If you're planning ahead for the holidays, then buying a frozen turkey is a good idea. But how long is a frozen turkey good for? Here's the answer!

Wondering how long to cook your turkey for Thanksgiving? Here is everything you need to know about preparation, timing and temperature.

It’s Thanksgiving Day and you suddenly realize that your turkey is in the freezer. Panic ensues… Thanksgiving is surely ruined! But before you start thinking about calling it quits, here’s some good news: you can still cook a frozen turkey!

Turkey has been the traditional centerpiece for many Thanksgiving Day meals. Most consumers only prepare a turkey once a year. And, without a lot of practice, there are bound to be questions about thawing, preparing and baking the big bird. Each year Butterball hosts a Turkey Talk-Line to guide seasoned and novice cooks through the process.

The USDA advises that frozen turkeys will take at least 50% longer to cook. So, if an unstuffed 14–18 lb. turkey normally takes about four hours to cook at 325°F, you can expect it to take at least 6 hours when cooking from frozen. (Note that cooking times will vary based on whether the turkey is fully or partially frozen.)

There are many different ways to cook a turkey but a rather recent method, frying, needs to be done with extra precaution.