How to Safely Thaw Frozen Turkey
on Oct 07, 2020, Updated Oct 08, 2024
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Cold water is the fastest way to safely defrost turkey.
Learning how to properly thaw a whole turkey (or even turkey breast) is an essential thing to know, whether it’s for a holiday meal or just a special gathering. Planning ahead — making space in the fridge and allowing enough time to defrost the turkey safely (NOT at room temperature!) — is half the battle.
Frozen turkeys are the go-to for most turkey lovers in the off-season and are also very popular at Thanksgiving when you want that perfect roasted turkey on the table. That’s because fresh turkey may be great, but it’s a lot harder to find outside of November and much more expensive.
The USDA recommends keeping a turkey in the freezer for only up to a year. After that, the texture and flavor can change. Here is all you need to know about defrosting a turkey safely and as quickly as possible!
Table of Contents
Thawing Frozen Turkey in the Refrigerator
Refrigerator thawing is the much-preferred option for defrosting a frozen turkey. It is by far the safest method and also the easiest since you do not have to do anything except let the turkey sit in the fridge and thaw. As an added bonus, the turkey will thaw more evenly.
Kitchen Smarts
Make sure your refrigerator’s temperature is between 37 and 40 degrees. The USDA states that temps between 40 and 140 degrees F place meat in the “danger zone” that allows foodborne bacteria to quickly multiply.
The only catch is that you need to plan ahead. As a rule of thumb, for every 4 to 5 pounds of bird, there needs to be 24 hours of defrosting time. (Check out the chart below for some help with that math.) Larger birds can take even longer per pound because of their size and density.
Leave the turkey in its original wrapper or packaging, and place the bird on a tray, rimmed baking sheet, or roasting pan to collect any juices that run out. Place the turkey on the bottom of the fridge so that if any juices spill out, they do not contaminate anything below.
Thawing Frozen Turkey Breast in the Refrigerator
The exact same principles apply when thawing a frozen turkey breast vs. a whole turkey. A 6- or 7-pound turkey breast will take about 1 1/2 days (or 36 hours) to thaw completely. Again, make sure the fridge temperature is between 37 and 40 degrees. You can thaw a turkey breast up to 4 days ahead of brining or cooking it.
How to Thaw Frozen Turkey in Cold Water
Cold water is another option, and while it takes some work, it will be faster than thawing the turkey in the fridge. The water must remain at 40 degrees or colder the whole time, and it needs 30 minutes of thaw time per pound of turkey. You need to check the water about every half hour in order to maintain the water temperature (use an instant-read thermometer to check it) and not allow warmer water to become a breeding ground for salmonella. Refresh the water with new cold water if the water temperature goes about 40 degrees right away.
For example, if you have a 16-pound turkey, that means monitoring it and changing the water for 8 hours. But if that’s what you need to do to make Thanksgiving dinner happen, it’s a good option.
Place the turkey in its original sealed wrapping in some sort of container large enough to have it fully submerged. A huge pot or a very clean garbage can is a possibility (a sink works, too, if you’re not using it). Cover the turkey with cold water (37 to 40 degrees) — this may mean adding ice to tap water. Follow the chart below to figure out how long your turkey would take to thaw in cold water.
Thawing Frozen Turkey Breast in Cold Water
Turkey breast will thaw much more quickly than a whole turkey. You should still plan for about 30 minutes of thaw time per pound of turkey breast when thawing it in cold water. Make sure to check and possibly change the water about every half hour in order to maintain the water temperature.
If you have a 6-pound turkey breast, it probably will take about 3 hours to thaw in cold water. You might need up to 6 water changes.
What to Avoid When Thawing Turkey
- Do NOT defrost a turkey in hot water. This is simply dangerous. It’s the perfect environment for bacteria to breed and can cause serious food poisoning.
- Do NOT thaw a turkey or any poultry at room temperature. This is also very risky because of the risk of bacteria developing.
- Do NOT microwave a frozen turkey. Even if your turkey can fit in the microwave, it is still not a good practice. Microwaves vary so much with wattage, power levels, and other variables that they just cannot consistently thaw large items. With this method, you are most likely to get a bird cooked in some places, thawed in others, and frozen in others — in other words, a bird that is totally unsafe to eat.
How Long Does It Take to Thaw Turkey?
| Turkey Weight | Thawing Time (Refrigerator) | Thawing Time (Cold Water) |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 12 lbs | 2 to 3 days | 3 to 6 hours |
| 12 to 16 lbs | 3 to 4 days | 6 to 8 hours |
| 16 to 20 lbs | 4 to 5 days | 8 to 10 hours |
| 20 to 24 lbs | 5 to 6 days | 10 to 12 hours |
FAQs
The safest and easiest way to defrost a turkey (or any bird, for that matter) is in the refrigerator. Because your turkey remains cold the whole time, it prevents harmful bacteria from growing that can cause food poisoning. Having said that, you can also safely thaw a turkey in cold water if you need a speedier process.
If Thanksgiving is coming up and you forgot to take the turkey out of the freezer, never fear — there are speedier ways to thaw out the bird than sitting it in the fridge. Submerge your turkey in cool water (see tips above for details) and change out the water every half an hour to prevent bacteria growth.
Insert your hand into the cavity of the bird. Press upwards into the breast area. It should feel soft, not hard or frozen.
You should plan for your bird to be completely defrosted about 3 days before you plan to cook it. You can push this to 4 days if you plan to brine or dry brine the bird. It’s nice to get the defrosting process over a bit early to reduce the stress of worrying if the bird will be defrosted in time for Thanksgiving or whatever big holiday you are cooking for! (The only drawback is how much room turkey takes up in the fridge!)
You can finish the thawing in cold water if the fridge thawing is taking longer than you thought and you need to speed things up. Just don’t leave it out on the counter — not food-safe at all. The only issue is that you need to keep checking the water temperature to make sure it stays between 37 and 40 degrees and replenish it with cold water as needed.
Turkey Recipe Ideas
Once thawed, you have to consider your cooking options! You could, of course, opt for a Traditional Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey or maybe a Cajun Roast Turkey. For turkey breast, think about Lemon-Garlic Turkey Breast, Instant Pot Turkey Breast, or Slow Cooker Turkey Breast. Or maybe you want to grill a split turkey breast if the weather allows.
Then there are the leftovers! Not only can you make some really, really great sandwiches, but there are a whole host of other ways to use up leftover turkey.
What to Serve With Turkey
More Tips for Turkey Day
- How to Carve a Turkey
- How Long to Cook a Turkey
- How to Cook Turkey Breast
- How to Brine a Turkey Breast
- 15 Leftover Turkey Recipes
- How to Freeze Leftover Turkey
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How to Safely Thaw Frozen Turkey in Cold Water
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 frozen turkey (any size; or turkey breast)
- Water
Instructions
- Place the turkey in its original wrapping in some sort of container large enough so that it's fully submerged. A huge pot or a very clean garbage can is a possibility.
- Cover with cold water (37 to 40 degrees) — this may mean adding ice to cold tap water. The water must remain at 40 degrees or colder the whole time, and it needs 30 minutes of thaw time per pound of turkey. So, you need to change the water about every half hour to maintain the water temperature and not allow warmer water to become a breeding ground for salmonella.
- Follow the chart in the notes to figure out how long your turkey would take to thaw in cold water.
Notes
| Turkey Weight | Thawing Time (Refrigerator) |
Thawing Time (Cold Water) |
| Up to 12 lbs | 2 to 3 days | 3 to 6 hours |
| 12 to 16 lbs | 3 to 4 days | 6 to 8 hours |
| 16 to 20 lbs | 4 to 5 days | 8 to 10 hours |
| 20 to 24 lbs | 5 to 6 days | 10 to 12 hours |
I have a 23lb Turkey, I don’t have a thermometer to test the water being 40 . My neighbor said to put it in warm water. I knew that was wrong. I’ve had it in my refrigerator for 3 days, it hadn’t thawed at all. I’m having Thanksgiving early, on Monday. Today isSaturday evening. If I have to stay up until 3:00 am. I put it in sink at 5:00pm so I really need to stay up until about 4:00 am. When the turkey is done thawing canI put back in refrigerator until I’ve slept awhile. So many questions. How can I keep it at about 40 degrees, please I’m feeding about 15 people for my Church . Thank you, Patricia
Patricia, I am NOT a USDA expert – For this situation you might think about calling the butterball hotline which is live turkey cooking expertise: 1-800-BUTTERBALL. But I will say that a huge turkey like that will take up to 6 days to thaw, and it might happen. more rapidly at the end. if you can find a big clean garbage pail or tub large enough to hold the turkey, and keep it filled with very cold water the whole time. and do you have access to a thermometer? can you order one? I love that you are feeding people, and know you want to protect them!