How to Thaw a Turkey Safely (Fridge and Cold Water Times)

Step by step

1. 1

   Find your date

   Look at the weight on the label and find it in the chart. Count back that many days from cooking day. USDA says a thawed turkey can stay in the fridge for 1 or 2 days before you cook it, so starting a day early is fine.

2. 2

   Set it in a pan on the bottom shelf

   Leave the turkey in its original wrapper and set it in a roasting pan or on a tray with sides. Raw juices will leak as it thaws, and USDA says the pan is there to catch them. North Carolina State Extension says to put the pan on the bottom shelf, so nothing sits below it to catch a drip.

   What it looks like: the wrapped bird sitting flat in a pan, with nothing stored underneath it.

3. 3

   Leave it alone and let the fridge work

   Keep the door closed as much as you can, and let the days go by. If you have a fridge thermometer, check that it reads 40°F or below.

4. 4

   Running late? Switch to cold water

   Put the turkey in a leak-proof plastic bag and press out the air. Set it in a clean sink or cooler and cover it completely with cold tap water. Plan on about 30 minutes per pound.

   What it looks like: the bagged bird fully under the water, with no part sticking out.

1. 5

   Change the water every 30 minutes

   Drain it and fill it again with fresh cold water every half hour, so the water stays cold around the bird. Set a timer so you don’t lose track.

   When it is thawed, cook it right away. A turkey thawed in cold water does not go back in the fridge to wait.

2. 6

   Pull out the giblets and wash up

   Once it has thawed, reach inside and take out the neck and the bag of giblets. Then wash your hands, the sink and anything the raw turkey touched with soap and water.

3. 7

   Cook it to 165°F

   Roast it in an oven set no lower than 325°F. Check the temperature in three spots: the innermost part of the thigh, the wing and the thickest part of the breast. All three need to read 165°F, even if the turkey came with a pop-up timer.

   What it looks like: the thermometer reading 165°F or higher in the thickest part of the thigh.

When it will not work, and what to do instead

Here is what to do when the calendar gets away from you.

• It is Thanksgiving morning and the bird is still hard. Use cold water if you have the hours. If you don’t, USDA says you can cook a turkey straight from frozen. It takes at least 50 percent longer, so start early.
• The middle is still icy, but the outside is soft. Finish it in cold water, change the water every 30 minutes, and cook it as soon as it has thawed.
• You thawed it on the counter. USDA says frozen poultry left on the counter more than 2 hours is not at a safe temperature. The outside sits between 40°F and 140°F, even when the middle is still frozen.
• You don’t have fridge room for 5 days. Clear a shelf first. Our fridge room page walks through it. If you truly can’t, the cold water method takes hours, not days.
• You want to use the microwave. USDA lists it as a safe way to thaw a turkey that fits. Follow your microwave’s directions, take off all the wrapping, and cook the turkey right away, because parts of it may start to cook.

Why it works

Here is what is going on. A frozen turkey is safe for as long as it stays frozen. The trouble starts once it thaws, because bacteria can begin to grow again.

USDA calls the range from 40°F to 140°F the Danger Zone. A fridge keeps the whole bird below it the entire time, which is why the fridge is the slow, easy choice. Cold water thaws in hours instead of days, but it only stays safe while the water stays cold, which is the reason for the 30 minute water changes.