Help, It’s Thanksgiving Morning and My Bird Is Still Frozen! Here’s How to Quickly Thaw a Turkey and Save the Day

I know it’s tempting, but whatever you do, please don’t plop the bird on the counter and let it defrost at room temperature. Per the USDA, “A package of frozen meat or poultry left thawing on the counter more than 2 hours is not at a safe temperature.” And definitely ignore Uncle Ron’s advice about leaving it in the basement or garage to defrost—you want a controlled temperature, not food poisoning.

Ideally, you should thaw a frozen bird in the fridge with these guidelines from the USDA in mind. Allow approximately 24 hours of thawing for every 4 to 5 pounds of poultry. (If your turkey is small enough, you could likely pull this off by starting on Thanksgiving Eve.) Keep the bird in its original packaging and place it on a tray or in a pan to catch any juices that may leak. A fully thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for one to two days. Here are some approximate refrigerator thawing times based on weight: 

• 4 to 12 pounds — 1 to 3 days
• 12 to 16 pounds — 3 to 4 days
• 16 to 20 pounds — 4 to 5 days
• 20 to 24 pounds — 5 to 6 days

So, you woke up at 7 a.m. and realized that you forgot to transfer the bird from the freezer to the fridge last night. Fortunately, your guests aren’t coming over until later this afternoon.

Here’s the plan:

1. Submerge the bird breast-side down in cold water. A large pot or the sink should do the trick. Make sure the turkey is totally submerged and still in its wrapping, per Butterball (use a baking dish to weigh it down if you have to).
2. Change the water every 30 minutes. This is key for food safety, so be sure to set an alarm so you don’t forget.

Note: It should take approximately 30 minutes per pound to completely thaw. So, for a 10-pound turkey, you're looking at about 5 hours of thawing time. Here's a breakdown by weight of approximate cold water thawing times:

• 4 to 12 pounds — 2 to 6 hours
• 12 to 16 pounds — 6 to 8 hours
• 16 to 20 pounds — 8 to 10 hours
• 20 to 24 pounds — 10 to 12 hours

Yup, you actually can safely cook a fully frozen turkey, says the USDA. Here’s the catch: The cooking time will be at least 50 percent longer. So, while a 12-pound, fully thawed turkey would normally take about 3 hours to cook in a 325°F oven, it will take 4½ hours or more to cook from frozen.

Out of Time?

Ply your guests with fall cocktails and starters while you give this recipe for maple roasted turkey legs a go. And if that doesn't work, team your side dishes with a pizza delivery (because pepperoni fixes everything).