How to Thaw a Turkey

Guide Note

If you are planning on cooking your frozen turkey, then you most likely will want to thaw it. This page will guide you on three methods you can use to do just that as well as give you information on how you can avoid thawing if desired.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Method 1: Using Your Refrigerator
• Method 2: Using Cold Water
• Method 3: Using Your Microwave
• Method 4: Don't Thaw
• Conclusion
• References

Turkey Thawing Tips

1. Never thaw pre-stuffed turkeys.
2. Thawing in the refrigerator is the best method.
3. Thawing a turkey using cold water requires regular checking.
4. Using a microwave is possible, but only if you plan on cooking immediately.
5. If you plan on roasting your turkey, you can avoid thawing the turkey altogether.

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• by Darcy Logan

Introduction

• If you bought a frozen, unstuffed turkey, chances are you will want to thaw it. You may be tempted to pull the turkey out, plop it on the counter and wait a few hours. However, turkeys should never be thawed at room temperature.¹ Because turkeys can contain salmonella, campylobacter and other bacteria, it is just as important that you thaw your turkey properly as it is to cook it.²

1. You should not thaw frozen pre-stuffed turkey.³
2. Thaw fully cooked smoked or baked turkeys using the refrigerator method.⁴
3. Remember to thoroughly wash your hands and anything that comes into contact with raw turkey.⁵

• YouTube: Thawing a Turkey (Time: 1:06)

Method 1: Using Your Refrigerator

• Thawing your turkey in the refrigerator is the safest method and will provide you with the best finished product.⁶ However, it is also the slowest method so you will need to plan in advance.⁵ Plan on 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds of turkey.⁶

1. Your refrigerator should be set to about 40°F.⁵
2. Keep the turkey in the original, unopened wrapper.^{7 4}
3. Place the turkey breast side up on a shallow tray or pan.⁴ This will prevent the juices from dripping onto fresh foods.³
4. Set on the lowest shelf of your refrigerator, away from other food.¹
5. A thawed turkey needs to be used within 48 hours.⁷ Do not keep it in your refrigerator for longer than one to two days.³
6. You can refreeze a turkey that has been thawed, but expect some loss in quality.^{7 5}
7. When ready to cook, wash the turkey in cold water and let it drain.¹

Method 2: Using Cold Water

• Although this method is faster than using the refrigerator, it also requires the most time and attention on your part.^{5 3}

1. Your turkey needs to be in a leak-proof container.⁸ If the packaging is torn, place the turkey inside a plastic bag.³
2. Submerge the turkey breast side down in cold tap water.⁴ The water should cover the turkey completely.
3. Change the water every 30 minutes to ensure the turkey stays chilled.^{7 4}
4. It will take about 30 minutes per pound to thaw the turkey completely.⁶
5. Once it is thawed, cook the turkey immediately.⁷
6. Do not refreeze a turkey thawed using this method.⁸

• YouTube: How to Thaw a Turkey (Time: 0:43)

Method 3: Using Your Microwave

• In order to thaw a turkey using your microwave, you will need to check your owner's manual to see if it is possible.⁷ Some microwaves are not capable of handling larger turkeys.³ The owner's manual will also tell you the minutes per pound and the power level necessary for your turkey.⁷

1. Remove any outside wrapping on the turkey.⁷
2. Place the turkey on a microwave-safe dish to catch any drips.⁸
3. Microwave-thawed turkeys must be cooked immediately after thawing because some parts of the turkey may have become warm and begun to cook.^{3 5}
4. Be careful when handling microwave-thawed turkeys because bacteria present will not have been destroyed and may have reached temperatures that allow them to grow.⁵
5. Do not refreeze or refrigerate your turkey if you have thawed it in the microwave until after it has been cooked.⁷

Method 4: Don't Thaw

• If you discover at the last minute that you forgot to thaw your turkey, you can safely roast it without thawing it.⁷ However, this method does not work for turkeys that will be stuffed.⁹
  1. 

     (Creative Commons photo by Shawn Branch)
     You cannot grill, smoke or deep-fry a frozen turkey.¹⁰
  2. A frozen turkey takes about 50 percent longer to cook than a thawed turkey.¹
  3. Remove the giblet package with a tongs or forks when the turkey has thawed enough in the oven.¹⁰
• For complete instructions on how to cook a frozen turkey, check out the following links listed below. For more information on how to cook a turkey, check out Mahalo's How to Cook a Turkey.
  • Hospitality Institute of Technology and Management: Cooking Turkey from the Frozen State  
  • About.com: Cooking Turkey from Frozen  
  • University of Wisconsin Extension: Cooking a Frozen Turkey  

Conclusion

• Now that you have a thawed turkey, you will want to check out Mahalo's How to Brine a Turkey, How to Cook a Turkey, How to Deep Fry a Turkey or How to Smoke a Turkey. You should also find How to Carve a Turkey, How to Prepare Thanksgiving Leftovers, How to Pick a Thanksgiving Turkey and How to Survive Thanksgiving Dinner with Your Family helpful.

• If you are looking for other dishes to serve with your turkey, check out How to Plan Thanksgiving Dinner, How to Make Stuffing, How to Make Gravy, How to Make Green Bean Casserole, How to Make Cranberry Sauce, How to Make Mashed Potatoes and How to Cook Pumpkins.

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References for How to Thaw a Turkey

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} University of Illinois Extension: Commodity Frozen Turkey  
2. ↑ MarthaStewart.com: Food Safety, Fallacies, and Facts
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6} Clemson University: How to Cook Turkey
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4} Butterball: How to Thaw
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6} Healthlink: Turkey Topics
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} National Turkey Federation: Turkey Thawing Hints
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 7.9} USDA: Let's Talk Turkey
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2} Minnesota Department of Health: Turkey: Safe Thawing and Cooking
9. ↑ University of Wisconsin Extension: Cooking a Frozen Turkey  
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} MayoClinic.com: Thanksgiving Turkey: Can You Cook It Frozen?