Start Thawing Out Your Turkey Today

Thawing out a turkey last minute can be done but it's not something I would recommend. Trust me, it's a pain in the butt and not worth the additional holiday stress.

If you plan on cooking a turkey, (or duck in my case) you're going to want to move it from the freezer to the refrigerator today to allow the appropriate amount of time that it will take to thaw out. You want to plan on 24 hours of fridge thawing for every 5 pounds of frozen turkey. You really want to budget 4 days on a 20-pound turkey.

A little advice, if it's your first time cooking a turkey, don't forget to remove the turkey neck and gizzards. I was one of those idiots that didn't do that the first time I cooked a turkey. Yup, just left it all in there.

If for some reason, you don't have enough time to thaw your turkey in the fridge, you can always thaw it out in your kitchen sink. Submerge that big boy in cold water with more cold water every 30 minutes. Plan on 2 to 3 hours for every 5 pounds of frozen turkey. For that same 20-pound turkey, it should take 8 to 12 hours.

According to the Food Network, there are some last-minute options. You basically cook the bird longer on a lower heat setting.

The video above breaks down how to cook a turkey and it's pretty simple. Trust me, if I can do it, anybody can do it....just remember to remove the neck and gizzards.