Turkey Thawing Time Calculator
14 lb turkey, refrigerator: 3 to 4 days, plan on 4. Cold water instead: 7 hours, water changed every 30 minutes.
Turkey thawing time is 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds in the refrigerator, or 30 minutes per pound in cold water; those are the USDA FSIS and foodsafety.gov rules and this page does the arithmetic. Enter the weight and your dinner date and it returns the days or hours, the date and time to move the bird from the freezer, and how a brine fits in after the thaw.
Common turkey sizes
12 lb turkey, refrigerator
1 to 3 days, plan on 3
into the fridge by the date above
cold water instead: 6 hours
14 lb turkey, refrigerator
3 to 4 days, plan on 4
into the fridge by the date above
cold water instead: 7 hours
16 lb turkey, refrigerator
3 to 4 days, plan on 4
into the fridge by the date above
cold water instead: 8 hours
20 lb turkey, refrigerator
4 to 5 days, plan on 5
into the fridge by the date above
cold water instead: 10 hours
24 lb turkey, refrigerator
5 to 6 days, plan on 6
into the fridge by the date above
cold water instead: 12 hours
Your turkey
The weight on the label. 4 to 30 lb (1.8 to 13.6 kg).
Refrigerator is the FSIS default and the only method that leaves time to brine. Cold water is for when the days have run out. The third option starts in the fridge and finishes the last pounds in cold water.
A brine adds its hours before roasting, so the fridge date moves earlier. Salt and water for it are on the turkey brine calculator.
14 lb turkey, refrigerator thaw
3 to 4 days
plan on 4 days at 24 hours per 4 to 5 lb (USDA FSIS)
- Fridge by
- Sunday morning before dinner
- Thawed by
- the morning of dinner
- Oven
- about 3 3/4 hours before serving (USDA FSIS 325°F chart), plus a 30-minute rest
- Cold water
- 7 hours instead, water changed every 30 minutes, then cook right away
- Brine
- Thaw first; a wet brine adds 11 to 14 hours, a dry brine 48, and the fridge date moves earlier by that much
A thawed turkey keeps 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator (USDA FSIS), so a day early is fine; a day late is not.
How this is calculated
The two thawing rules come straight from USDA FSIS and foodsafety.gov, and the schedule works back from the dinner time you enter.
refrigerator = 24 h for every 4 to 5 lb plan-on days = weight / 4, rounded up (2 days minimum) cold water = 30 min per lb water changed every 30 min; cook right away fridge + cold = 4 lb per fridge day, the rest at 30 min per lb in cold water oven in = dinner - 30 min rest - roast time (USDA FSIS 325°F chart, unstuffed) brine = wet: 0.75 to 1 h per lb, 24 h max (turkey page) dry: 48 h move to fridge = oven in - brine hours - plan-on days
The published tables
| Turkey | Refrigerator (40°F or below) | Cold water (changed every 30 min) | Roast at 325°F, unstuffed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 to 12 lb | 1 to 3 days | 2 to 6 hours | 1 1/2 to 3 1/4 h (4 to 8 lb breast), 2 3/4 to 3 h (8 to 12 lb) |
| 12 to 16 lb | 3 to 4 days | 6 to 8 hours | 3 to 3 3/4 h (12 to 14), 3 3/4 to 4 1/4 h (14 to 18) |
| 16 to 20 lb | 4 to 5 days | 8 to 10 hours | 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 h (18 to 20) |
| 20 to 24 lb | 5 to 6 days | 10 to 12 hours | 4 1/2 to 5 h |
Thawing columns: foodsafety.gov, Meat and Poultry Roasting Charts, and USDA FSIS, Let's Talk Turkey; both give the same bands. Roasting column: the USDA FSIS timetable for an unstuffed turkey at 325°F; a stuffed bird runs up to about 30 minutes longer. The calculator uses the top of each roasting band.
Why the calculator plans on the top of the band
"24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds" gives a 14 lb bird 2.8 to 3.5 days, which FSIS rounds to 3 to 4. A refrigerator that runs at 38°F rather than 34°F, a bird packed in the back of the freezer at 0°F, and a fridge door opened all day on a holiday week each push toward the long end, and a turkey that is still icy at the bone on the morning of dinner has no recovery except cold water. Since a thawed turkey keeps 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator, a day of margin costs nothing. So the plan-on figure is the weight divided by 4 lb per day, rounded up, with 2 days as the floor for small birds.
Cold water
FSIS: wrap the turkey so water cannot leak through, submerge it in cold tap water, change the water every 30 minutes, and cook it immediately once it is thawed; do not refreeze. The 30 minutes per pound is a rate, not a band, so the calculator gives it to the half hour. The water changes are what keep the surface below 40°F; a 14 lb bird takes 14 changes, which is why this method is a last resort rather than a plan.
Fridge, then cold water
When the days have run out, the fridge does part of the job and cold water does the rest. Each day in the refrigerator thaws about 4 lb (the conservative end of the FSIS rate), so a 16 lb bird with two fridge days has about 8 lb still frozen, which is 4 hours in cold water. Because the thaw ends in cold water, the same rule applies: cook it right away, no brine.
Microwave and cooking from frozen
The microwave is the third FSIS-approved method; the page does not time it because every oven differs, and FSIS says to cook the bird immediately afterward and not to refrigerate or refreeze it. Cooking from frozen is also safe per FSIS and takes at least 50 percent longer than the thawed time, so a 14 lb bird needs at least 5 3/4 hours instead of 3 3/4. Neither option leaves any room for a brine.
What you'll need
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- Refrigerator thermometer. The 24 hours per 4 to 5 lb rate assumes 40°F or below; a fridge at 42°F thaws faster and is not safe.
- Rimmed sheet pan or roasting pan to catch the drip on the bottom shelf, under everything else.
- Leak-proof brining bag for the cold-water method; the packaging often has a small tear.
- Instant-read thermometer for 165°F in the breast and thigh, and to confirm the center is no longer frozen before it goes in the oven.
How this page is checked
This calculator was built by Cedrick Reese for BrineCalculators.com. Its two rates and four weight bands are read from the text of USDA FSIS's Let's Talk Turkey page and the foodsafety.gov thawing chart, which were opened and compared while the page was written; the roasting times are the FSIS 325°F timetable; the brine hours are the same function the turkey brine calculator uses, so the two pages give the same answer for the same bird. The plan-on figure is this page's own margin and is labeled as such.
The next US Thanksgiving is computed on your device when the page loads (the fourth Thursday of November), never typed in, so the default date cannot go stale. If FSIS changes a rate or a band, the constant in this page's script changes and every result follows. A figure here that disagrees with the current FSIS text is a bug; use the contact page to report it.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to thaw a turkey in the refrigerator?
About 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds, per USDA FSIS and foodsafety.gov, with the fridge at 40°F or below. The published bands are 1 to 3 days for 4 to 12 lb, 3 to 4 days for 12 to 16 lb, 4 to 5 days for 16 to 20 lb, and 5 to 6 days for 20 to 24 lb. This calculator plans on the top of each band, so a 14 lb turkey goes in 4 days ahead; a day early costs nothing because a thawed bird keeps 1 to 2 days in the fridge.
How long does it take to thaw a turkey in cold water?
About 30 minutes per pound: 7 hours for a 14 lb bird, 10 hours for 20 lb. The turkey stays in its wrapping or a leak-proof bag, fully submerged in cold tap water, and the water is changed every 30 minutes so it stays cold. FSIS says to cook the turkey immediately after a cold-water thaw and not to refreeze it.
Can I thaw a turkey on the counter?
No. USDA FSIS names three safe ways to thaw a turkey: in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave. Left at room temperature the outside of the bird sits above 40°F for hours while the inside is still frozen, which is the range where bacteria multiply. The same goes for a garage, a porch, or warm water.
Can I cook a turkey from frozen?
Yes. FSIS says it is safe to cook a turkey from the frozen state, and that it takes at least 50 percent longer than the time for a thawed bird, so a 14 lb turkey that would roast in about 3 3/4 hours at 325°F needs at least 5 3/4 hours. Take the giblet bag out once the cavity has thawed enough to reach it. A frozen bird cannot be brined or stuffed, and the skin does not crisp as well.
How long can a thawed turkey stay in the fridge?
1 to 2 days after it is fully thawed, per USDA FSIS. That is why this calculator plans on the top of the thawing band rather than the bottom: the margin lands the bird thawed a day early at worst, which is inside that window. A bird thawed in cold water or the microwave has no window at all and is cooked right away.
Can I brine a turkey after thawing it?
Yes, if it was thawed in the refrigerator. The brine hours count against the 1 to 2 days a thawed bird keeps, so pick the brine option in the calculator and it moves the fridge date earlier by the brine time: about 1 hour per pound for a wet brine and 48 hours for a dry brine. After a cold-water or microwave thaw, FSIS says to cook immediately, so there is no time to brine; season the bird as it goes into the oven instead.
Can I refreeze a turkey that has thawed?
A turkey thawed in the refrigerator can be refrozen without cooking, though the texture suffers a little. A turkey thawed in cold water or the microwave cannot be refrozen raw; FSIS says to cook it first. Once cooked, the meat can be frozen again.
What if my turkey is still partly frozen on the day?
Finish it in cold water: submerge the wrapped bird and change the water every 30 minutes, allowing 30 minutes per pound of what is still frozen, then cook it right away. If the ice is only in the cavity, run cold water into the cavity to loosen the giblet bag and roast; the bird will need extra time and the thermometer, not the clock, decides when it is done at 165°F in the breast and thigh.
References
- USDA FSIS, Let's Talk Turkey: A Consumer Guide to Safely Roasting a Turkey (thawing methods and chart, 1 to 2 days, cooking from frozen, roasting timetable, 165°F)
- FoodSafety.gov, Meat and Poultry Roasting Charts (turkey thawing time by weight, refrigerator and cold water)
Disclaimer
The information provided by this turkey thawing time calculator is intended for general informational and educational purposes only. Thawing speed varies with the refrigerator, the freezer the bird came from, and how it is packed, so check the center of the bird before roasting.
Food safety: always follow USDA guidelines for safe food handling. Thaw turkey in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below, in cold water changed every 30 minutes, or in the microwave, never at room temperature. Use a food thermometer to ensure your turkey reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh, wing, and breast before serving. When in doubt, consult official USDA resources or the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854).
No warranty: BrineCalculators.com makes no warranties or representations regarding the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of the information provided and is not responsible for any adverse outcomes resulting from its use. See the full disclaimer.