How to Thaw a Frozen Turkey
It's only a matter of time
thawing time
Don’t have that much time? Try our OVEN READY™ Turkey.
Thawing a whole turkey in the refrigerator is recommended. If short on time, you may thaw the turkey in cold water in the original packaging, making sure the water is changed every 30 minutes to keep the turkey surface cold.
Refrigerator Thawing
- Thaw turkey in unopened packaging in a pan in the refrigerator on the bottom shelf.
- Allow 4 hours per pound to thaw.
Refrigerator Turkey Thawing Time
- 8 to 12 pounds: 2 days
- 12 to 16 pounds: 3 days
- 16 to 20 pounds: 4 days
- 20 to 24 pounds: 5 days
Cold Water Thawing
- Leave turkey in unopened packaging. Cover completely with cold water.
- Change water every 30 minutes to keep turkey surface cold.
- Allow 30 minutes per pound to thaw.
Cold Water Turkey Thawing Time
- 8 to 12 pounds: 4 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
After thawed, prepare or refreeze turkey within 3 days.
Find more whole turkey basics here
Forgot to thaw your turkey? No problem. Find OVEN READY™ Turkey in your grocers freezer. This turkey goes from freezer to oven to perfect. No thawing. See How to Cook a Turkey for directions.