When to Thaw Your Thanksgiving Turkey (Hint: It’s a Lot Sooner Than You Think)
For over 40 years, one service has always been there for anyone who needs Thanksgiving help: the Butterball Turkey Talk Line. The resource, which started with just six people answering the phones, has evolved over four decades to meet the needs of a growing audience. To celebrate the season, we chatted with a turkey expert who told us her tips for the best turkey—and when to thaw your bird.
When to thaw a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner
Butterball Turkey Talk Line supervisor Andrea Balitewicz says the service has grown to about 50 people ready to answer the most pressing questions. But of all the things they get asked, Balitewicz says questions about thawing the bird always come up most. “People just don’t really realize that a large Turkey takes a long time to thaw in the refrigerator,” she says. “We always tell people to plan one full 24 hour day for every four pounds.”
So, if you have a 20-pound turkey in your freezer right now, it’s going to take up to five days to fully thaw out. That means you can’t just leave it for before the big day, and it’s why Balitewicz and her colleagues call the Thursday before Thanksgiving “National Thaw Your Turkey Day.” Since the bird can last four days after being thawed, it gives most people the perfect timeline to have it ready by Thanksgiving.
Bonus tips for cooking up a juicy and flavorful bird
Want more from Balitewicz? Here are the top three tips for how to make the perfect turkey.
1. Plan ahead.
We can’t leave Thanksgiving prep till the last minute. Balitewicz says her number one advice is for people to plan ahead when it comes to thawing and prepping your turkey. “People just don’t pay attention to that. They’re always thinking about roasting, but don’t get the turkey thawed,” she says. “You don’t want to have ice crystals and a little bit of the meat frozen because you’re just going to end up having to cook it longer. So number one is planning ahead to thaw.”
