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Turkey cooking time by weight, at 325 °F
The chart gets you to the right hour. The thermometer decides the minute: 165 °F in the thigh, the wing, and the thickest part of the breast.
Add up the oven time and the restThe roasting chart
USDA times at 325 °F. Approximate: always check with a thermometer.
| Weight | Unstuffed | Stuffed |
|---|---|---|
| 4 to 8 pounds (breast) | 1½ to 3¼ hours | 2½ to 3½ hours for 6 to 8 pounds; not usually applicable below 6 |
| 8 to 12 pounds | 2¾ to 3 hours | 3 to 3½ hours |
| 12 to 14 pounds | 3 to 3¾ hours | 3½ to 4 hours |
| 14 to 18 pounds | 3¾ to 4¼ hours | 4 to 4¼ hours |
| 18 to 20 pounds | 4¼ to 4½ hours | 4¼ to 4¾ hours |
| 20 to 24 pounds | 4½ to 5 hours | 4¾ to 5¼ hours |
Set the oven no lower than 325 °F and roast on a rack in a shallow pan. A turkey cooked from frozen takes at least 50 percent longer.
When it is done
165 °F in three places.
A whole turkey is safe at a minimum internal temperature of 165 °F, measured with a food thermometer in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. USDA says to check those spots even if the turkey has a pop-up indicator. With an oven-safe thermometer, put it in the thickest part of the inner thigh at the start; once the thigh reads 165 °F, check the wing and breast. Some people prefer the meat cooked hotter, which is a matter of taste, not safety.
Stuffing: better in a dish
If it goes in the bird, it must reach 165 °F too.
For safety and more even cooking, USDA recommends cooking stuffing outside the turkey in a casserole dish. If you stuff the bird, prepare wet and dry ingredients separately, chill the wet ones, mix them just before filling, stuff loosely, and cook immediately. The center of the stuffing must reach 165 °F. USDA advises against buying fresh pre-stuffed turkeys; frozen pre-stuffed ones with a USDA or state inspection mark are cooked from frozen, following the package.
Planning the day
Count back from dinner.
For a 16-pound unstuffed turkey and dinner at 5:00 p.m.: allow up to 4¼ hours of roasting and 20 minutes of rest, so it goes into the oven by about 12:20 p.m.; add oven preheating and time to get the bird ready, and start earlier rather than later. Allow 1 pound of turkey per person, or 1¼ pounds for a frozen pre-stuffed bird. Optional touches from USDA: tuck the wing tips under the shoulders, add ½ cup of water to the pan, and tent with foil for the first 1 to 1½ hours or once the skin is brown enough. Thawing comes first; see how to thaw a turkey.
After dinner
Two hours to the refrigerator.
Let the turkey stand 20 minutes before carving, and take all the stuffing out of the cavities. Throw away turkey, stuffing, and gravy left at room temperature longer than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90 °F. Carve the meat off the bones, refrigerate it in shallow containers, and use it within 3 to 4 days, or freeze it; reheat to 165 °F. More in how long leftovers last. USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline, 1-888-674-6854, answers questions on weekdays.
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QUESTIONS THIS ANSWERS
Questions this answers
How long do you cook a turkey?
At 325 °F, USDA’s times for an unstuffed turkey are 2¾ to 3 hours for 8 to 12 pounds, 3 to 3¾ hours for 12 to 14, 3¾ to 4¼ hours for 14 to 18, 4¼ to 4½ hours for 18 to 20, and 4½ to 5 hours for 20 to 24. A stuffed turkey takes longer.
What temperature is a turkey done?
165 °F, measured with a food thermometer in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. Stuffing must also reach 165 °F in its center.
How long should a turkey rest?
USDA suggests letting the turkey stand for 20 minutes before carving, so the juices set and it carves more easily. Remove all stuffing from the cavities.