How long does it take to thaw a turkey?

❤️ If you've found this 'How long does it take' article helpful, share it with others ❤️
Reading Time: 2 minutes

According to the University of Illinois, the average weight of a turkey purchased at Thanksgiving is 15 pounds. A 15-pound turkey usually has about 70 percent white meat and 30 percent dark meat. [1]https://web.extension.illinois.edu/turkey/turkey_facts.cfm

There is a simple calculation you can use to calculate the time. According to the USDA, the general rule for defrosting a turkey in the fridge is as follows: Allow for at least 24 hours for every four to five pounds. (FYI: This is specific to refrigerators at temperatures 40 degrees and below.) When using this method, place the turkey—still in its original packaging—in a roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet in case juices leak as it thaws. [2]https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/cooking-tips-tutorials/a37627856/how-long-to-thaw-a-turkey/ So for example budget 3 full days of thawing in the fridge for an average 15-pound turkey (if you choose a bigger one like 20-pound, you need 4 full days). Keep the turkey wrapped, and occasionally check to see if the baking sheet or roasting pan needs to be drained.

The cold water method is a bit quicker if you’re short on time. It takes as little as 30 minutes per pound. That means that 20-pound turkey will be ready to cook in ten hours instead of five days! If you don’t have a few days, there is a shortcut (with a tiny caveat). In order to keep the turkey at a safe temperature, you’ll have to change out the water every 30 minutes. [3]https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/how-to-defrost-turkey/

So how long does it take to thaw a turkey? Here is an easy-to-use chart to answer this.

Turkey WeightRefrigeratorCold Water
4-5 lbs1 day2 hours
8-10 lbs2 days4 hours
12-15 lbs3 days6 hours
16-20 lbs4 days8 hours
20-25 lbs5 days10 hours
24-30 lbs6 days12 hours
How long does it take to thaw a turkey?

According to reliable resources mentioned above it takes:

~ 3 days, 0 hours, 0 mins, 0 secs

* The above data is an average value.

According to our users it takes:

No user data was submitted yet for this How long does it take article. Be the first one!

What do you think? How long does it take?

You must be logged in to submit your data!