A 15 lb turkey thaws in cold water in about 7½ hours. USDA’s rule is about 30 minutes per pound, with the turkey wrapped airtight and fully submerged in cold tap water that you change every 30 minutes. Here the thawing method is already set to cold water for a 15 lb bird: put in your own weight and dinner time, and the timeline shows when to fill the sink so the turkey is ready just as you preheat the oven.
Setting up the bath
Use a clean sink, a cooler or a big pot. Keep the turkey in its original wrapper if it is intact, or seal it in a large leak-proof bag, and keep it fully under the water, as USDA’s method says. Every half hour, drain and refill with fresh cold water. A phone timer on repeat is the easiest way to keep count; for a 15 lb bird that is 14 changes.
When cold water is the right choice
Cold water is the fast safe method, for when the fridge plan would have needed you to start days ago. The trade-off is attention: it is a job for a day when you’re home. A 24 lb turkey takes about 12 hours, so for the biggest birds you may need to start before sunrise.
After thawing
Cook the turkey as soon as it has thawed. If the center is still a little icy when the oven is ready, roast it anyway and allow extra time; the thermometer has the final say.
Cold-water thawing time by weight
| Turkey | Thawing time | Water changes | USDA range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 lb (3.6 kg) | 4 h | 7 | 2 to 6 hours (4 to 12 lb) |
| 10 lb (4.5 kg) | 5 h | 9 | 2 to 6 hours (4 to 12 lb) |
| 12 lb (5.4 kg) | 6 h | 11 | 2 to 6 hours (4 to 12 lb) |
| 14 lb (6.4 kg) | 7 h | 13 | 6 to 8 hours (12 to 16 lb) |
| 16 lb (7.3 kg) | 8 h | 15 | 6 to 8 hours (12 to 16 lb) |
| 18 lb (8.2 kg) | 9 h | 17 | 8 to 10 hours (16 to 20 lb) |
| 20 lb (9.1 kg) | 10 h | 19 | 8 to 10 hours (16 to 20 lb) |
| 22 lb (10 kg) | 11 h | 21 | 10 to 12 hours (20 to 24 lb) |
| 24 lb (10.9 kg) | 12 h | 23 | 10 to 12 hours (20 to 24 lb) |
USDA FSIS, "Let's Talk Turkey": about 30 minutes per pound, the turkey wrapped so no water gets in, submerged in cold tap water that is changed every 30 minutes. Cook it as soon as it has thawed.