Thanksgiving Day is coming up fast, but let’s face it: Hosting Thanksgiving dinner is no easy feat. From knowing when to start thawing a turkey to how much turkey to make and the perennial question of will I have enough food for my guests, there’s a lot of pressure to make this delicious holiday perfect.
Beyond the chaos involved in preparing a dinner of epic proportions, food safety should be the top priority.
After all, friends and family should end the day with leftover pumpkin pie — not food poisoning.
That’s why the researchers at Eat This, Not That! compiled a few must-follow tips for how to thaw a frozen turkey: a process that, if done incorrectly, has the potential to bring a ton of illness-causing bacteria to the holiday table.
While there are a few different ways to thaw a bird, nearly all of them require starting the process a few days prior to turkey day, so its important to prep accordingly and start the process early.
How Long to Thaw a Turkey on One Easy-to-Use Chart
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Turkey Size
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Thaw In Refrigerator (set to 40 F or below)
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Thaw In Cold Water (change water every 30 min.)
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4 to 12 lbs.
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1 to 3 days
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2 to 6 hours
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12 to 16 lbs.
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3 to 4 days
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6 to 8 hours
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16 to 20 lbs.
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4 to 5 days
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8 to 10 hours
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20 to 24 lbs.
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5 to 6 days
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10 to 12 hours
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Consider thawing the turkey using a microwave
Believe it or not, you can thaw a turkey in the microwave, but proceed with caution. Before deciding whether to thaw the Thanksgiving centerpiece in the microwave, make sure it actually fits in there … and has some extra space to spin. If the bird is small enough, remove the plastic wrap and place it in a microwave-safe dish or baking dish. Push the defrost button, punch in the weight of the bird and let the microwave work its magic.
If your microwave lacks a proper defrosting function, determine how long the bird needs to thaw in there based on its weight. Six minutes per pound is a good rule of thumb. Since microwaves tend to heat things unevenly, make sure to rotate and flip the meat throughout the thawing process.
- 10-pound turkey: 1 hour of thawing in the microwave
- 12-pound turkey: 1 hour, 12 minutes of thawing in the microwave
- 14-pound turkey: 1 hour, 24 minutes of thawing in the microwave
- 16-pound turkey: 1 hour, 36 minutes of thawing in the microwave
- 18-pound turkey: 1 hour, 48 minutes of thawing in the microwave
- 20-pound turkey: 2 hours of thawing in the microwave
How to thaw a frozen turkey for Thanksgiving
Dont thaw a turkey on the kitchen countertop where it can become a nesting area for nasty bacteria — or your cat’s midnight snack. Instead, use the fridge.
Before you place the bird directly in the refrigerator, lay it on a deep rimmed tray or or a roasting pan lined with a wire rack, which will catch any leaks. Place it breast side up (the plumpest area in between the wings) and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Place the tray or pan on the lowest shelf in your refrigerator to prevent the risk of foodborne illness. The lowest shelf in your refrigerator should house the food that needs to cook at the highest temperature, like poultry.
When thawing a turkey in the refrigerator, allow 24 hours of defrosting time for every 4 to 5 pounds of bird, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. So, if the turkey weighs 12 pounds, plan for it to defrost in the fridge for about three days. If 16 pounds or more, make sure its placed in the fridge four to five days before the holiday arrives. As a rule of thumb, thawing your turkey the weekend before Thanksgiving will ensure that its fully defrosted by the time you need to cook it on Thursday. Plus, this gives you plenty of time to brine it either with a wet brine or dry spice rub.
- 10-pound turkey: 2 days of thawing in the refrigerator
- 12-pound turkey: 2 to 3 days of thawing in the refrigerator
- 14-pound turkey: 2 to 3 days of thawing in the refrigerator
- 16-pound turkey: 3 to 4 days of thawing in the refrigerator
- 18-pound turkey: 3 to 4 days of thawing in the refrigerator
- 20-pound turkey: 4 to 5 days of thawing in the refrigerator
How long can you keep a thawed turkey in the refrigerator before cooking?
FAQ
When should I start thawing a 12 pound turkey?
Is it safe to thaw a turkey in the fridge for a week?
How long can you keep a 12 lb turkey in the fridge?
How long does a 12 pound turkey take to thaw?
Submerge the turkey in a sink or cooler full of cold water (water should be below 40°F). Change the water every 30 minutes to keep the bird at a safe temperature. It takes about 30 minutes of defrosting time per pound, or about 2 hours per every 4 pounds. So, a 12 pound turkey will take about 6 hours to thaw in cold water.
How do you Thaw a frozen turkey?
Keep your turkey in its original packaging for this method, too. To finish a partially defrosted bird, 30 minutes in cold water may be all you need. If fully frozen, allow about 30 minutes per pound to completely thaw, and change the water every 30 minutes to ensure the water stays cool (below 40 degrees F).
How long after thawing a turkey can you eat it?
Use turkey within four days after thawing. Thaw turkey breast side down, in an unopened wrapper, with enough cold water to cover your turkey completely. Change water every 30 minutes and if turkey cannot be completely covered, rotate every 30 minutes to keep the turkey chilled. You can expect 30 minutes of thawing per pound of turkey.
How long do you Thaw a turkey breast?
Allow at least one day of thawing for every 4 lbs of turkey. Keep turkey in original wrapper and place on tray. Use turkey within four days after thawing. Thaw turkey breast side down, in an unopened wrapper, with enough cold water to cover your turkey completely.