Thawing Turkey
To ensure your frozen turkey has completely thawed you may need to pull it from the freezer up to a week before cooking it. If your turkey weighs between 20 and 24 pounds, USDA suggests removing your turkey from the freezer and placing it in the refrigerator 5 to 6 days prior to cooking it.
You will need 4 to 5 days to thaw a 16 to 20 pound turkey, 3 to 4 days of thawing a 12 to 16 pound turkey, and 1 to 3 days for a 4 to 12 pound turkey. To avoid turkey day stress make sure you have allowed enough time for your turkey to thaw.
Published 10/12/11
