Defrosting a frozen turkey can be time consuming, so it’s important to do it correctly. Depending on the size of your bird, it can take anywhere from 24-48 hours in the refrigerator (or even more). Typically they say that you should allow 24 hours for every 5 pounds of turkey.   Start by removing the turkey from its packaging and placing it inside a deep baking dish, on a rimmed sheet pan or very large bowl. There's nothing like turkey juices leaking out from the turkey all over your refrigerator- make sure to place it in something to help catch the juices as it thaws.  Place this container in the lower shelf of your refrigerator and let it defrost slowly. Remember to flip the turkey over every 12 hours to help evenly distribute the thawing process throughout all parts of the bird! After 2 days, check to see if it’s finished defrosting. If not, continue until done.