Having Trouble With the 'Turkey Thaw'? This Advice From Butterball Can Help!

*Originally published in 2019
Updated on November 11, 2024:

Alleviate your stress this Thanksgiving. According to the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line, "How to thaw a turkey" is one of the top questions asked. Here are some tips and best practices for making your bird a succulent main course for hungry families and friends this holiday season.

Timing and Preparation Is Everything

The wise veteran cook knows that preparing a turkey for the big holiday starts days beforehand—and you just cross your fingers that you don't experience a catastrophic event that might sap power to the fridge or oven. Obviously, the most important part of the process is thawing. If you don't get that part right, you might as well forget the rest (how to make a turkey lifter, stuffing the turkey, etc.!).

So here's some vital thawing advice straight from Butterball—the famous purveyor of frozen turkeys:

Refrigerator Thawing

Thaw turkey breast side up in an unopened wrapper on a tray in the fridge (40 degrees F or below).
Allow at least one day of thawing for every 4 lbs.
Use within four days after thawing.

Butterball notes on their website that both frozen whole turkeys and frozen whole turkey breasts need to be thawed before cooking. If refrigerator thawing is not a viable option, then cold water thawing is the way to go.

Cold Water Thawing

Thaw the turkey breast side down in an unopened wrapper in enough cold water to cover it completely.
Change water every 30 minutes, and if the turkey cannot be completely covered, rotate every 30 minutes to keep the turkey chilled.
Estimate a minimum thawing time of 30 minutes per lb.

Running out of time to adequately thaw your turkey? Another option would be to contact your local butcher or supermarket meat department about getting a whole thawed turkey or thawed turkey breast to go. If you successfully thaw your turkey and somehow manage to get it into the oven, you'll have plenty of time while it roasts to watch the parade, catch up with family and friends, or enjoy a holiday cocktail!

Happy Thanksgiving!