how long to thaw a turkey in refrigerator
You should thaw a turkey in the refrigerator for about 24 hours for every 4–5 pounds of turkey at 40°F (4°C) or below.
Quick Scoop
- 4–12 lb turkey: 1–3 days in the fridge.
- 12–16 lb turkey: 3–4 days in the fridge.
- 16–20 lb turkey: 4–5 days in the fridge.
- 20–24 lb turkey: 5–6 days in the fridge.
A simple way to remember it:
Plan on roughly 1 day of refrigerator thawing for every 4–5 pounds of turkey.
Always thaw the turkey in its original packaging on a tray on the bottom shelf to catch drips and avoid contaminating other foods.
How long to thaw a turkey in refrigerator (by weight)
Here’s a handy timeline you can use when you’re staring at the frozen bird the week of Thanksgiving:
| Turkey weight | Time to thaw in refrigerator |
|---|---|
| 4–8 lbs | About 1–2 days |
| 8–12 lbs | About 2–3 days |
| 12–16 lbs | About 3–4 days |
| 16–20 lbs | About 4–5 days |
| 20–24 lbs | About 5–6 days |
If you’re short on time
People on cooking forums and holiday threads often realize a bit late that their bird is still rock-solid on Wednesday. In that case, food-safety authorities recommend switching to a cold water thaw rather than rushing the refrigerator method.
- Keep the turkey in its packaging , fully submerged in cold water.
- Change the water every 30 minutes to keep it cold.
- Allow about 30 minutes per pound (so a 16 lb turkey takes around 8 hours).
- Cook the turkey immediately after a cold-water thaw.
Mini “forum-style” perspective
“For refrigerator thawing, plan on 24 hours for every 5 pounds… for a 17-pound turkey, you should keep it in the fridge for approximately 3.5 days.”
“Every year my job gives all the employees a turkey… I hate finding it still frozen on Thanksgiving morning.”
Common real-world tips people share:
- Start the refrigerator thaw earlier than you think ; an extra day in the fridge is safer than a half-frozen bird on cooking day.
- Make sure your fridge is actually around 37–40°F , or thawing can be slower than expected.
- Always keep raw turkey on the bottom shelf to avoid juices dripping onto other foods.
TL;DR
- Use 1 day in the fridge per 4–5 lb of turkey.
- Most average holiday turkeys (12–20 lb) need 3–5 days to thaw in the refrigerator.
- If you’re behind schedule, switch to a cold-water thaw (30 minutes per pound) and cook right after it’s thawed.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.