Thawing a 16-pound turkey at 40 degrees F will take approximately how long?

Thawing a 16-pound turkey at 40 degrees Fahrenheit typically takes about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds of turkey. When calculating the time needed for a 16-pound turkey, you can estimate that it will require roughly 3 to 4 days to completely thaw. This aligns with the recommended practices for thawing poultry safely in a refrigerator where the temperature remains at or below 40 degrees F, thus helping to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.

The 3-day estimate is on the more conservative side, as some variations can occur based on the specific conditions—such as how cold the refrigerator is set or how often the door is opened. Nevertheless, the guideline of one day per 4 to 5 pounds provides a solid basis for understanding turkey thawing times. Thus, a 16-pound turkey will generally take about 3 days to thaw properly when kept at the safe temperature recommended by food safety guidelines.