Your pasture-raised Thanksgiving turkey will arrive frozen at your door. Learn more about how to thaw your bird and plan ahead for the big day!
Refrigerator Thawing
Note: 24 hours of defrosting time is needed for every 4 to 5 pounds of bird, so your large turkey (18 – 20+ pounds) will need to spend about 5 days in the refrigerator
2. Place the bird on a tray or in a pan to collect any juices that leak out & keep it at the bottom of your fridge so that any leakage won’t contaminate anything below
3. Allow 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds of frozen turkey
Cold Water Thawing
1. Monitor the temperature with an instant read thermometer, changing the water every half hour. The water must be colder than 40 F, if not, add ice to lower the temperature
2. Make sure the turkey remains completely submerged. If it floats (and it will), you’ll need to weigh it down with a heavy pot or pan – if your sink is too small, this method won’t work. Never thaw a turkey in hot water
Here’s a time chart to help you compare thawing times using the refrigerator and cold-water methods:
| Turkey Weight | Thawing Time (Refrigerator) |
Thawing Time (Cold Water) |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 12 lbs | 1 to 3 days | 2 to 6 hours |
| 12 to 16 lbs | 3 to 4 days | 6 to 8 hours |
| 16 to 20 lbs | 4 to 5 days | 8 to 10 hours |
| 20 to 24 lbs | 5 to 6 days | 10 to 12 hours |
