How this calculator works
Thawing is a race between the outside of the bird warming up and the inside catching up. In air, the slowest method, the outer layer comes up to fridge temperature long before the centre does, so a big turkey needs days. In cold water the water carries heat to the bird far faster than air, so the same turkey thaws in hours instead of days, but the water has to stay cold and be changed so it does not become a warm bath. The USDA figures are about 24 hours in the fridge for every 4 to 5 pounds and about 30 minutes per pound in cold water. The calculator uses the cautious end of both ranges and rounds the start date down to the day before, because thawing early is safe while thawing late is not. The thaw ends when the thickest part of the thigh and the deepest part of the breast are soft and the cavity has no ice.
Formula
refrigerator hours = weight in kilograms x 24 / 1.8, which is 13.33 hours per kilogram. cold water hours = weight in kilograms / 0.45359237 x 0.5, which is 1.10 hours per kilogram or 30 minutes per pound. start date = cooking date minus the number of whole days the thaw needs, rounded up.
Worked example
A 6 kg turkey in the fridge needs 6 x 13.33 = 80 hours, or 3.3 days, so move it to the fridge 4 days before cooking. In cold water it needs 6 x 1.10 = 6.6 hours, with the water changed every 30 minutes. A 10 kg bird needs 133 hours in the fridge, or 5.6 days, and 11 hours in cold water.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I thaw a turkey on the counter?
No. Room temperature puts the outer layer of the bird in the danger zone between 4 C and 60 C while the centre is still frozen, which lets bacteria multiply. Thaw in the fridge or in cold water, or cook it from frozen using a tested method.
Can I refreeze a thawed turkey?
A turkey thawed in the fridge can be refrozen without cooking, with some loss of quality. One thawed in cold water should be cooked before it is refrozen. If in doubt, cook it and freeze the cooked meat instead.
How do I know it is fully thawed?
The thickest part of the thigh and the deepest part of the breast should feel soft, and the cavity should have no ice left. A thermometer should read close to fridge temperature throughout. If any ice remains, the cooking time will be longer and the centre may not reach a safe temperature.
Does this work for a turkey breast?
Yes. The times depend on weight and thickness, and a breast thaws faster than a whole bird of the same weight because it has no cavity and is thinner. Start checking earlier and use a thermometer; the weight based figure is a guide.