How long to defrost 20 lb turkey

Before you can turn a rock-hard frozen turkey into the star player at your Thanksgiving feast, you're going to have to thaw that big bird.

There are three ways you can safely thaw frozen turkey: slow, medium, and fast. Take a look at the guidelines below for how to thaw a turkey and choose the method and timeline that works best for you, whether you're a plan-ahead cook or need a last-minute solution.

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.

Tips for thawing turkey in the fridge:

• Keep the turkey in its original wrapping while it's thawing.
• Place breast-side-up in a baking pan to keep any drips from contaminating other foods and refrigerator surfaces.
• You can hold the thawed turkey in the fridge for up to 2 days before cooking.

Medium: Thaw in Cold Water

How long it takes: Allow approximately 30 minutes for every pound of turkey. A 15-pound bird will take about 7½ to 8 hours to thaw completely.

Tips for thawing turkey in cold water:

• Keep the turkey in its original wrapping, and place it in a larger, leak-proof plastic bag. Squeeze out extra air and seal the bag.
• Place the sealed bag breast-side down in a sink or bucket large enough so the turkey will be completely submerged. Fill with cold water. You may need to cover the turkey with a plate and place some heavy cans on top of it to keep it totally submerged. Change the cold water every 30 minutes.
• Cook the turkey immediately after thawing.

It is also possible to use a combination of the two methods: Use the fridge for the first two days of thawing, and finish in the sink early Thanksgiving morning.

Fast: Thaw in a Microwave Oven

How long it takes: Read the user manual for your oven to get instructions for thawing a frozen turkey. Times and power settings will be vary from model to model. In general, it could take an hour or more on the defrost setting, depending on the size of the turkey.

How to Thaw Turkey In the Microwave

• Take the turkey out of its wrapping, and remove metal clips or tags.
• Place the turkey breast-side up in a microwave-safe pan to catch any drips.
• After the turkey is thawed, wash the inside of your microwave to prevent cross contamination.
• Cook the turkey immediately after thawing.

Turkey-Thawing Times

The times shown are approximate, and are based on thawing a whole frozen turkey.

• Thaw time in the fridge requires about 24 hours for every 5 pounds in a refrigerator set at about 40 degrees F (5 degrees C).
• Thaw time in cold water requires about 30 minutes per pound in cold water, refreshed every 30 minutes.

How Long to Thaw a Frozen Turkey

We cannot over-emphasize food safety when it comes to thawing turkey. It's important to keep the whole turkey at a safe temperature throughout the thawing process to prevent bacterial growth that can lead to foodborne illness. That's why you never thaw a frozen turkey at room temperature on your kitchen counter, or in hot water.

Check out our collection of Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes.

Related

• Find out how to buy a turkey that's the right size for your feast.
• Get tips for how to cook a turkey, including how long it takes to cook a turkey.
• We have answers for all of your Thanksgiving cooking questions.

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Learn how to thaw a frozen turkey the best, safest way (hint: it’s in the refrigerator!). Follow our thawing guide based on bird size so you can shop confidently with plenty of time to thaw your turkey.

1. Tutorial notes
2. Step-by-step instructions
3. Recipe tips and variations
4. How to Thaw a Turkey Recipe

Tutorial notes

• Thaw safely: The best (safest) way to thaw a frozen turkey is slowly in the refrigerator over the course of several days. Never thaw a turkey using warm/hot water, in the microwave, or at room temperature, all of which let bacteria grow before the turkey is thawed.
• Cost: While a frozen whole turkey can be less expensive, it requires a lot of extra time to thaw. (If you don’t have time, please look for a fresh bird that can be roasted right away.)
• Time: You will need 24 hours of defrosting time for every 4 to 5 pounds of bird. A large turkey from 15-20 pounds will probably need to spend 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator.
  • Up to 12 pounds: 1-3 days
  • 12-16 pounds: 3-4 days
  • 16-20 pounds: 4-5 days
  • 20-24 pounds: 5-6 days

Step-by-step instructions

1. Check your refrigerator’s internal temperature; it should be 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder. Keep the turkey in its original wrapping. Place the turkey on a tray or shallow pan to collect any juices that may leak out as it thaws. Store it at or near the bottom of your refrigerator so if it leaks, it won’t contaminate anything under it. Allow 24 hours for every 4-5 pounds of frozen turkey.

1. Once it has thawed, you can brine the turkey if desired.

Recipe tips and variations

• Cold water thaw: While it’s possible to thaw a frozen turkey in a sink full of cold water, it’s difficult to do so safely. You need to keep the water temperature at a constant 40 degrees or colder the entire time it thaws. This means that you need to monitor the temperature of the water with an instant-read thermometer, and change the water about every half hour to maintain that temperature. Because you need to allow 30 minutes of thawing time for every pound of frozen turkey, a 20 pound bird could take up to 10 hours to thaw (requiring water changes every thirty minutes).
• Hot water thaw: Never thaw a turkey using hot water. The risk for salmonella is very high when you use hot or lukewarm water to thaw a frozen turkey.
• Microwave thaw: Never thaw a turkey using a microwave. It’s probably much too big to fit in your microwave, but also, microwave cooking doesn’t make the juiciest turkey in the world, either.
• Room temperature thaw: Never thaw or brine a turkey at room temperature. Whatever people may say, uncooked meat or poultry (including frozen) shouldn’t be left at room temperature for more than two hours due to an increased risk of food-borne illness.

Learn how to thaw a frozen turkey the best, safest way (hint: it's in the refrigerator!). Follow our thawing guide based on bird size so you can shop confidently with plenty of time to thaw your turkey.

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 1 min

Thawing time 4 d

Servings 12 servings

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Calories 227

• ▢ 1 (14 pound) whole turkey frozen

• Check your refrigerator’s internal temperature; it should be 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder.

• Keep the turkey in its original wrapping. Place the turkey on a tray or shallow pan to collect any juices that may leak out as it thaws.

• Store it at or near the bottom of your refrigerator so if it leaks, it won’t contaminate anything under it. Allow 24 hours for every 4-5 pounds of frozen turkey.

1. Thaw safely: The best (safest) way to thaw a frozen turkey is slowly in the refrigerator over the course of several days. Never thaw a turkey using warm/hot water, in the microwave, or at room temperature, all of which let bacteria grow before the turkey is thawed.
2. Cost: While a frozen whole turkey can be less expensive, it requires a lot of extra time to thaw. (If you don’t have time, please look for a fresh bird that can be cooked right away.)
3. Time: You will need 24 hours of defrosting time for every 4 to 5 pounds of bird. A large turkey from 15-20 pounds will probably need to spend 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator.
   • Up to 12 pounds: 1-3 days
   • 12-16 pounds: 3-4 days
   • 16-20 pounds: 4-5 days
   • 20-24 pounds: 5-6 days
4. Cold water thaw: While it’s possible to thaw a frozen turkey in a sink full of cold water, it’s difficult to do so safely. You need to keep the water temperature at a constant 40 degrees or colder the entire time it thaws. This means that you need to monitor the temperature of the water with an instant-read thermometer, and change the water about every half hour to maintain that temperature. Because you need to allow 30 minutes of thawing time for every pound of frozen turkey, a 20 pound bird could take up to 10 hours to thaw (requiring water changes every thirty minutes).
5. Hot water thaw: Never thaw a turkey using hot water. The risk for salmonella is very high when you use hot or lukewarm water to thaw a frozen turkey.
6. Microwave thaw: Never thaw a turkey using a microwave. It’s probably much too big to fit in your microwave, but also, microwave cooking doesn’t make the juiciest turkey in the world, either.
7. Room temperature thaw: Never thaw or brine a turkey at room temperature. Whatever people may say, uncooked meat or poultry (including frozen) shouldn’t be left at room temperature for more than two hours due to an increased risk of food-borne illness.

Calories: 227kcalProtein: 35gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 116mgSodium: 180mgPotassium: 361mgSugar: 1gVitamin A: 90IUCalcium: 18mgIron: 1mg

Meggan Hill

Meggan Hill is the Executive Chef and CEO of Culinary Hill, a popular digital publication in the food space. She loves to combine her Midwestern food memories with her culinary school education to create her own delicious take on modern family fare. Millions of readers visit Culinary Hill each month for meticulously-tested recipes as well as skills and tricks for ingredient prep, cooking ahead, menu planning, and entertaining. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the iCUE Culinary Arts program at College of the Canyons.