The step everyone forgets: a frozen turkey needs days in the fridge, not hours. Enter the weight and your dinner date.
For dinner on Thursday, November 26, counting back whole days from the morning you cook.
| Weight | Fridge thaw | Move it to the fridge by |
|---|---|---|
| 12 lb | 2½–3 days | Monday, November 23 |
| 14 lb | 2¾–3½ days | Sunday, November 22 |
| 16 lb | 3¼–4 days | Sunday, November 22 |
| 18 lb | 3½–4½ days | Saturday, November 21 |
| 20 lb | 4–5 days | Saturday, November 21 |
| 22 lb | 4½–5½ days | Friday, November 20 |
| 24 lb | 4¾–6 days | Friday, November 20 |
About 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds, at 40 °F or below.
| 4 to 12 pounds | 1 to 3 days |
| 12 to 16 pounds | 3 to 4 days |
| 16 to 20 pounds | 4 to 5 days |
| 20 to 24 pounds | 5 to 6 days |
About 30 minutes per pound, water changed every 30 minutes.
| 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 |
A turkey thawed in the fridge keeps 1 to 2 days there and can be refrozen. One thawed in cold water or the microwave has to be cooked right away.
Put the thaw day on a checklist (and in your calendar) so nobody forgets.
The checklist is a free Online List Maker list: share the link with whoever is cooking, tick things off, and it updates on every phone. No sign-up.
About 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds, per USDA: 1 to 3 days up to 12 pounds, 3 to 4 days for 12 to 16, 4 to 5 days for 16 to 20, and 5 to 6 days for 20 to 24.
Cold water, at about 30 minutes per pound with the water changed every 30 minutes; cook it as soon as it is thawed. Or skip thawing and cook it from frozen, which takes at least 50% longer.
No. The safe ways are the refrigerator (40 °F or below), cold water, and the microwave.
Times and temperatures: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Let’s Talk Turkey: A Consumer Guide to Safely Roasting a Turkey. USDA’s times are approximate; the thermometer decides. Questions on the day: USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline, 1-888-674-6854.