Thawing a Turkey

The safest way to thaw a turkey is in the refrigerator.  Place the turkey breast side up on a platter or cookie tray and place in the refrigerator on the bottom shelf.  For every 5 pounds of turkey, allow approximately 24 hours of thawing.  A 16-pound turkey will take 3 days to thaw in the refrigerator, so plan ahead!

A quicker way to thaw is to keep the turkey in its unopened packaging and place in a large bowl of cold water breast side down.  Change the water every 30 minutes, and estimate 30 minutes per pound for a whole turkey.