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For those preparing Thanksgiving feasts, the U.S. Department of Agriculture emphasizes the importance of planning for the “big thaw” well in advance to ensure safety in the kitchen.
WASHINGTON — With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about defrosting your turkey.
Thawing a frozen turkey is a vital step in your holiday preparations, and the timeline depends on the bird’s size. The USDA advises cooks to plan ahead for the defrosting process to ensure it is done safely.
According to the USDA, there are three approved methods for thawing food: using the refrigerator, cold water, or a microwave oven.
If you’re uncertain about the required thawing time, the USDA provides an interactive calculator on its Thanksgiving FAQs page to help determine how long your turkey will take to defrost.
The time needed to correctly thaw your turkey varies with weight. As per USDA recommendations, allow 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds, ensuring the refrigerator temperature is at or below 40 degrees.
Thawing turkey in the refrigerator:
The time needed to defrost a turkey properly depends on its weight. USDA guidelines say 24 hours are required for each 4 to 5 pounds, with the fridge set at 40 degrees or below.
The food safety agency suggests placing the turkey in a container to prevent the juices from dripping onto other foods. Refrigerator thawing is the least labor-intensive defrosting method but requires the most time.
Here are the USDA thawing guidelines by weight.
Whole turkey:
- 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
The USDA notes that a thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for 1 or 2 days before cooking.
“Foods thawed in the refrigerator can be refrozen without cooking, but there may be some loss of quality,” the food safety agency says on its website.
Cold Water thawing:
Don’t want to wait a couple of days? You can also thaw your turkey with cold water, though it requires much more attention.
Cold-water thawing requires that the turkey be cooked immediately, so don’t expect it to be refrigerated afterward. Before you begin, make sure that the turkey is in a leak-proof plastic bag to avoid cross-contamination. This also ensures that the turkey does not absorb water and ruin the Thanksgiving bird.
Submerge the wrapped turkey in cold tap water and change the water every 30 minutes until the turkey is fully thawed. The time needed will depend on weight: 30 minutes per pound.
If the turkey cannot be fully covered, Butterball suggests rotating it every 30 minutes to keep it chilled on its website.
Here are the USDA guidelines by weight for cold water thawing:
Cold Water Thawing Times
- 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
Microwave thawing
If your bird fits in a microwave oven, you can also thaw out your turkey.
Make sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions for the microwave on how to defrost a turkey. Once it is thawed, it must be cooked immediately as some parts of the food may become warm and begin to cook during the process.
