First thing, important note:
It takes a full 24 hours to defrost every five pounds of frozen turkey in the refrigerator (the only safe method). A 20-pound turkey needs to defrost for a full four days. Remove the giblets and neck from the cavity as soon as they can be removed (which will be before the turkey is fully defrosted).

We recommend you using A Cooking Bag:
"Oven roasted Turkey in a Oven Bag"

Oven roasted Turkey in a Oven Bag, this is an easy way to cook your turkey. It keeps all the juices and flavors in the bag and the turkey is automatically basted while it cooks. You end up with more juices than cooking the conventional way because they do not evaporate during roasting. The juices also do not burn and stick to the pan.

Oven roasted Thanksgiving Turkey in a Oven Bag:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Shake 1 tablespoon flour in turkey-size (19" x 23-1/2") Oven Bag. Use large-size oven bag (14" x 20") for 8 to 12-pound turkeys or for turkey breast. Use small size (10" x 16") for boneless turkey breast. Leave flour in oven bag. This helps blend the fats and juices and protects against bursting. Place bag in roasting pan at least 2 inches deep. The pan should be large enough that the oven bag does not hang over sides and does not touch oven walls or oven racks.

Remove neck and giblets from both cavities of defrosted turkey. Rinse turkey, pat dry and brush with vegetable oil. Slice 1 onion and 2 stalks celery; place in oven bag. Place turkey, breast side up, in oven bag on top of vegetables. Close bag with nylon tie; cut six 1/2-inch slits in top of oven bag. Insert meat thermometer through slit in oven bag into inner thigh for whole turkey or into thickest part of breast for turkey breast.

Roast until meat thermometer reads 180 degrees to 185 degrees F for whole turkey or 170 degrees to 175 degrees F for turkey breast. For stuffed turkey, add 30 minutes to roasting time. The approximate roasting times are: 1-1/2 to 2 hours for 8 to 12 lb. turkey; 2-1/2 to 3 hours for a 16 to 20 lb. turkey; 3 to 3-1/2 hours for a 20 to 24 lb. turkey.

For easy slicing, let stand in oven bag 15 minutes after removing from oven. To open, carefully cut or slit top of oven bag. If turkey sticks to oven bag, gently loosen oven bag from turkey before opening oven bag.

Defrosting a Turkey

Recommended Methods

There are two methods for defrosting turkey: refrigerator defrosting and cold water defrosting. Remember to keep your turkey cold while defrosting and cook it as soon as possible after defrosting.

Refrigerator Method

Place turkey or turkey parts on a tray in the refrigerator in their original packaging. Allow the following amount of defrosting time:

	Whole Turkey—24 hours defrosting time for each 5 pounds
	Turkey Breast—1 to 2 days
	Turkey Parts—24 hours

Cold Water Method

Place turkey or turkey parts in their original packaging under cold water in a sink or deep pan. Change water as often as needed to keep it cold. Allow the following amount of defrosting time:

	Whole Turkey—30 minutes defrosting time for each pound
	Turkey Breast—4 to 8 hours
	Turkey Parts—2 to 2-1/2 hours