How long does it actually accept to thaw a turkey? If yous’re prepping for Thanksgiving, yous’re likely wondering when to act your frozen turkey to the refrigerator, to make sure it’s fully defrosted for the large mean solar day. Well I’k sharing a full turkey thawing nautical chart then y'all know how many hours (or days) it will take to thaw, pound by pound. Plus, I’ll give you lot a pace by footstep for each turkey defrosting method: inward the refrigerator or inward common cold water.
When to Thaw the Turkey for Thanksgiving
Cooking the turkey for Thanksgiving (or Christmas or any exceptional holiday) is a major office of the vacation dinner, and the process for a frozen turkey actually starts days before. You desire to live sure you lot do it the right mode (for nutrient rubber purposes), so follow along to learn how to thaw a turkey, too just how long it takes to defrost.
Thawing the turkey tin accept days, depending on the size, and so making certain it has enough of time to defrost before cooking is an of import step.
Since fresh/unfrozen turkeys tin can only sit inward the fridge for two days, buying a frozen one is commonly the best selection (unless you lot don’t mind doing your shopping last infinitesimal). It volition keep inward the freezer long-term, upwards to a year or more than.
Turkey Thawing Chart
Wondering how long it takes to defrost that turkey? It depends on which method yous’re using: the fridge or the common cold water method.
Use these turkey thawing charts to figure out how many days earlier Thanksgiving you should showtime thawing the frozen turkey (based on size). Then you lot tin read below for step by stride instructions on how to do it.
Note: These thawing charts together with how-tos utilise to both whole turkeys too turkey breasts.
How long does it have to defrost turkey in the fridge?
Time Estimate: Plan for a full 24 hours of thawing fourth dimension for every v pounds of turkey.
| Turkey Weight (pounds) | Thawing Time (hours) | Thawing Time (Days) |
|---|---|---|
| iv-six lbs | 24 hours | i twenty-four hours |
| 6-12 lbs | 24-48 hours | 1-two days |
| 12-xvi lbs | 48-72 hours | ii-iii days |
| 16-twenty lbs | 72-96 hours | three-iv days |
| twenty-24 lbs | 96-120 hours | 4-five days |
How long does it have to defrost a turkey inward H2O?
Time Estimate: Allow 30 minutes of thawing fourth dimension for every 1 pound of turkey.
| Turkey Weight (pounds) | Thawing Time (Hours) |
|---|---|
| iv-six lbs | ii-3 hours |
| six-12 lbs | three-vi hours |
| 12-xvi lbs | 6-8 hours |
| sixteen-twenty lbs | 8-x hours |
| twenty-24 lbs | ten-12 hours |
How to Defrost a Turkey
The easiest in addition to safest style to do this is to gear up it in the refrigerator. This does take significantly more than time though, and then you lot postulate to plan ahead (that’second where the turkey thawing time charts above come up inwards handy).
I’k too including the pace past stride for thawing it inward cold H2O, which volition alone have hours (upwardly to one-half a 24-hour interval). This method should be used on the solar day of, correct earlier cooking. I don’t recommend this because it is only ho-hum, merely if you involve to defrost your turkey rapidly, this is the best fashion to become.
How to Thaw a Turkey inwards the Refrigerator
- Take the turkey out of the freezer. Place it on a large rimmed tray or inward a roasting pan or container that can take hold of whatsoever liquid equally it defrosts. Leave the turkey wrapped.
- Clear out a space inward the fridge (I recommend placing it on the bottom shelf and so naught leaks onto foods below it) in addition to home the tray/container inside.
- Simply allow it sit down for a few days, according to the turkey thaw time nautical chart to a higher place. You tin add together a twenty-four hours to the fourth dimension before cooking just to be certain.
- On the 24-hour interval of cooking, take the turkey out of the fridge, disclose it, withdraw the giblets, together with y'all’ll be cook to fix.
How to Thaw a Turkey inwards Cold Water
- Take the turkey out of the freezer and go out it wrapped.
- Fill a large bowl, pot, or container with cold water (nigh 40°F, same temperature every bit the recommended fridge temp.). You involve a big plenty container, in addition to plenty H2O, that you lot tin can submerge the whole turkey or turkey chest.
- Place the turkey inwards the cold water, too so change the water every 30 minutes. This is an of import stride.
- Keep refreshing the H2O, making certain it’second common cold, until it’second fully thawed (role the chart above to fourth dimension it).
- When it’s done, let on it, remove the giblets, and make directly (yous don’t want to allow it sit down thawed for as well long).
Note: If yous are defrosting the turkey inwards water, the H2O needs to live changed regularly to brand sure it stays common cold plenty (nearly twoscore°F). This ensures you are thawing the turkey at a safety charge per unit. You don’t want the H2O to go as well warm.
Can yous refreeze a thawed turkey?
If you lot defrost the turkey inwards the fridge, so YES, y'all can refreeze the turkey without cooking it. It volition refreeze, as well as and so you lot tin can follow the steps to defrost as well as make some other time.
However, if yous defrost it in cold H2O, yous CANNOT refreeze it. It needs to live cooked like a shot upon thawing, too so yous tin can refrigerate or freeze the cooked pith. If y'all don’t finish upwardly cooking it, it would but ask to be thrown away.
How long tin can a thawed turkey rest inwards the refrigerator?
Similar to storing a fresh turkey, a thawed turkey tin sit in the fridge for upwardly to two days. It’s a pretty brusque fourth dimension menstruum, and so it is important to time the defrosting correctly. However, ii days is a perfect leeway leading upwards to Thanksgiving!
You tin can safely purchase as well as freeze your turkey for Thanksgiving upwards to a year ahead of fourth dimension. For best results, cook frozen turkey within i yr
This depends on the size of the turkey, and the defrosting method yous use. Check the turkey thawing chart in a higher place for specific time frames. It can accept anywhere from one-five days.
The procedure of thawing turkey chest, together with the fourth dimension that it takes, is basically the same equally a whole turkey. Since nigh turkey breasts are on the smaller side, they won’t accept long to defrost. 24 hours is a good gauge in the fridge, or a few hours if defrosting in H2O.
You can prepare the turkey straight from the freezer if needed (or partially thawed). So if yous operate out of fourth dimension to thaw it, or mayhap but forget to move it to the fridge, don’t worry. You’ll call for to add a scrap more make time when roasting. I nonetheless recommend thawing it for the best results, but it is completely safe either mode.
No! Setting it on the counter height or in the sink at room temperature is not a rubber mode to defrost turkey. Either defrost in the refrigerator, or function common cold water, changing it every 30 minutes.
No. Only defrost a turkey inwards COLD H2O (equally outlined higher up). Using warm H2O tin drive bacteria to beginning growing on the surface if left out for more than than two hours.
Now that you lot know how long to thaw your turkey, as well as just how to defrost it, you lot’ll be prepped too fix for Thanksgiving! Choose from from any of my favorite turkey recipes, take hold of this chart of turkey cooking times, together with you lot’ll be ready to cook.