Turkey cooking time calculator
Enter the turkey’s weight to get USDA’s roasting time at 325 °F (163 °C) and the time to put it in the oven. The time is a guide — the turkey is done when a thermometer reads 165 °F (74 °C).
Enter your measurements
More options: Still frozen?
- Put it in the oven by
- 11:15 AM
- Start checking the temperature at
- 3:00 PM
- USDA chart row used
- 14 to 18 lb, unstuffed
16 lb → USDA row 14 to 18 lb (unstuffed): 3¾ to 4¼ hours
Dinner 4:00 PM − 4¼ hours (longest time) − 20 minutes rest = in by 11:15 AM
- Done means 165 °F (74 °C) in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. Then rest it 20 minutes before carving.
Quick answers for common sizes
| Example | Answer |
|---|---|
| How long to cook a 20 lb turkey | 4¼ to 4½ hours |
| How long to cook a 15 lb turkey | 3¾ to 4¼ hours |
Roasting time at 325 °F (163 °C) by weight (stuffing as above)
| Turkey weight | Roasting time at 325 °F | Put it in the oven by |
|---|---|---|
| 10 lb | 2¾ to 3 hours | 12:30 PM |
| 12 lb | 2¾ to 3 hours | 12:30 PM |
| 14 lb | 3 to 3¾ hours | 11:45 AM |
| 16 lb | 3¾ to 4¼ hours | 11:15 AM |
| 18 lb | 3¾ to 4¼ hours | 11:15 AM |
| 20 lb | 4¼ to 4½ hours | 11:00 AM |
| 22 lb | 4½ to 5 hours | 10:30 AM |
| 24 lb | 4½ to 5 hours | 10:30 AM |
USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service publishes a roasting timetable for turkey at an oven temperature of 325 °F (163 °C) — set the oven no lower than that. The times are approximate: ovens, pans and birds vary. The only real test is a food thermometer reading 165 °F (74 °C) in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.
USDA turkey roasting chart (325 °F (163 °C))
| Weight | Unstuffed | Stuffed |
|---|---|---|
| 4 to 8 lb (breast) | 1½ to 3¼ hours | 2½ to 3½ hours (6–8 lb breast) |
| 8 to 12 lb | 2¾ to 3 hours | 3 to 3½ hours |
| 12 to 14 lb | 3 to 3¾ hours | 3½ to 4 hours |
| 14 to 18 lb | 3¾ to 4¼ hours | 4 to 4¼ hours |
| 18 to 20 lb | 4¼ to 4½ hours | 4¼ to 4¾ hours |
| 20 to 24 lb | 4½ to 5 hours | 4¾ to 5¼ hours |
How the oven time is worked out
The calculator finds your turkey’s row in the chart, takes the longer time, adds 20 minutes for resting and counts back from dinner, rounding down to the quarter hour. Starting from the longer time means a bird that cooks quickly simply rests a little longer under foil, which it can do happily; a bird that is late holds up the whole meal. It also tells you when the shorter time is up — that is when to start checking.
in the oven by = dinner − longest roasting time − 20 min rest from frozen: roasting time × 1.5 or more
Worked examples
- How long to cook a 20 lb turkey — 4¼ to 4½ hours unstuffed, so it goes in before noon for a 4 o’clock dinner.
- How long to cook a 15 lb turkey — 3¾ to 4¼ hours, and what stuffing adds.
Tips for an even roast
- Use a shallow pan and a rack, breast side up. USDA suggests adding ½ cup of water to the pan.
- Tent with foil for the first hour or so, or once the skin is as brown as you like it.
- Tuck the wing tips under the shoulders (“akimbo”) so they do not burn.
- Do not trust the pop-up timer alone. Check the thigh, wing and breast with a thermometer.
- Rest it 20 minutes. USDA recommends it for quality — the juices set and it carves more easily. Make the gravy meanwhile.
Is the turkey still in the freezer? Check the turkey thaw calculator first; the size for your guest list is in the turkey size calculator. Thawing and roasting are combined in the turkey thawing and cooking chart.
What you’ll need
- Leave-in probe thermometer with alarmMid-range price
Stays in the roast or smoker while it cooks and beeps at your target temperature, so you are not opening the oven every twenty minutes.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Instant-read meat thermometerBudget price
The only reliable way to know a turkey, ham or brisket is done. Check the thickest part, away from bone, and check it is calibrated before the big day.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Roasting pan with rackMid-range price
A heavy pan about 2–3 in deep with a rack lifts the bird out of the drippings. Measure your oven before buying one sized for a 24 lb turkey.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Carving knife and forkMid-range price
A long, thin slicing blade carves turkey, ham and brisket cleanly; the fork steadies the meat without shredding it.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links to products are affiliate links — they cost you nothing extra and help keep these calculators free.
Frequently asked questions
How long do you cook a turkey per pound?
There is no single per-pound figure: bigger birds take fewer minutes per pound. USDA’s chart works out to roughly 15 minutes per pound for a 12 lb unstuffed turkey and about 13 to 14 for a 20 lb one at 325 °F (163 °C). Use the chart, then a thermometer.
Should I cook a turkey at 325 or 350?
USDA’s timetable is for 325 °F (163 °C) and says to set the oven no lower than that. Many recipes roast hotter; if you do, start checking the temperature earlier than the chart says.
What temperature is a turkey done?
165 °F (74 °C), measured with a food thermometer in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. Stuffing cooked in the bird must reach 165 °F (74 °C) in the center too.
How much longer does a stuffed turkey take?
Up to about 30 minutes more in USDA’s chart, depending on the size: a 14–18 lb bird is 3¾ to 4¼ hours unstuffed and 4 to 4¼ hours stuffed. The stuffing must reach 165 °F (74 °C) as well.
How long should a turkey rest before carving?
USDA recommends letting it stand for 20 minutes so the juices set and it carves more easily. Tent it loosely with foil.
Related guides
Sources
- USDA FSIS — Let’s Talk Turkey: A Consumer Guide to Safely Roasting a Turkey (copy hosted by UW–Madison Extension) (opens in a new tab) — 1 lb of turkey per person (1¼ lb pre-stuffed); refrigerator thawing about 24 hours per 4–5 lb; cold water 30 minutes per lb; roasting timetable at 325 °F (163 °C); 165 °F (74 °C); 20-minute rest; 2-hour rule.
- USDA FSIS — Let’s Talk Turkey: A Consumer Guide to Safely Roasting a Turkey (fsis.usda.gov) (opens in a new tab) — The same guide on the FSIS website. FSIS also publishes Your Safe Thanksgiving Guide: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/poultry/your-safe-thanksgiving-guide
- FoodSafety.gov — Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart (reviewed Dec. 2022; copy hosted by the Virginia Department of Health) (opens in a new tab) — Poultry and stuffing 165 °F (74 °C); pork, beef and raw ham 145 °F (63 °C) with a 3-minute rest; ground meat 160 °F; leftovers 165 °F (74 °C).