How long does it take to defrost a 20 lb turkey?

Answer 1

At least four days , I'd give it five to be sure. In my experience it always takes longer than it says on the turkey package or in the cookbooks. That is my experience over the past 30 years of cooking turkey.

Answer 2

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How long does it take to defrost a 20 lb turkey?

Answer 3

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Plan ahead for slow, safe thawing in the refrigerator. A turkey requires at least 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds of weight to thaw in a refrigerator set at 40 degrees F. For an 8-12 lb. turkey allow 1 to 2 days for thawing; for a 12-16 lb. turkey allow 2 to 3 days; for a 16-20 lb. turkey allow 3 to 4 days; and for a 20-24 lb. turkey allow 4 to 5 days.

Answer 4

I was just thinking about this. It should say on the wrapper but if not, I have a 21 lb turkey and am taking it out fo the freezer on Sunday and putting it on a towel in the icebox. I had a mess last year in the fridge. Then if it isn;t all the way thawed by then, on Thanksgiving morning I rinse it in cold water-sometimes the inner cavity is still froze a little but the ice chips melt with cold water, while I am making the stuffing. Hope this helps.

Answer 5

How Long To Thaw Turkey

Answer 6

Thawing the Turkey

Follow these recommendations for thawing turkey to ensure your turkey is safely prepared for eating. Thawing the turkey in the refrigerator is the safest method. A turkey can also be thawed under cold water. Keep the turkey cold while thawing. That is the key to preventing harmful bacterial growth. Cook the turkey promptly after thawing. Here are refrigerator thawing times for various size turkeys:

4 to 12 pound turkey takes 1 to 3 days to thaw in the refrigerator
12 to 16 pound turkey, takes 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator
16 to 20 pound turkey, takes 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator
20 to 24 pound turkey, takes 5 to 6 days thawing time in the refrigerator
Pieces of a turkey, such as a half or quarter will take 1 to 2 days thawing time in the refrigerator.

To thaw a turkey in cold water, check wrapping for tears. Then, place the bird in its unopened bag in the sink or in a large container and cover it with cold water. If the wrapping is torn, place the turkey in another plastic bag, close securely, and place in cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes to assure safe and effective thawing.

Turkey can also be thawed in a microwave oven. Since microwave ovens vary, check the manufacturer's instructions for the size turkey that fits in the oven, minutes per pound, and the power level to use for thawing. Cook it immediately after thawing.

Do not thaw the turkey on the kitchen counter. A frozen turkey thaws from the outside in. As the surface warms, bacteria multiply. While thawing, the surface bacteria could multiply to dangerously high levels. One cannot rely on cooking to destroy all bacteria. In addition, some food poisoning bacteria produce toxins that can't be destroyed through cooking.

For safety purposes follow these guidelines:

Frozen, prestuffed turkeys should not be thawed before cooking. Cook them from the frozen state.
Frozen, unstuffed turkeys can also be cooked without being thawed.
A whole frozen turkey can be stored in your home freezer at 0 degrees or below for up to one year without loss of quality.
A fresh turkey must be cooked or frozen within 1 to 2 days.

The above recommendations ensure the turkey is safely prepared before cooking.

Answer 7

I used to be a headchef and am now retired. The best tip I can give you is to order this turkey from your local butchers and ask him to de-bone and roll the turkey. This takes them 3-4 minutes to do and most butchers are very obliging. What they do is take the breast and roll it with string and they will also do the same with the legs.
I advise this because the health and hygiene implications to thawing a big bird like this is quite risky. Cooking such a large bird will take several hours, and most often than not they are either very dry or undercooked! The alternative boned and rolled turkey will be 2 thirds less cooking time in the oven, giving you more time to concentrate on the finer things like drinking wine and hob nobbing with family!
Give your butcher a pre-order to save time waiting for him boning it and rolling it. and pick it up at a specified date. Like 3-4 days before christmas the christmas meal. Good luck and Happy X'mas!

Answer 8

2-3 days in fridge, remember when 1st starts to defrost remove the giblets

Answer 9

The best way to thaw a frozen turkeyis to keep it inside the fridge, to prevent contamination. it is recommended that you give one whole day of thawing time for every 5 lbs of meat. so, your 20 lbs bird would need 4 days of thawing time.....inside the fridge.

Answer 10

A minimum of two days at room temperature, never, as has been suggested, immerse it in warm water to speed up the process as this only encourages the growth of bacteria the same applies to cold water,the only safe method is patience.