Here’s How Long It Takes to Thaw a Frozen Turkey (Spoiler: You Need to Start Now)
Thaw a turkey in advance Thanksgiving is one of the first steps in pulling off your feast, but it’s also the longest step—much longer than cooking it. To get that bird from frozen to thawed without risking foodborne illness, you have to do it the right way. For such a large piece of meat, this can take several days (up to a week).
There are one or two safe ways to thaw a turkey, which increase the chance of rubbery meat. Our suggestion is to slowly thaw your bird in the refrigerator over a few days. Whatever you do, don’t even think about getting the microwave.
Here are the best ways to safely thaw your turkey ahead of your holiday this year. If you’re serving something other than turkey, such as brisket, leg of lamb, pork shoulder, or duck, and need to thaw your entree, the same techniques work best for virtually any cut of meat.
This story is part of 12 days of tipsto help you make the most of your technology, home, and health this holiday season.
Can you thaw or roast a turkey at room temperature?
It is unsafe to thaw such a large piece of meat at room temperature.
No. It is not safe nor recommended to thaw a turkey, rib, or other large piece of meat at room temperature. The key to safe thawing is that you do not allow any part of the meat to rise above 40 degrees Fahrenheit for an extended period of time, otherwise foodborne bacteria will begin to grow and multiply. You may be able to get away with thawing smaller cuts of meat like steaks and tenderloins at room temperature, but thawing larger meats takes so long that you can’t safely thaw them this way.
The best way to thaw holiday meat: Use your refrigerator
The refrigerator is the safest place to thaw a turkey for Thanksgiving.
This method is the most time-consuming option, but produces the best results, the USDA suggests Refrigerate 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds set to 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower, which means you’ll need to set aside a few days to a week for a large bird. This method requires the least effort. All you have to do is place your turkey in a container to catch any drips and let it hang (covered) in the refrigerator.
To ensure that the turkey (and any other meat) you serve is safe to eat, purchase a meat thermometer. It’s an affordable investment to help you determine when your food is ready and keep your guests safe.
Details
How long does it take to thaw a frozen turkey?
Here’s a snapshot of how long it can take to thaw a frozen turkey of different weights. To see? It’s definitely wise to have a plan and set an alarm for the day your turkey needs to come out of the freezer.
- 4 to 8 pounds: 24 hours
- 8 to 12 pounds: 36 hours
- 12 to 16 pounds: 4 days
- 16 to 20 pounds: 5 days
- 20 to 24 pounds: 6 days
Enlarge image
This turkey was thawed with cold water.
The fastest (safe) way to thaw a large piece of meat: use cold water
This method of thawing a turkey is faster than the refrigerator, but does require a few more steps. First, place the turkey in a leak-proof bag and place it in a cold tap water bath in the sink or a large container (such as a cooler or a clean trash can). The USDA recommends that you change the water every 30 minutes. I’ve found it easiest to thaw your turkey in a cooler with a tap: this allows you to easily drain the water to make room for fresh water – or drain it completely once the bird is thawed. It takes about 30 minutes per pound to completely thaw your turkey this way.
It takes some work to go from frozen turkey to a tasty main dish.
Can you defrost meat in the microwave?
The USDA says you can thaw a turkey in the microwave as long as you follow the product instructions and cook it immediately after thawing. Even if you can fit that large brisket or bird in there, I would be extremely cautious about relying on a microwave to thaw such a large piece of meat. I suggest avoiding the microwave at all costs. Even whole chickens are difficult to thaw properly in the microwave and they are usually half the size of a turkey.
If necessary, use the defrost setting for just a few minutes to get it started, then use a combination of the cold water bath and refrigerator method above to thaw your turkey. Do not use the full time specified by your microwave to defrost this amount of frozen meat, especially not at once. It won’t be pretty, I promise.
For more turkey day tips, see the 6 ways people are ruining Turkey about Thanksgiving and how Make a crispy filling in the air fryer.
