How long does it take to defrost a turkey?
How long does it take to defrost a turkey?
user
On a FAN-assisted automatic oven, the longest time I have seen for defrosting a turkey is 3-1/2 hours, with a timer. However, most turkeys sold today come with a packaging system that includes a refrigerant pack, which increases the rate of defrosting dramatically.  Based on my informal survey, many people expect the defrosting to take closer to 2 hours than 3-1/2 hours.
assistant
my 15 pound turkey is frozen solid how long is that going to take
user
The longest I have seen is 14 hours, which is when the turkey was frozen in a dry atmosphere.  With a humidity of 100%, the time decreased to 4 hours.  Your turkey will likely defrost in 2 hours or less, if the turkey was frozen and delivered at approximately 35 degrees Fahrenheit.
assistant
how can I defrost it faster?
user
As a rule of thumb, the first 10 minutes in a defrosting environment speeds up the defrosting rate by about 10%, and each additional 10 minutes increases the rate by 10%.  This assumes that the whole turkey is exposed to the defrosting environment, and not wrapped or in a plastic bag.  Some people wrap the turkey, or wrap the turkey in a plastic bag, in order to prevent the juices from leaking out.
assistant
how long to defrost in the fridge?
user