How To Thaw A Turkey Safely Usda Approved Methods

Thawing Methods

We’ve all been there… Thanksgiving day is approaching, your frozen turkey is in the freezer, and you’re not sure when to take it out. And, what do you do if it’s the day before Thanksgiving, and you forgot to thaw it in the fridge? Not to worry. Whether you are ahead of the game or procrastinated a bit too long, we’ve go you covered. There are several thawing methods you can use to thaw a whole turkey from thawing in the refrigerator to quick thawing in cold water. We will go into each method in detail below. When thawing turkey, or any poultry, food safety is the #1 priority. We follow the USDA guidelines for each of these methods.

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How Long to Thaw a Turkey in the Refrigerator (Easy Chart)

Thawing turkeys is the most common around Thanksgiving, for obvious reasons. For those of you looking to thaw your Thanksgiving turkey, we have created this handy chart as a guide for when to start thawing that turkey. This chart is current for the year 2024:

Refrigerator Turkey Thawing Time

8 to 12 pounds: 2-3 days 12 to 16 pounds: 3-4 days 16 to 20 pounds: 4-5 days 20 to 24 pounds: 5-6 days

Steps for Cold Water Thawing

Cold Water Thawing Times

A general rule of thumb for thawing turkey in cold water is 30 minutes of thawing per pound of turkey. Here is a quick guide: 4 to 12 pounds: 2 to 6 hours 12 to 16 pounds: 6 to 8 hours 16 to 20 pounds: 8 to 10 hours 20 to 24 pounds: 10 to 12 hours