meal? Try our make-ahead turkey gravy, make-ahead cranberry sauce and make-ahead sausage and herb stuffing.
Thawing times and temperatures follow the USDA’s guidance on safely thawing a turkey.