Playing host during the holidays can feel like a daunting task. There's the duty of arranging the table, decorating the house, picking the , and finding a large enough turkey. There's also the task of actually cooking the turkey, which is an art form all on its own.
These days, there are all sorts of wacky, untraditional ways to cook a turkey –- everything from to a buffalo oven-roasted turkey –- but the pressure remains in figuring out just when to begin the turkey preparations. (USDA), the safest way to thaw your turkey is in the refrigerator, with thawing time varying depending on the bird's size and weight. If you're worried about , it's best to follow good food safety guidelines.
A frozen turkey can stay in the freezer indefinitely, but being frozen solid makes planning the thawing time more difficult. An easy way to assess thaw time is to remember that it takes one day of thawing for every four to five pounds of the turkey. For example, a 4 to 12-pound turkey will need one to three days in the fridge.
For a 16 to 20-pound turkey, plan on moving the turkey from the freezer to the fridge four to five days before the holiday. Although thawing in the refrigerator is the USDA's safest method, there are other safe options if you accidentally leave the thawing to the last minute. Other safe methods for thawing your turkey when time is tight The refrigerator is the safest method of thawing a turkey, but the process can take multiple days.
If you don't have the time to wait,.