When to Take Turkey Out of the Freezer for Thawing

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Master the timing for perfect turkey preparation with our guide on when to take your turkey out of the freezer for thawing. Ensure a safely and evenly thawed bird for Thanksgiving dinner!

Below is a handy chart displaying how long to thaw a turkey in the fridge and how long to thaw it in cold water.

Therefore, if you have a 4 to 12-pound turkey, it will thaw in the fridge in 1 to 3 days. Which means a 4-pound turkey would thaw in 1 day in the fridge, while a 12-pound turkey would thaw in 3 days in the fridge. _____________________________ It would take a 4 to 12-pound turkey 2 to 6 hours to thaw in cold water. ***If you are thawing in cold water, it is very important to change the water every 30 minutes.

A 12 to 16-pound turkey will thaw in the fridge in 3 to 4 days. _____________________________

It would take a 12 to 16-pound turkey 6 to 8 hours to thaw in cold water. *** If you are thawing in cold water, it is very important to change the water every 30 minutes.

A 16 to 20-pound turkey will thaw in the fridge in 4 to 5 days. Therefore, it would take 5 days for a 20-pound turkey to thaw in the refrigerator. _____________________________

It would take a 16 to 20 pound turkey 8 to 10 hours to thaw in cold water. ***If you are thawing in cold water, it is very important to change the water every 30 minutes.

A 20-pound to 24-pound turkey will thaw in the fridge in 5 to 6 days. Therefore, it would take 5 days for a 20-pound turkey to thaw in the refrigerator, and 6 days for a 24-pound turkey to thaw in the refrigerator. _____________________________

It would take a 20 to 24-pound turkey 10 to12 hours to thaw in cold water. ***If you are thawing in cold water, it is very important to change the water every 30 minutes.

I hope this Turkey Thawing Chart was helpful for you!

Happy Thanksgiving!