What this calculator does
Turkey thawing time works out time needed to safely thaw a turkey in the refrigerator or in cold water, by weight. Enter your own figures above and the answer updates as you type: nothing is fixed in the code, so the result reflects exactly the numbers you supply.
The formula this calculator evaluates is printed under the tool and explained below, so you can check the working by hand or reuse it in a spreadsheet.
The formula
FormulaRefrigerator thawing ≈ 24 hours per 4 lb; cold water thawing ≈ 30 minutes per lb, with the water changed every 30 minutes
The inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Turkey weight (lb) | A number, measured in lb. Starts at 16. |
Worked examples
Every figure in the tables below is produced by this page’s own calculator at build time, so the numbers and the tool always agree. Select any row to load that scenario.
How the answer changes with turkey weight
Every other input is held at the calculator’s starting values while turkey weight varies. Select any row to load that scenario into the calculator.