When to Thaw the Turkey for Thanksgiving

Cooking the turkey for Thanksgiving (or Christmas or any special holiday) is a major part of the holiday dinner, and the process for a frozen turkey actually starts days before. You want to be sure you do it the right way (for food safety purposes), so follow along to learn how to thaw a turkey, and exactly how long it takes to defrost. Thawing the turkey can take days, depending on the size, so making sure it has plenty of time to defrost before cooking is an important step. Since fresh/unfrozen turkeys can only sit in the refrigerator for 2 days, buying a frozen one is usually the best option (unless you don’t mind doing your shopping last minute). It will keep in the freezer long-term, up to a year or more.

Turkey Thawing Chart

Wondering how long it takes to defrost that turkey? It depends on which method you’re using: the fridge or the cold water method. Use these turkey thawing charts to figure out how many days before Thanksgiving you should start thawing the frozen turkey (based on size). Then you can read below for step by step instructions on how to do it. Note: These thawing charts and how-tos apply to both whole turkeys and turkey breasts.

How long does it take to defrost turkey in the fridge?

Time Estimate: Plan for a full 24 hours of thawing time for every 5 pounds of turkey.

How long does it take to defrost a turkey in water?

Time Estimate: Allow 30 minutes of thawing time for every 1 pound of turkey.

How to Defrost a Turkey

The easiest and safest way to do this is to set it in the refrigerator. This does take significantly more time though, so you need to plan ahead (that’s where the turkey thawing time charts above come in handy). I’m also including the step by step for thawing it in cold water, which will only take hours (up to half a day). This method should be used on the day of, right before cooking. I don’t recommend this because it is just tedious, but if you need to defrost your turkey quickly, this is the best way to go.

How to Thaw a Turkey in the Refrigerator

How to Thaw a Turkey in Cold Water

Note: If you are defrosting the turkey in water, the water needs to be changed regularly to make sure it stays cold enough (about 40°F). This ensures you are thawing the turkey at a safe rate. You don’t want the water to get too warm.

Can you refreeze a thawed turkey?

If you defrost the turkey in the refrigerator, then YES, you can refreeze the turkey without cooking it. It will refreeze, and then you can follow the steps to defrost and cook another time. However, if you defrost it in cold water, you CANNOT refreeze it. It needs to be cooked immediately upon thawing, and then you can refrigerate or freeze the cooked meat. If you don’t end up cooking it, it would simply need to be thrown away.

How long can a thawed turkey stay in the fridge?

Similar to storing a fresh turkey, a thawed turkey can sit in the fridge for up to 2 days. It’s a pretty short time period, so it is important to time the defrosting correctly. However, 2 days is a perfect leeway leading up to Thanksgiving! Now that you know how long to thaw your turkey, and exactly how to defrost it, you’ll be prepped and ready for Thanksgiving! Choose from from any of my favorite turkey recipes, grab this chart of turkey cooking times, and you’ll be ready to cook.

Turkey Recipes

Roast Thanksgiving Turkey Deep-fried Turkey  Smoked Turkey Breast Spatchcock Turkey How Long to Thaw a Turkey  with Turkey Thawing Chart  - 72How Long to Thaw a Turkey  with Turkey Thawing Chart  - 35How Long to Thaw a Turkey  with Turkey Thawing Chart  - 18How Long to Thaw a Turkey  with Turkey Thawing Chart  - 64How Long to Thaw a Turkey  with Turkey Thawing Chart  - 83