Fridge, cold water or from frozen: which should you choose?
USDA lists three safe ways to thaw a turkey. The planner covers the two that work for most kitchens, plus cooking it from frozen when you have run out of time:
- In the fridge: the safest and easiest. It takes days, but the turkey stays at a safe temperature the whole time and keeps for 1 to 2 days once thawed. You can even refreeze it if plans change.
- In cold water: the same-day option, about 30 minutes per pound. It needs attention, since the water must be changed every 30 minutes, and the turkey has to be cooked straight away.
- From frozen: no thawing at all. Roast it at 325 °F and expect at least 50% more time in the oven. Good for when you find on Thursday morning that the bird is still rock hard.
Microwave thawing is also safe for small turkeys, but the time depends on your microwave’s power and size, so follow its manual and cook the turkey immediately afterwards.
How the planner works out your schedule
It starts from the time you want to eat and counts backwards. Carving takes about 10 minutes and the turkey rests 20 minutes before that, so it comes out of the oven half an hour before the meal. The roasting time comes from the USDA timetable for your weight and whether the bird is stuffed, using the long end of the range so you are never waiting on an undercooked turkey. The oven is preheated 30 minutes earlier. For a fridge thaw it then subtracts one whole day for every 4 pounds; for cold water, 30 minutes per pound.
If the day to move the turkey to the fridge has already passed, the planner tells you and offers the cold-water and from-frozen plans instead.
Is it done? Use a thermometer
Roasting times are only a guide: oven temperatures, roasting pans and how cold the bird was all change them. A turkey is safe to eat when a food thermometer reads 165 °F in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. If you stuff the turkey, the centre of the stuffing must reach 165 °F too, which is one reason USDA suggests baking the stuffing in a separate dish. Pop-up timers are not enough on their own.
How big a turkey do you need?
USDA suggests about 1 pound of turkey per person, or 1¼ pounds for a frozen pre-stuffed turkey. A 12 lb turkey feeds about 12 people, a 20 lb turkey about 20, with some leftovers. Leftovers should be refrigerated within 2 hours and eaten within 3 to 4 days.