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Learn how to thaw a frozen turkey the best, safest way (hint: it’s in the refrigerator!). Follow our thawing guide based on bird size so you can shop confidently with plenty of time to thaw your turkey.
Table of Contents
Tutorial notes
- Thaw safely: The best (safest) way to thaw a frozen turkey is slowly in the refrigerator over the course of several days. Never thaw a turkey using warm/hot water, in the microwave, or at room temperature, all of which let bacteria grow before the turkey is thawed.
- Cost: While a frozen whole turkey can be less expensive, it requires a lot of extra time to thaw. (If you don’t have time, please look for a fresh bird that can be roasted right away.)
- Time: You will need 24 hours of defrosting time for every 4 to 5 pounds of bird. A large turkey from 15-20 pounds will probably need to spend 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Up to 12 pounds: 1-3 days
- 12-16 pounds: 3-4 days
- 16-20 pounds: 4-5 days
- 20-24 pounds: 5-6 days
Step-by-step instructions
- Check your refrigerator’s internal temperature; it should be 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder. Keep the turkey in its original wrapping. Place the turkey on a tray or shallow pan to collect any juices that may leak out as it thaws. Store it at or near the bottom of your refrigerator so if it leaks, it won’t contaminate anything under it. Allow 24 hours for every 4-5 pounds of frozen turkey.
- Once it has thawed, you can brine the turkey if desired.
Recipe tips and variations
- Cold water thaw: While it’s possible to thaw a frozen turkey in a sink full of cold water, it’s difficult to do so safely. You need to keep the water temperature at a constant 40 degrees or colder the entire time it thaws. This means that you need to monitor the temperature of the water with an instant-read thermometer, and change the water about every half hour to maintain that temperature. Because you need to allow 30 minutes of thawing time for every pound of frozen turkey, a 20 pound bird could take up to 10 hours to thaw (requiring water changes every thirty minutes).
- Hot water thaw: Never thaw a turkey using hot water. The risk for salmonella is very high when you use hot or lukewarm water to thaw a frozen turkey.
- Microwave thaw: Never thaw a turkey using a microwave. It’s probably much too big to fit in your microwave, but also, microwave cooking doesn’t make the juiciest turkey in the world, either.
- Room temperature thaw: Never thaw or brine a turkey at room temperature. Whatever people may say, uncooked meat or poultry (including frozen) shouldn’t be left at room temperature for more than two hours due to an increased risk of food-borne illness.
Perfect Roast Turkey
The most Perfect Roast Turkey recipe relies on dry-brining and butter-basting for the juiciest, most delicious turkey you’ve ever had. Save your pan drippings too for an easy classic gravy recipe.
View Recipe
More turkey techniques
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How to Brine a Turkey
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How to Carve a Turkey
Stock, Sauce, and Spread Recipes
How to Make Turkey Broth
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How to Thaw a Turkey
Learn how to thaw a frozen turkey the best, safest way (hint: it's in the refrigerator!). Follow our thawing guide based on bird size so you can shop confidently with plenty of time to thaw your turkey.
Ingredients
- 1 (14 pound) whole turkey frozen
Instructions
- Check your refrigerator’s internal temperature; it should be 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder.
- Keep the turkey in its original wrapping. Place the turkey on a tray or shallow pan to collect any juices that may leak out as it thaws.
- Store it at or near the bottom of your refrigerator so if it leaks, it won’t contaminate anything under it. Allow 24 hours for every 4-5 pounds of frozen turkey.
Notes
- Thaw safely: The best (safest) way to thaw a frozen turkey is slowly in the refrigerator over the course of several days. Never thaw a turkey using warm/hot water, in the microwave, or at room temperature, all of which let bacteria grow before the turkey is thawed.
- Cost: While a frozen whole turkey can be less expensive, it requires a lot of extra time to thaw. (If you don’t have time, please look for a fresh bird that can be cooked right away.)
- Time: You will need 24 hours of defrosting time for every 4 to 5 pounds of bird. A large turkey from 15-20 pounds will probably need to spend 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Up to 12 pounds: 1-3 days
- 12-16 pounds: 3-4 days
- 16-20 pounds: 4-5 days
- 20-24 pounds: 5-6 days
- Cold water thaw: While it’s possible to thaw a frozen turkey in a sink full of cold water, it’s difficult to do so safely. You need to keep the water temperature at a constant 40 degrees or colder the entire time it thaws. This means that you need to monitor the temperature of the water with an instant-read thermometer, and change the water about every half hour to maintain that temperature. Because you need to allow 30 minutes of thawing time for every pound of frozen turkey, a 20 pound bird could take up to 10 hours to thaw (requiring water changes every thirty minutes).
- Hot water thaw: Never thaw a turkey using hot water. The risk for salmonella is very high when you use hot or lukewarm water to thaw a frozen turkey.
- Microwave thaw: Never thaw a turkey using a microwave. It’s probably much too big to fit in your microwave, but also, microwave cooking doesn’t make the juiciest turkey in the world, either.
- Room temperature thaw: Never thaw or brine a turkey at room temperature. Whatever people may say, uncooked meat or poultry (including frozen) shouldn’t be left at room temperature for more than two hours due to an increased risk of food-borne illness.
Nutrition
Calories: 227kcalProtein: 35gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 116mgSodium: 180mgPotassium: 361mgSugar: 1gVitamin A: 90IUCalcium: 18mgIron: 1mg
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
I have thaw this turkey for my church.
Can I thaw my turkey without the vacuum sealed packaging? I want to make sure my bird is not freezer burnt. (Got my free bird in 2019, had to work for 2020.)
Hi Angel, I haven’t tried this myself, but what a predicament. I would say if you do remove it from the package, make sure to wrap it in plastic wrap or a large sealable bag, being that we would want to minimize the exposure to air while defrosting. I hope this helps! – Meggan
Great post.
Thanks for teaching me the right way!