Thawing in the Refrigerator
Place a frozen bird in its original wrapper in the refrigerator (40 degrees F. or below). Allow it to thaw approximately 24 hours per 5 pounds of turkey. Once thawed, keep the turkey refrigerated for no more than 1-2 days, or use this chart to help with the countdown to the holiday.
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Size of Turkey
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Number of Days
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8 to 12 pounds
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1 to 2 days
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12 to 16 pounds
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2 to 3 days
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16 to 20 pounds
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3 to 4 days
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20 to 24 pounds
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4 to 5 days
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Thawing in Cold Water
Submerge the bird in its airtight packaging in cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes to be sure it stays cold.
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Size of Turkey
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Hours to Defrost
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8 to 12 pounds
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4 to 6 hours
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12 to 16 pounds
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6 to 8 hours
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16 to 20 pounds
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8 to 10 hours
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20 to 24 pounds
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10 to 12 hours
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Turkey Roasting Chart
Fresh or thawed birds
Cook at 325? F.
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Weight
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Unstuffed (hours)
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Stuffed (hours)
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4 to 8 pounds (breast)
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1 ½ to 3 ¼
|
--
|
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8 to 12 pounds
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2 ¾ to 3
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3 to 3 ½
|
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12 to 14 pounds
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3 to 3 ¾
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3 ½ to 4
|
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14 to 18 pounds
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3 ¾ to 4 ¼
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4 to 4 ¼
|
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18 to 20 pounds
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4 ¼ to 4 ½
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4 ¼ to 4 ¾
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20 to 24 pounds
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4 ½ to 5
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4 ¾ to 5 ¼
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It is SAFE to cook a turkey from the FROZEN state. The cooking time will take at least 50 percent longer than recommended for a fully thawed turkey.
For more information, call the USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854)or go to either of these Web sites: