How long to thaw a 15-pound turkey in the refrigerator

Here is a truth not often acknowledged: if you don’t thaw your turkey correctly, you won’t have a successful turkey cook. And while thawing methods abound, there’s only one way to be sure your turkey is thawed correctly for Thanksgiving—or any other day! Read on for the thermal tips needed to plan the thawing of your turkey and to make sure you do it safely.

Check your turkey thaw with an instant-read thermometer

Making sure your turkey is thawed through is important for proper cooking.

Use an instant-read thermometer, like our Thermapen^® ONE, to verify your turkey’s internal temperature in multiple locations before putting it in the oven. It should be above 32°F (0°C) That’s right, you measure the temperature of your turkey before you cook it!

⚠ Never Cook a Partially Frozen Turkey

While you can actually cook a fully frozen turkey and you can absolutely cook a thawed turkey, you SHOULD NOT cook a turkey that is only partially thawed (and therefore partially frozen).

If the turkey meat is not at a unifor

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