When to Start Defrosting a Turkey by Weight
There is no shame in taking a frozen turkey for a large meal, but defrosting it must be considered when scheduling dates. Luckily, delish has a simple and useful drawing to help you figure out exactly when you should move your turkey from the freezer to the refrigerator.
Defrosting usually takes 24 hours for every four pounds of turkey, but it’s good to have an easy-to-read, visual guide for quick reference. If your turkey falls somewhere between the listed weights, be mistaken for a longer thawing time. Finally, if you’re a little late and didn’t put it in the fridge in time, don’t panic, you can always defrost it in cold water for about half an hour per pound.