How long does it take a 20 pound turkey to thaw in the refrigerator?

Here’s the calculation: plan on 24 hours of fridge thawing for every 5 pounds of frozen turkey (for example: budget 4 full days of thawing in the fridge for a 20-pound turkey). Keep the turkey wrapped, and occasionally check to see if the baking sheet or roasting pan needs to be drained.

How long does it take to defrost a 12 pound turkey?

When thawing a turkey in the refrigerator, allow 24 hours of defrosting time for every 4 to 5 pounds of bird, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. So, if the turkey weighs 4 to 12 pounds, plan for it to defrost in the fridge for one to three days.

When should I take my turkey out of the freezer?

Here is a general rule of thumb on when to move your turkey from the freezer to the refrigerator, according to the USDA:
  1. 4 to 12 pounds — 1 to 3 days.
  2. 12 to 16 pounds — 3 to 4 days.
  3. 16 to 20 pounds — 4 to 5 days.
  4. 20 to 24 pounds —5 to 6 days.

Can you leave a turkey out to thaw overnight?

You shouldn’t. This might be surprising since many of us have defrosted frozen chicken on the counter at least once, but the answer is a hard “no” when it comes to a full turkey. And in terms of the chicken, you’re really not supposed to thaw it out on the counter anyway.

How long does it take to thaw a 15 pound turkey in the refrigerator?

Slow: Thaw in the Refrigerator

How long it takes: Allow approximately 24 hours for every 5 pounds of turkey. A 15-pound bird will take about 3 days to thaw completely.

How many hours does it take to cook a 13lb turkey?

10. Calculate turkey cooking time and temperature. The simplest way to figure out turkey roasting times is to calculate 13 minutes per pound at 350°F for an unstuffed turkey (that’s about 3 hours for a 12- to 14-lb. turkey), or 15 minutes per pound for a stuffed turkey.

When should I thaw a 24 pound turkey?

Using the guide of one day for every 3½ to 4 pounds of weight, here’s how many days to thaw a turkey.
  1. 3 to 4 pounds: 1 day.
  2. 4 to 8 pounds: 2 days.
  3. 8 to 12 pounds: 3 days.
  4. 12 to 16 pounds: 4 days.
  5. 16 to 20 pounds: 5 days.
  6. 20 to 24 pounds: 6 days.

Should you wash your turkey?

According to a study by the food safety experts at the USDA, washing or rinsing raw turkey can put you at risk of foodborne illness. There’s only one time you should wash a raw turkey, and that is after brining. Otherwise, do not wash a turkey before cooking.

How do you defrost a 20 pound turkey?

Thaw It in the Refrigerator

Thawing in the refrigerator is the ONLY recommended way to defrost a frozen turkey. For it to work, however, you’ll need plenty of time: 24 hours of defrosting time for every 4 to 5 pounds of bird. A large turkey, say, 15 to 20 pounds, will need to spend 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator.

How long should a 20lb turkey cook?

Unsure how long you’re supposed to leave the bird in the oven? If you’re baking it at 325°F (the lowest temperature the USDA recommends), you’ll need to bake a 20-lb turkey in the oven for 4 to 5 hours if it’s unstuffed, and 4 ¼ to 5 ¼ hours if it’s stuffed.

Can you put a turkey back in the fridge after thawing in water?

It is safe to cook turkey thawed in cold water then put back in the fridge.

Can you thaw a turkey too early?

And don’t worry about starting too early—you can safety store a fully thawed turkey for another one or two days in the refrigerator. It’s important to keep your kitchen sanitized during this process to avoid food-borne illness.

Is it better to cook a turkey at 325 or 350?

Roast the turkey uncovered at a temperature ranging from 325°F to 350°F. Higher temperatures may cause the meat to dry out, but this is preferable to temperatures that are too low which may not allow the interior of the turkey to cook to a safe temperature.

Why do you put bacon on a turkey?

Wrapping a turkey in bacon eliminates any brining, salting, or basting to make a flavorful turkey and creates a stunning, crispy “skin” — a welcome contrast to the tender turkey meat. And it’s much easier than it looks.

How many people will a 20lb turkey feed?

For 14 people, buy a 20-pound turkey.

Do you cook a turkey covered or uncovered?

Always cook your turkey until the skin is a light golden color. Cover your roasting pan with a lid or foil and cook covered for 2 hours (depending on size of your bird) and uncovered for the remaining time. … However, basting will not make your turkey moister, but it promotes even browning of the skin.

Do you cover a turkey while cooking?

To achieve that balance, the ideal is to let the bird spend time both covered and uncovered: We recommend covering your bird for most of the cooking time to prevent it from drying out, then removing the cover for the last 30 minutes or so to allow the skin to crisp.

How often should you baste your turkey?

Most recipes will tell you to baste your turkey every thirty minutes. But our rule of thumb is actually every forty minutes, and here’s why. You don’t want to open the oven too many times, or else the whole bird will take much long to cook, and that’s a huge inconvenience.

Should turkey be at room temp before cooking?

First, Bring Your Bird to Room Temp

Your turkey will cook more evenly and faster if you start it out at room temperature so remove the turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting. If you plan to stuff your turkey, wait until you’re ready to put it in the oven before putting the stuffing in the turkey.

Is turkey done at 165 or 180?

While some recipes state that turkey should be cooked to 180 degrees Fahrenheit, the meat is safe to consume once it reaches the 165-degree mark. Cooking the breasts past 165 can result in dry meat, but the dark meat can be cooked to 180.

How long should a turkey rest?

Turkeys between 4-6kg should be rested for 1½ hours, and ones from 6-10kg can rest for two hours. Get your turkey out of the fridge 30 minutes before you cook it. You’ll get less shrinkage when it goes into a hot oven.

How long should a turkey rest before you carve it?

The amount of resting time depends on the size of the bird, but at least 20 minutes is needed. A large bird can wait up to 40 minutes or longer, depending on the temperature of the room.

When should I put my turkey in the oven?

Thursday (Thanksgiving Day)
  1. Preheat your oven and take the turkey out of the fridge. Thirty minutes to an hour before the turkey needs to start roasting, turn on your oven and let the turkey sit out at room temperature while it’s heating up. …
  2. Prep your turkey. …
  3. Roast and baste!

When should I tent my turkey?

Tenting the Turkey – In the beginning, a tent of aluminum foil may be place loosely over the breast of the turkey for the first 1 to 1-1/2 hours, then removed for browning. Or, a tent of foil may be placed over the turkey after the turkey has reached the desired golden brown.