Thanksgiving Day is coming up fast, but let’s face it: Hosting Thanksgiving dinner is no easy feat. From knowing when to start thawing a turkey to how much turkey to make and the perennial question of will I have enough food for my guests, there’s a lot of pressure to make this delicious holiday perfect.
Beyond the chaos involved in preparing a dinner of epic proportions, food safety should be the top priority.
After all, friends and family should end the day with leftover pumpkin pie — not food poisoning.
That’s why the researchers at Eat This, Not That! compiled a few must-follow tips for how to thaw a frozen turkey: a process that, if done incorrectly, has the potential to bring a ton of illness-causing bacteria to the holiday table.
While there are a few different ways to thaw a bird, nearly all of them require starting the process a few days prior to turkey day, so its important to prep accordingly and start the process early.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, which means it’s time to start preparing for the big feast. One of the most important parts of preparing a Thanksgiving turkey is knowing when to take it out of the freezer to thaw properly. Taking the turkey out at the right time will ensure it thaws completely and cooks evenly on Turkey Day.
As a Thanksgiving host, you want to avoid any last minute scrambling or safety issues that come with a partially frozen bird. That’s why it’s crucial to plan ahead and thaw your turkey well in advance. Follow this complete guide to learn when you should take your turkey out of the freezer for Thanksgiving 2023.
How Far in Advance Should You Thaw the Turkey?
The general rule of thumb is to allow at least one full day of thawing in the refrigerator for every 4-5 pounds of turkey I recommend building in extra thawing time if possible, at least 1-2 extra days
So for example, if you have a 15 pound turkey, you’ll want to take it out of the freezer and place it in the fridge at least 4-5 days before Thanksgiving. To be safe, I would give it a full week thawing time.
The exact day you should take the turkey out depends on the size of your bird
- 8-12 pound turkey: Take out 5-6 days before Thanksgiving
- 12-15 pound turkey: Take out 6-7 days before Thanksgiving
- 15-18 pound turkey: Take out at least 7 days before Thanksgiving
- 18-20+ pound turkey: Take out 8+ days before Thanksgiving
Thawing in the refrigerator is the safest method, as it keeps the turkey at a consistent cold temperature throughout the process.
Should You Thaw the Turkey Earlier Than Recommended?
You may be wondering if you can take the turkey out even earlier than the recommended timeline. While you can technically thaw it earlier, you don’t want to thaw it too far in advance.
Once thawed, turkey only keeps in the fridge for 1-2 days safely. Any longer and bacteria can start to grow, making it unsafe to cook.
I don’t recommend thawing the turkey more than 7 days before cooking it. Stick within the recommended timeline and your turkey will be perfectly thawed out on Thanksgiving Day.
What if You Forgot to Thaw the Turkey?
We’ve all been there – November hits and suddenly it’s Thanksgiving week before you know it! If you forgot to take your turkey out of the freezer, don’t panic. You have a couple last-minute options to safely thaw it:
Cold Water Method
This accelerated thawing method takes about 30 minutes per pound. Submerge the wrapped turkey in a sink full of cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes until thawed. This can thaw a 15 pound turkey in about 8 hours.
Cook from Frozen
If you have no time to thaw, you can roast a frozen turkey. It will take significantly longer to cook, about 50% extra time. Make sure to keep an eye on it and use a meat thermometer to ensure it cooks to a safe internal temperature of 165°F.
While cooking from frozen works, it’s not ideal for getting an evenly cooked bird. Thaw ahead of time if you can!
Tips for Thawing the Turkey
Follow these tips for safe, effective thawing:
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Leave turkey sealed in its original packaging while thawing. This prevents bacteria from growing on the surface.
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Place the turkey in a pan or on a rimmed sheet to catch any juices that may leak as it thaws.
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Thaw breast side up if the turkey isn’t fully submerged in water during the cold water method.
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Don’t rinse or wash the turkey before cooking. This can spread bacteria in your kitchen.
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Cook the turkey immediately after thawing. Don’t let it sit longer than 1-2 days in the fridge.
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Never thaw turkey on the counter or at room temperature. Bacteria grows rapidly at unsafe temperatures.
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Don’t refreeze a turkey once it has been thawed. Cook it within the proper timeline.
Your Thawing Timeline for Thanksgiving 2023
Now that you know how far in advance you should thaw your turkey, let’s talk timing for the upcoming holiday.
For Thanksgiving 2023, you’ll want to take your turkey out of the freezer and place it in the refrigerator to thaw around these dates:
- 8-12 pound turkey: Friday, November 17th
- 12-15 pound turkey: Thursday, November 16th
- 15-18 pound turkey: Tuesday, November 14th
- 18-20+ pound turkey: Sunday, November 12th
Mark your calendars! If you stick within this timeline, your Thanksgiving turkey will be perfectly thawed and ready to prep, cook, and serve on Thursday, November 23rd 2023.
Enjoy a Stress-Free Turkey Day
There’s never any need to panic over a frozen turkey on Thanksgiving. As long as you plan ahead and allow plenty of thawing time, you’ll be good to go.
Knowing exactly when to transfer the turkey from freezer to fridge takes the guesswork out of holiday meal preparation. Now you can focus on making delicious sides, baking pies, and spending time with loved ones rather than worrying about the turkey!
Consider thawing the turkey using a microwave
Believe it or not, you can thaw a turkey in the microwave, but proceed with caution. Before deciding whether to thaw the Thanksgiving centerpiece in the microwave, make sure it actually fits in there … and has some extra space to spin. If the bird is small enough, remove the plastic wrap and place it in a microwave-safe dish or baking dish. Push the defrost button, punch in the weight of the bird and let the microwave work its magic.
If your microwave lacks a proper defrosting function, determine how long the bird needs to thaw in there based on its weight. Six minutes per pound is a good rule of thumb. Since microwaves tend to heat things unevenly, make sure to rotate and flip the meat throughout the thawing process.
- 10-pound turkey: 1 hour of thawing in the microwave
- 12-pound turkey: 1 hour, 12 minutes of thawing in the microwave
- 14-pound turkey: 1 hour, 24 minutes of thawing in the microwave
- 16-pound turkey: 1 hour, 36 minutes of thawing in the microwave
- 18-pound turkey: 1 hour, 48 minutes of thawing in the microwave
- 20-pound turkey: 2 hours of thawing in the microwave
Wrap the turkey when thawing it in cold water
If you plan to thaw the bird in cold water, make sure to seal it in a large, leak-proof plastic bag before submerging it. This will prevent any cross-contamination and ensure that the bird won’t absorb any extra water during the thawing process. Then, fill a bowl or bucket that’s big enough to fit the bird with cold tap water. Submerge the wrapped turkey in the water and change the water every 30 minutes in order to help to ward off any contaminating bacteria.
Allow 30 minutes of thawing time for each pound of turkey, which translates to about six hours for a 12-pound turkey. A 15-pound bird will thaw in eight hours. Adjust the thawing time based on the size of the turkey you purchased.
Still having trouble determining the thaw time of your Thanksgiving turkey? Check out Butterball’s thawing calculator — which allows people to choose either the refrigerator or cold-water method.
- 10-pound turkey: 5 hours of thawing in cold water
- 12-pound turkey: 6 hours of thawing in cold water
- 14-pound turkey: 7 hours of thawing in cold water
- 16-pound turkey: 8 hours of thawing in cold water
- 18-pound turkey: 9 hours of thawing in cold water
- 20-pound turkey: 10 hours of thawing in cold water
When should I remove turkey from freezer?
FAQ
How many days to thaw a 15 pound turkey?
Is a turkey good after being in freezer for two years?
How long should you Thaw a Turkey before Thanksgiving?
At minimum, allow at least one day of thawing for every 5 pounds of turkey. To make sure your turkey is completely thawed, we recommend building in an extra day. So, if your turkey is between 12 and 15 pounds, you can take it out of the freezer a week before Thanksgiving (or the next day at the latest). How Long Do You Need to Thaw Your Turkey?
How long does a frozen turkey last?
Keeping it in its original packaging, set your bird on a rimmed container to catch any juices. In a refrigerator set to 40 degrees F or below, it generally takes one day for every 4 pounds to thaw a fully frozen turkey. Once thawed, your turkey will keep in the fridge for up to two days.
How long can a thawed Turkey stay in the fridge?
A completely thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for one or two days before cooking. To thaw in cold water, submerge the bird in its original wrapper in cold tap water, changing the water every 30 minutes. Cook the turkey immediately after thawing.
Can You Thaw a frozen turkey?
You can also thaw a turkey using cold water in the sink. If you’re using the fridge method, you should put the turkey in there this weekend or no later than Monday. It’s worth noting that the USDA says you can use a microwave to thaw a turkey, but if you’re really in a pinch later this week, you can cook a frozen turkey without thawing.