Thawing a turkey in the refrigerator takes about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds, so a 16-pound bird needs 3 to 4 days. In cold water it is much faster: about 30 minutes per pound, or 8 hours for that same 16-pound turkey, according to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
The method you choose decides how far ahead you need to plan, whether you can refreeze the bird, and how soon it has to go in the oven. Below you will find USDA thawing times for every common turkey size, a Thanksgiving countdown, and what to do if the bird is still frozen on the big day.
Turkey Thawing Times by Weight
These are the USDA FSIS times for a whole turkey. The fridge times assume a refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below.
| Turkey weight | In the refrigerator | In cold water |
|---|---|---|
| 4 to 12 lb (1.8 to 5.4 kg) | 1 to 3 days | 2 to 6 hours |
| 12 to 16 lb (5.4 to 7.3 kg) | 3 to 4 days | 6 to 8 hours |
| 16 to 20 lb (7.3 to 9 kg) | 4 to 5 days | 8 to 10 hours |
| 20 to 24 lb (9 to 10.9 kg) | 5 to 6 days | 10 to 12 hours |
If your turkey falls between two rows, use the longer time. A bird that is still a little icy inside the cavity is easier to deal with than one that is frozen solid at noon on Thanksgiving.
Thawing a Turkey in the Fridge
The refrigerator is the safest and easiest method, and the one the USDA recommends first. The turkey stays at a safe temperature the entire time, so there is nothing to monitor once it is in.
How to do it:
- Leave the turkey in its original wrapper.
- Set it breast side up on a rimmed baking sheet or in a roasting pan to catch any juices.
- Put it on the bottom shelf, so drips cannot land on ready-to-eat food.
- Allow 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds.
Once thawed, a turkey can stay in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days before cooking, according to USDA guidance. That buffer is useful: if you start a day early, nothing is lost.
Pro tip: Check your refrigerator with an appliance thermometer before the turkey goes in. If the fridge runs warmer than 40°F (4°C), the bird can sit in an unsafe range for days. If it runs very cold, thawing will take longer than the chart suggests.
Cold Water Thawing
If you forgot to start in time, the cold water method can still save the day. The USDA allows about 30 minutes per pound.
How to do it:
- Make sure the turkey is in a leak-proof wrapper or bag. If the original packaging is torn, put it in a large sealed plastic bag so water cannot get in and bacteria from the bird cannot get out.
- Submerge the turkey, breast side down, in a clean sink or cooler full of cold tap water.
- Change the water every 30 minutes so it stays cold.
- Cook the turkey immediately once it has thawed.
Do not use warm or hot water. It speeds up thawing on the surface while the inside stays frozen, which puts the outer layer of meat in the temperature range where bacteria multiply quickly.
Thawing a Turkey in the Microwave
Microwave thawing works only if the turkey fits and your microwave can handle its weight, which rules out most full-size birds. If you do use this method:
- Follow the microwave manufacturer's instructions for size and power level.
- Remove all outside wrapping and set the turkey on a microwave-safe dish to catch juices.
- Use the defrost setting based on weight. USDA guidance generally allows about 6 minutes per pound.
- Cook the turkey right away. Some areas of the meat may start to cook during defrosting, so it cannot be held for later.
Cooking a Turkey from Frozen
If the turkey is still frozen solid on Thanksgiving morning, you can roast it without thawing. The USDA says this is safe, but the cooking time will be at least 50 percent longer than for a fully thawed bird.
A few rules apply:
- Remove the giblet bag with tongs once the turkey has thawed enough in the oven to pull it out.
- Do not use an oven bag for a frozen turkey.
- Check the temperature with a food thermometer in three spots: the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the thigh, and the innermost part of the wing. Every spot must reach 165°F (74°C).
A partially frozen turkey also cooks fine. Just expect it to take longer than the roasting chart on the wrapper says, and rely on the thermometer, not the clock.
Methods to Avoid
The USDA is clear that a turkey should never be thawed:
- On the kitchen counter. The outer layer warms past 40°F (4°C) long before the center thaws.
- In hot water. Same problem, faster.
- In the garage, basement, car, or outdoors. Temperatures there are unpredictable and often swing above 40°F during the day.
- Anywhere else improvised. If it is not the fridge, cold water, or the microwave, skip it.
Bacteria multiply fastest between 40°F and 140°F (4°C and 60°C). Every safe method on this page is designed to keep the turkey out of that range, or to get it into the oven as soon as it leaves it.
When to Start Thawing for Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving 2026 falls on Thursday, November 26. To serve dinner on Thursday with a fridge-thawed turkey, move it from the freezer to the refrigerator by these dates:
| Turkey weight | Move to the fridge by |
|---|---|
| 4 to 12 lb | Monday, November 23 |
| 12 to 16 lb | Sunday, November 22 |
| 16 to 20 lb | Saturday, November 21 |
| 20 to 24 lb | Friday, November 20 |
Because a thawed turkey keeps for 1 to 2 days in the fridge, starting a day earlier than this gives you a comfortable margin.
If you buy a frozen turkey weeks ahead, it can wait in the freezer. Food kept at 0°F (-18°C) stays safe indefinitely, and the USDA suggests using a whole frozen turkey within about a year for best quality. For other cuts, our guide to how long meat lasts in the freezer has the full chart.
Can You Refreeze a Turkey?
It depends on how it was thawed:
| Thawing method | Can you refreeze it raw? |
|---|---|
| Refrigerator | Yes, if it has not been out of the fridge |
| Cold water | No, cook it first |
| Microwave | No, cook it first |
A turkey thawed in the refrigerator can be refrozen, though you may notice some loss of quality from the moisture lost during thawing. Once the turkey is cooked, the leftovers can go into the freezer regardless of how the raw bird was thawed. Wrap them well to avoid freezer burn, and see our tips on how to freeze meat properly for packaging that holds up.
FAQ
How long does it take to thaw a turkey in the fridge?
Allow 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds. A 12 to 16 pound turkey takes 3 to 4 days, and a 20 to 24 pound turkey takes 5 to 6 days, according to the USDA.
How many days does it take to thaw a 20 lb turkey?
A 20-pound turkey needs about 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator. In cold water it takes about 10 hours, changing the water every 30 minutes.
Can you thaw a turkey overnight?
Only a small one, and only in cold water. A 12-pound turkey takes about 6 hours in cold water. In the fridge, even the smallest whole turkeys need at least a full day.
Can you refreeze a turkey that has thawed?
Yes, if it was thawed in the refrigerator and has stayed there. A turkey thawed in cold water or in the microwave must be cooked before it goes back in the freezer.
What if my turkey is still frozen inside on Thanksgiving?
Cook it anyway. The USDA says a frozen or partially frozen turkey is safe to roast; it simply takes longer. Use a food thermometer to confirm 165°F (74°C) in the breast, thigh, and wing.
Plan the Thaw Before You Need It
The most common Thanksgiving turkey problem is not cooking, it is timing. Work backward from the day you want to eat, add one buffer day, and write the date down. If you keep your freezer logged in Freezer Inventory Tracker, you can set a defrost reminder on the turkey itself, so the alert arrives on the day it needs to move to the fridge. For more on freezing and thawing safely, browse our freezing guide.