How Long to Thaw a Turkey (Refrigerator and Cold Water Times)
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A frozen turkey takes days, not hours, to thaw in the refrigerator. The USDA gives two rules of thumb:
- Refrigerator (40 °F or below): about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 lb.
- Cold water: about 30 minutes per pound, changing the water every 30 minutes.
USDA thawing times
| Turkey weight | In the refrigerator (40 °F or below) | In cold water (change every 30 min) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 to 12 lb | 1 to 3 days | 2 to 6 hours |
| 12 to 16 lb | 3 to 4 days | 6 to 8 hours |
| 16 to 20 lb | 4 to 5 days | 8 to 10 hours |
| 20 to 24 lb | 5 to 6 days | 10 to 12 hours |
Source: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Let's Talk Turkey and Turkey Basics: Safe Thawing
Which day to start
Count back from the day you will cook, not the day you will eat if those differ. For a 20 lb turkey thawed in the refrigerator, 24 hours per 4 lb gives 20 ÷ 4 = 5 days. To roast on Thursday morning, it goes in the refrigerator on Saturday morning.
Starting a day early does no harm. The USDA says a turkey thawed in the refrigerator can stay there 1 to 2 days before cooking. The turkey planner does the counting for you from your mealtime.
Refrigerator thawing, step by step
- Leave the turkey in its original wrapper.
- Set it on a tray or in a pan to catch any juices that leak.
- Keep the refrigerator at 40 °F or below.
- Cook it within 1 to 2 days of being fully thawed. A turkey thawed this way can be refrozen if plans change.
Cold-water thawing, step by step
- Wrap the turkey securely so water can't leak in.
- Submerge it in cold tap water.
- Change the water every 30 minutes.
- Cook it right away once it is thawed. Do not refreeze a turkey thawed in cold water.
Cold water is the faster choice when you have run out of refrigerator days: a 16 lb turkey takes about 8 hours instead of 4 days.
Microwave thawing
The USDA allows thawing in a microwave if the turkey fits. Follow the oven maker's directions for size, minutes per pound and power, remove all the wrapping, and cook the turkey immediately afterward, because parts of it may start to cook.
What not to do
Don't thaw a turkey on the counter. The USDA says food left out more than 2 hours is not at a safe temperature: even with a frozen center, the outer layer sits in the "danger zone" between 40 °F and 140 °F, where bacteria multiply quickly. Don't leave a frozen turkey on the porch, in the car or in the basement either, where the temperature can't be watched.
Forgot to thaw it?
You can roast a turkey straight from frozen. It takes at least 50% longer. See cooking a frozen turkey.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Turkey Basics: Safe Thawing.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Let's Talk Turkey: A Consumer Guide to Safely Roasting a Turkey.