How Long to Thaw a Turkey
Plan ahead to make sure your turkey is ready on the big day. Here are 2 surefire ways to thaw your turkey in time. This recipe is based on a 5-pound turkey, so please refer to the chart for time needed for the size of your bird.
- Prep Time: 0 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 5 pound turkey
Instructions
Refrigerator Thawing Method
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In a large roasting pan, a rimmed baking sheet, or tray, place the packaged turkey, breast-side up – this helps catch any liquid or juices that leak out while thawing.
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Place in the fridge to thaw completely. This size bird will thaw in 1 day, but refer to the chart or see notes for total thawing time based on the weight of your turkey.
Water Thawing Method
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Before getting started, the turkey must be in a leak-proof package, original wrapping, or plastic bag (the raw meat should never touch the water).
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Place the wrapped turkey in the sink or bucket, then submerge with cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes so that it doesn’t get too warm.
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Thaw completely. This size bird will thaw in 2 1/2 hours, but refer to the chart or see notes for total thawing time based on the weight of your turkey
Notes
Refrigerator thawing method times:
- 5 pounds: let thaw 1 day
- 10 pounds: let thaw 2 days
- 15 pounds: let thaw 3 days
- 20 pounds: let thaw 4 days
- 25 pounds: let thaw 5 days
- 30 pounds: let thaw 6 days
Water thawing method times:
- 5 pounds: thaw for 2.5 hours
- 10 pounds: thaw for 5 hours
- 15 pounds: thaw for 7.5 hours
- 20 pounds: thaw for 10 hours
- 25 pounds: thaw for 12.5 hours
- 30 pounds: thaw for 15 hours
Find it online: https://allguiderecipes.info/how-long-to-thaw-a-turkey/