A 22-pound frozen turkey can spend nearly a week in the refrigerator before it’s ready to roast. If yours is going into the oven on Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 26, move it from the freezer to the fridge by Friday, Nov. 20. A 15-pound bird can wait until Sunday, Nov. 22.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued its holiday food safety guidance Nov. 13. If you’re shopping ahead, check the weight on the package and work backward from when you plan to put the turkey in the oven. If you’re shopping a day or two before cooking, the USDA recommends buying fresh. The agency says an unopened fresh turkey with a manufacturer’s best-by or use-by date can stay refrigerated until that date.
When to move a frozen turkey to the fridge
These dates use the upper end of each range in the federal thawing chart. For a 10 a.m. start on Thanksgiving, put the turkey in the fridge by 10 a.m. on the suggested day.
| Turkey weight | Refrigerator thaw | Move it by |
|---|---|---|
| 4 to 12 pounds | 1 to 3 days | Monday, Nov. 23 |
| Over 12 to 16 pounds | 3 to 4 days | Sunday, Nov. 22 |
| Over 16 to 20 pounds | 4 to 5 days | Saturday, Nov. 21 |
| Over 20 to 24 pounds | 5 to 6 days | Friday, Nov. 20 |
Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or colder. Put the turkey in a pan on the bottom shelf to catch any liquid before it reaches other food. Keep it in its original wrapper while it thaws. Once thawed in the refrigerator, it can stay there for another day or two before cooking. N.C. Cooperative Extension also advises against rinsing raw turkey, since splashes can spread germs around the sink.
What a same-day thaw takes
The CDC’s cold-water method takes about 30 minutes per pound. Seal the turkey in a leakproof bag, cover it completely with cold tap water and change the water every 30 minutes. Cook the turkey as soon as it finishes thawing. Use the same immediate-cooking rule for a turkey thawed in the microwave, and follow the appliance’s directions for the weight it can handle. Keep the turkey off the counter while it thaws.
For a 15-pound bird, budget about 7½ hours for a cold-water thaw. The federal roasting chart allows another 3¾ to 4¼ hours at 325°F for an unstuffed turkey of that size. That adds up to 11¼ to 11¾ hours before prep or carving. If you discover a frozen bird that morning and dinner is in the early afternoon, a smaller fresh turkey or turkey parts will cook faster.
You can also roast a turkey straight from the freezer. FoodSafety.gov’s Thanksgiving guidance says to allow at least 50 percent more time than for a thawed bird. Skip the oven bag. Remove the giblet packet with tongs once it loosens during roasting.
Where to check the temperature
Use a food thermometer even if the turkey came with a pop-up timer. Check the thickest part of the breast and the innermost part of both the thigh and the wing, keeping the probe off the bone. Each spot needs to reach 165°F. The USDA recommends cooking stuffing separately. If you cook it inside the bird, the center of the stuffing also needs to reach 165°F.
After dinner, refrigerate the leftovers within two hours, or within one hour if the temperature is above 90°F. Cut the remaining turkey into smaller pieces and put them in shallow containers so they cool quickly. Eat refrigerated leftovers within four days or freeze them. Reheat leftovers to 165°F.
