Although Thanksgiving for 2024 is still seven days away, you're going to need to take your frozen turkey out of the freezer long before then, experts say.
According to Butterball, a refrigerator-thawed turkey may be kept in the fridge at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below for up to four days before cooking. And while there's another popular thaw method, both require advance planning and thawing time before it's time to stuff the bird and stick it in the oven.
Plus, how much your turkey weighs will make a difference.
Here's how the two methods work, and what you need to know about each:
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How long to thaw a turkey in the refrigerator
Refrigerator thawing is the preferred method, Butterball says, and the least labor-intensive. But it requires more time.
Butterball recommends at least one day of thawing for every four pounds of turkey. That means, for a 12-pound turkey, you'll be thawing it in the refrigerator for three days.
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The turkey should be thawed breast side up and kept in its original, unopened wrapper, on a tray in the fridge, which must be at 40-degrees Fahrenheit or below.
According to Butterball, the turkey should be used within four days after fridge thawing.
How long to thaw a turkey using the cold water method
Cold water thawing takes less time than refrigerator thawing, Butterball says, but it requires more attention.
If you're using the cold water method, the turkey should be thawed breast side down in an unopened wrapper, with enough cold water to cover the turkey completely, Butterball said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends placing the turkey in a leakproof plastic bag in the sink.
"The bag will prevent the turkey juice from spreading in the kitchen," the CDC noted. "The bag also will prevent the turkey from absorbing water, which could make your cooked turkey runny."
Water should be changed every 30 minutes. If the turkey cannot be completely covered, rotate the bird every 30 minutes to keep it chilled, Butterball said.
According to experts, you can expect 30 minutes of thawing per pound of turkey using the cold water method. The turkey should be cooked immediately after thawing, the CDC said.
"Regardless of which turkey thawing method you choose, never thaw a turkey at room temperature," Butterball's website said. "You’re running low on time, try a Fresh Whole Turkey—they’re just as delicious and require little prep."
Additionally, the CDC notes that when a turkey stays out at room temperature for more than two hours, "It's temperature becomes unsafe even if the center is still frozen."
"Germs can grow rapidly in the 'danger zone' between 40°F and 140°F," the CDC said.
