How to Defrost a Turkey

Co-authored by JoAnna Minneci and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: July 14, 2024 Approved

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With a little preparation, it's easy to defrost a turkey for a special meal. If you have plenty of time and don't want to rush, plan on defrosting the turkey in the refrigerator. Don't worry if you don't have space in the fridge; you can also defrost a turkey in the sink. Fill the sink with cold water and change it every 30 minutes until the turkey's defrosted. Alternatively, microwave the turkey for 1 to 2 hours until it's defrosted.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Defrosting a Turkey in the Refrigerator

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1
Remove the turkey from the freezer and put it on a platter. Leave the turkey in the packaging and put it directly onto a large platter or a tray. Ensure that the turkey is positioned so the breasts are up.^{[1]
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- Choose a platter with slightly raised edges or a rimmed tray. This will prevent any juice that could leak out of the package from dripping in your refrigerator.
2
Thaw the turkey for 1 day per 4 pounds (1.8 kg). Check the turkey's weight so you know how long it will need to defrost and move the shelves in your refrigerator so you can put the turkey on the bottom shelf. Plan on defrosting the turkey for:^{[2]
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- 1 to 3 days if it's 4 to 12 pounds (1.8 to 5.4 kg)
- 3 to 4 days if it's 12 to 16 pounds (5.4 to 7.3 kg)
- 4 to 5 days if it's 16 to 20 pounds (7.3 to 9.1 kg)
- 5 to 6 days if it's 20 to 24 pounds (9.1 to 10.9 kg)
Tip: In order to prevent harmful bacteria from growing, use a refrigerator thermometer to ensure that the refrigerator is set at 40 °F (4 °C) or lower.

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3
Cook the defrosted turkey within 2 days of completely thawing it. Unlike other thawing methods, you don't need to immediately cook the turkey as soon as it's thawed. In fact, if you change your mind about cooking a turkey but you've already defrosted it, you can put it back into the freezer.^{[3]
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- If you choose to put the turkey back into the freezer, the meat may not be as tender when you do choose to cook it.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Thawing a Turkey in the Sink

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Discard the packaging that the turkey came in and put the turkey into a leak-proof bag. This will prevent turkey juices from leaking out and water from soaking into the turkey.^{[4]
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Put the plug in the sink and place the wrapped turkey into it. Then, fill the sink with cold water so that almost all of the turkey is covered.^{[5]
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Variation: If you don't have a sink that's large enough to hold the turkey, put the turkey into an insulated cooler and fill it with water.
3
Thaw the turkey for 1 hour per 2 pounds (0.91 kg). Check the turkey package to see how much it weighs. Since it takes about 30 minutes to defrost 1 pound (450 g) of turkey, you'll need between 2 to 12 hours. Defrost the turkey for:^{[6]
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- 2 to 6 hours if it's 4 to 12 pounds (1.8 to 5.4 kg)
- 6 to 8 hours if it's 12 to 16 pounds (5.4 to 7.3 kg)
- 8 to 10 hours if it's 16 to 20 pounds (7.3 to 9.1 kg)
- 10 to 12 hours if it's 20 to 24 pounds (9.1 to 10.9 kg)
4
Change the water every 30 minutes until the turkey is defrosted. To prevent the water from becoming too warm, drain the sink and refill it with cold water every 30 minutes. Keep doing this until the turkey is completely defrosted.^{[7]
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- Remember that you can easily unwrap the turkey and feel inside the cavity to check if it's defrosted.
5
Cook the defrosted turkey immediately. As soon as you think the turkey is defrosted, transfer the turkey to a roasting pan and season it as you like. Put the turkey into a preheated oven and cook it right away.^{[8]
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- Since you've been raising the temperature of the turkey, it's important to cook it as soon as you've defrosted it so it doesn't grow harmful bacteria.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using the Microwave to Defrost a Turkey

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1
Read your owner's manual to decide if the turkey will fit. Your owner's manual will tell you what size turkey will fit in the microwave. For example, the manual might say that you can safely thaw a turkey that's up to 15 pounds (6.8 kg). If your turkey weighs more than what the manual recommends, choose a different defrosting method.^{[9]
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- Check the size of your microwave to determine if the turkey will fit.
2
Unwrap the turkey and put it on a microwave-safe plate. Discard all of the packaging and remove any metal that might be wrapping the legs together. Then set the turkey on a large microwave-safe plate.^{[10]
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- Ensure that the plate will fit inside your microwave.
3
Defrost the turkey for 6 minutes per 1 pound (0.45 kg). Put the turkey into the microwave and use the defrost feature. Enter the turkey's weight and start the microwave. Defrosting should take about 6 minutes for each 1 pound (450 g) of turkey.^{[11]
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- If your turkey is over 15 pounds (6.8 kg), you may want to turn it over once or twice as it defrosts. This will help it thaw evenly.
Did You Know? A 12 lb (5.4 kg) turkey will take about 1 hour and 15 minutes to defrost, while a 22 lb (10.0 kg) turkey will take around 2 hours and 10 minutes.
4
Remove the turkey and cook it immediately. Since a microwave will thaw the turkey unevenly, some parts of the turkey might begin to cook. To prevent bacteria from growing, plan on cooking the turkey as soon as it's finished defrosting in the microwave.^{[12]
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- Consider preheating your oven during the last 20 minutes the turkey is defrosting. This way you can immediately transfer the turkey to a roasting pan and put it into the hot oven.

Community Q&A

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Question

Can I safely thaw a frozen turkey in a cooler for 4-6 days?

Community Answer

You would have to constantly keep ice-packs in there, rotating them in and out, which sort of negates the whole point. It is less-than-ideal, but yes you could. I defrosted a turkey on a road-trip once. It was an eight hour drive and I kept ice packs in there.

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Is it safe to use hot water to defrost meat?

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No. If you use hot water instead of cold water, you run the risk of defrosting the outside of the meat and bringing it to room temperature much faster than the inside of the meat, so the outside could spoil while the inside is still defrosting. You should defrost meat in cold water.

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Can I defrost on top of the counter?

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If you mean simply leaving it on the counter after pulling it straight from the freezer, no. The bacteria will grow faster, causing you to become sick when you try to eat it after cooking.

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Tips

You can cook a frozen turkey, although it will take about 50% longer to cook. Remember to reach inside the turkey's cavity after it's cooked for a while so you can remove the giblets. It's also important to cook the turkey until it reaches 165 °F (74 °C) with an instant-read meat thermometer.^{[13]
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If you're defrosting a turkey to cook on Thanksgiving, consider putting it into the refrigerator the Friday before the holiday.

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Warnings

Never set a frozen turkey on the counter to defrost at room temperature. The meat on the exterior will warm up faster than the meat in the center, which could cause harmful bacteria to grow.

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