Turkey Cooking Chart Guides Cooking stuffed Turkey if You Need to Know How to Cook a Turkey

The following Turkey cooking chart shows how long it will take to thaw turkeys of various sizes in the refrigerator for cooking frozen turkey. Simply place the turkey in its original wrap on a tray or in a pan to catch moisture that accumulates as it thaws.

Thawing time in the refrigerator

Whole turkey

• 8 to 12 pounds………………………… 1 to 2 days


• 12 to 16 pounds………………………… 2 to 3 days


• 16 to 20 pounds…………………………… 3 to 4 days


• 20 to 24 pounds…………………………… 4 to 5 days

Click on my cookbook below for addition information on Turkey Preparations

If it is the day before you plan to serve your turkey and you forgot to remove it from the freezer, don’t despair. Check the wrapping to make sure there are no tears. Place the bird in its unopened bag in the sink or large container and cover it with cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes to assure effective thawing.

Thawing time in cold water bath

• 8 TO 12 pounds…………………………4 to 6 hours


• 12 to 16 pounds…………………………6 to 9 hours


• 16 to 20 pounds…………………………9 to 11 hours


• 20 to 24 pounds…………………………11 to 12 hours

Other thawing turkey tips say that they can be thawed in the microwave. Microwave oven varies in what they can accommodate so check the manufacturer’s instruction.

Frozen unstuffed turkeys can be cooked without thawing, but frozen prestuffed turkeys must NOT be thawed before cooking.

It is not recommended thawing a turkey on the countertop. It will thaw from outside in and bacteria is promoted by the temperature of the room.

For further information see turkey cooking time and turkey cooking temperature.

Return to How to Cook a Turkey
Return to Home Page from Turkey Cooking Chart