What is the fastest way to dethaw a cooked turkey?
It’s best to defrost your turkey in the refrigerator. The rule of thumb is a minimum of 24 hours of defrost time to for every 5 pounds of turkey. Thus it can take 4-5 days to defrost a 20-pound turkey. A completely thawed bird will last for an additional 1 to 2 days in they refrigerator once defrosted. If you need to speed up defrost time, it is safe to defrost the bird in a large utility sink of cold water. Submerge the wrapped bird in cold water. Check or change the water every 30 minutes to make sure the water remains cold. Allow 30 minutes per pound to defrost this way. It is not fun, but safer to eat when defrosted this way.
