In the refrigerator, allow about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds: a 20 lb turkey takes 4 to 5 days. In cold water, allow about 30 minutes per pound and change the water every 30 minutes, then cook it right away (USDA). Never thaw a turkey on the counter (USDA, Butterball). Out of time? It’s safe to roast it frozen; it takes at least 50% longer (USDA).
When to start thawing for Thanksgiving 2026
For dinner on Thursday, November 26. Fridge dates allow a day for every 4 pounds (Butterball, and the longer end of the USDA’s range); start the morning of the date shown.
| Turkey | Put it in the fridge by | Or in cold water for |
|---|---|---|
| 10 lb | Monday, Nov 23 | about 5 hours |
| 12 lb | Monday, Nov 23 | about 6 hours |
| 14 lb | Sunday, Nov 22 | about 7 hours |
| 16 lb | Sunday, Nov 22 | about 8 hours |
| 18 lb | Saturday, Nov 21 | about 9 hours |
| 20 lb | Saturday, Nov 21 | about 10 hours |
| 22 lb | Friday, Nov 20 | about 11 hours |
| 24 lb | Friday, Nov 20 | about 12 hours |
Cold-water times are 30 minutes per pound (USDA, Butterball), on Thanksgiving Day itself, since a turkey thawed in cold water has to be cooked right away.
Turkey thawing chart
| Turkey | In the refrigerator | In cold water |
|---|---|---|
| 4 to 12 lb | 1 to 3 days | 2 to 6 hours |
| 12 to 16 lb | 3 to 4 days | 6 to 8 hours |
| 16 to 20 lb | 4 to 5 days | 8 to 10 hours |
| 20 to 24 lb | 5 to 6 days | 10 to 12 hours |
The USDA’s chart, from “Let’s Talk Turkey.” Refrigerator at 40°F or below. Butterball allows at least a day for every 4 pounds in the fridge.
How to thaw a turkey in the refrigerator
The USDA’s and Butterball’s preferred way: slow, but it needs the least attention.
- Check the fridge is at 40°F or below (USDA, Butterball). See refrigerator temperature.
- Leave the turkey in its original wrapper and set it on a tray or in a pan to catch any juices (USDA). Butterball thaws it breast side up.
- Give it time: about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds (USDA). A colder fridge thaws more slowly: one set at 35°F takes longer than one at 40°F (USDA).
- Cook it within a day or two once it’s thawed (USDA); Butterball says up to 4 days. A turkey thawed in the fridge can be refrozen if you need to (USDA).
How to thaw a turkey fast, in cold water
Faster, but it takes attention (USDA).
- Keep it sealed. The turkey has to be in leak-proof wrapping; if water gets in, it can bring bacteria and make the meat watery (USDA). Butterball leaves it in its unopened wrapper.
- Submerge it in cold tap water, breast side down and fully covered (USDA, Butterball). If it can’t be covered completely, turn it every 30 minutes (Butterball).
- Change the water every 30 minutes, so it stays cold (USDA, Butterball).
- Allow about 30 minutes per pound (USDA, Butterball).
- Cook it right away once it’s thawed, and don’t refreeze it first (USDA).
Thawing in the microwave
Check your microwave’s owner’s manual for the size of turkey it fits, the minutes per pound and the power level for thawing. Remove all the wrapping, set the turkey on a microwave-safe dish, and cook it immediately afterward: some parts can start to cook while it thaws (USDA).
How not to thaw a turkey
Never thaw it on the counter or in hot water, or in a garage, basement, car, dishwasher, plastic garbage bag, or outdoors on the porch (USDA). The center can still be frozen while the outside sits in the “danger zone” of 40 to 140°F, where bacteria multiply quickly (USDA).
Roast it frozen. It’s safe, and it takes at least 50% longer than a thawed turkey. Take the giblet packages out partway through, carefully, with tongs or a fork (USDA).
Then roast it
- Take the giblets out of the body cavities once it’s thawed, and cook them separately (USDA).
- Roast at 325°F or higher, on a rack in a shallow pan (USDA). An unstuffed 20 to 24 lb turkey takes about 4½ to 5 hours; a 14 to 18 lb one, 3¾ to 4¼ hours (USDA). If it’s been a while, see how to clean an oven first.
- It’s done at 165°F, checked with a food thermometer in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast, even if it has a pop-up indicator (USDA).
- Let it stand 20 minutes before carving (USDA).
Questions people ask
How long does it take to thaw a 20 lb turkey?
4 to 5 days in the refrigerator, or 8 to 10 hours in cold water (USDA). For Thanksgiving on November 26, put it in the fridge by Saturday, November 21.
When should I take my turkey out of the freezer for Thanksgiving?
A day for every 4 pounds before Thanksgiving: Monday, November 23 for a 12 lb turkey, Saturday, November 21 for 20 lb, Friday, November 20 for 24 lb. See the table above.
Can you thaw a turkey on the counter?
No. Perishable food should never be thawed on the counter or left at room temperature for more than 2 hours (USDA).
Can I thaw a turkey in the sink overnight?
Only by the cold-water method: sealed, fully covered with cold tap water that’s changed every 30 minutes, and cooked as soon as it’s thawed (USDA). Leaving it in standing water overnight isn’t that.
How long can a thawed turkey stay in the fridge?
1 to 2 days (USDA). Butterball says up to 4 days.
Can I refreeze a thawed turkey?
If it was thawed in the refrigerator, yes. If it was thawed in cold water or the microwave, cook it first (USDA).
Sources
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Let’s Talk Turkey: A Consumer Guide to Safely Roasting a Turkey: the thawing chart; refrigerator, cold water and microwave thawing; 1 to 2 days once thawed; refreezing; giblets; roasting at 325°F; 165°F; roasting timetable; at least 50% longer from frozen.
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, The Big Thaw: Safe Defrosting Methods: 24 hours per 5 pounds at least; colder refrigerators thaw more slowly; leak-proof wrapping; where never to thaw; the 40 to 140°F danger zone.
- Butterball, How to Thaw a Frozen Turkey: a day per 4 pounds in the refrigerator, breast side up; cold water breast side down, changed every 30 minutes, 30 minutes per pound; up to 4 days once thawed; never at room temperature.