16 Turkey-Cooking Tips You Need to Know Before Thanksgiving

It takes about five to seven days to thaw a frozen turkey in the freezer, so plan accordingly! Place it on a tray or rimmed sheet pan to prevent juices from contaminating your refrigerator. Alternatively, a "quick-thaw" method, or submerging the frozen turkey in cold water, will take roughly nine hours, if you change the water every 30 minutes. And, if that bird is still frozen on Thanksgiving, it can still be cooked. Just remember it will take around four and a half to six hours to roast (vs. the normal three and a half).

Read more: how to defrost a turkey