How Long to Cook a Turkey: Time by Weight Calculator

Roast a thawed, unstuffed turkey at 325°F for about 2¾ to 3 hours if it weighs 8 to 12 pounds, 3¾ to 4¼ hours at 14 to 18 pounds, and up to 5 hours for a 24-pound bird. It is done when the thigh, wing and thickest part of the breast all reach 165°F.

Turkey Cooking Time by Weight

The calculator above gives an estimate for your exact bird. The chart below is the USDA roasting timetable it is based on, for a fresh or fully thawed whole turkey in a 325°F (163°C) oven. Times are approximate and always need to be confirmed with a food thermometer, since oven accuracy, the bird’s shape and how often the door is opened all shift the result.

Turkey weight	Unstuffed	Stuffed
8–12 lb	2¾–3 hr	3–3½ hr
12–14 lb	3–3¾ hr	3½–4 hr
14–18 lb	3¾–4¼ hr	4–4¼ hr
18–20 lb	4¼–4½ hr	4¼–4¾ hr
20–24 lb	4½–5 hr	4¾–5¼ hr

Notice that time does not rise in a straight line with weight. A 12-pound bird works out to about 15 minutes per pound, while a 22-pound bird needs closer to 13 minutes per pound, because larger turkeys are deeper rather than proportionally longer. That is why a flat per-pound rule tends to overcook big birds.

Turkey Cooking Time Per Pound

As a quick estimate, an unstuffed whole turkey at 325°F (163°C) takes roughly 13 to 15 minutes per pound, with smaller birds at the higher end and larger birds at the lower end. A stuffed turkey takes about 15 to 30 minutes longer overall than the same bird unstuffed, depending on size.

Use the per-pound figure for planning, then let the thermometer decide when the bird comes out. Begin checking the temperature about 30 minutes before the low end of the estimate.

How Long to Cook a Turkey Breast

A whole bone-in turkey breast of 4 to 8 pounds roasts at 325°F (163°C) in about 1½ to 3¼ hours, according to the USDA timetable. A 6- to 8-pound breast that is stuffed needs about 2½ to 3½ hours. Breasts cook to the same 165°F (74°C) target as a whole bird, measured in the thickest part of the meat without touching bone.

Turkey breast	Unstuffed	Stuffed
4–6 lb	1½–3¼ hr	Not usually applicable
6–8 lb	1½–3¼ hr	2½–3½ hr

The USDA range is wide because breasts vary a lot in shape. A smaller breast near 4 pounds will usually be at the short end, so start checking early.

How Long to Thaw a Frozen Turkey

In the refrigerator, allow about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds of turkey. In cold water, allow about 30 minutes per pound and change the water every 30 minutes. A turkey thawed in the refrigerator can stay there for 1 to 2 days before cooking; one thawed in cold water should be cooked right away.

Turkey weight	Refrigerator at 40°F	Cold water
4–12 lb	1–3 days	2–6 hr
12–16 lb	3–4 days	6–8 hr
16–20 lb	4–5 days	8–10 hr
20–24 lb	5–6 days	10–12 hr

For refrigerator thawing, leave the bird in its original wrapper and set it on a tray to catch any drips. For cold water, keep it in a leak-proof bag, fully submerged, breast side down. Microwave thawing is possible only if the turkey fits; follow the oven manual for power level and minutes per pound, then cook immediately.

Can You Cook a Turkey from Frozen?

Yes. USDA says a turkey can be roasted from frozen, but it will take at least 50% longer than a fully thawed bird of the same weight. A 14-pound turkey that would take 3 to 3¾ hours thawed needs roughly 4½ to 5¾ hours from frozen. Remove the giblet packages with tongs once the cavity has thawed enough partway through cooking. Do not cook a frozen turkey in an oven cooking bag.

What Temperature Should a Turkey Reach?

A whole turkey is safely cooked when it reaches 165°F (74°C) in three places: the innermost part of the thigh, the innermost part of the wing, and the thickest part of the breast. Check all three, because the breast usually finishes before the thighs.

If you use an oven-safe probe thermometer, insert it at the start in the thickest part of the inner thigh, angled toward the body but not touching bone. Confirm with an instant-read thermometer in the breast and wing before taking the turkey out.

Cooking a Stuffed Turkey

A stuffed turkey takes longer to cook, and the stuffing in the center of the cavity must reach 165°F (74°C) on its own, even after the meat is done. USDA recommends baking stuffing separately in a casserole dish for the most even cooking, but a stuffed bird is safe when handled correctly.

• Mix wet and dry stuffing ingredients just before filling the bird, never the night before.
• Stuff loosely, about ¾ cup per pound of turkey, so heat can reach the center.
• Roast immediately after stuffing at 325°F or higher.
• Check the center of the stuffing with a thermometer; if it is below 165°F when the meat is done, keep cooking.

Let a stuffed turkey stand for 20 minutes before removing the stuffing and carving.

How Long Should a Turkey Rest?

Let a roasted turkey rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving. USDA recommends at least 20 minutes so the juices settle back into the meat. Tent it loosely with foil to keep it warm. The rest is a good window to make gravy from the drippings and finish side dishes in the oven.

Step-by-Step: How to Roast a Turkey in the Oven

This method works for any whole turkey up to 24 pounds at 325°F (163°C).

1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Never roast poultry below 325°F, which keeps the bird too long at temperatures where bacteria grow.
2. Prepare the bird. Remove the neck and giblet packages from both cavities, pat the skin dry and season it.
3. Set it on a rack. Place the turkey breast side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan, about 2 to 2½ inches deep.
4. Roast and shield the breast. Tent the breast loosely with foil for the first 1 to 1½ hours, then remove the foil so the skin browns.
5. Start checking early. Take temperatures about 30 minutes before the low end of the chart time for your weight.
6. Confirm 165°F and rest. Check thigh, wing and breast, then rest the bird for 20 to 30 minutes before carving.

Turkey Day Timeline

Work backward from the time you want to eat. For a 16-pound unstuffed turkey with dinner at 5:00 p.m., the roast itself takes about 3¾ to 4¼ hours, plus 20 to 30 minutes of resting and time for the oven to heat. A schedule like this leaves a buffer for a bird that runs long.

Time	What to do
11:30 a.m.	Heat the oven to 325°F; remove giblets, pat dry and season
12:00 p.m.	Turkey goes in the oven, breast tented with foil
1:30 p.m.	Remove the foil so the skin can brown
3:15 p.m.	Begin checking temperatures in thigh, wing and breast
4:00–4:15 p.m.	Turkey reaches 165°F; remove and rest under loose foil
4:15–4:45 p.m.	Make gravy; reheat or bake sides in the free oven
4:45 p.m.	Carve and serve

For a frozen bird, the timeline starts days earlier: count back 4 days for a 16-pound turkey thawing in the refrigerator, and plan for the cold-water method only as a same-day backup, at about 8 hours for that size.

Roasting Bags and Other Methods

An oven cooking bag shortens roasting time noticeably. FoodSafety.gov lists about 1½ to 2 hours for an 8- to 12-pound unstuffed turkey in a bag at 350°F (177°C), 2½ to 3 hours for 16 to 20 pounds, and 3 to 3½ hours for 20 to 24 pounds, adding 30 minutes if stuffed. Always follow the bag manufacturer’s directions, and never use a brown paper grocery bag, which can catch fire.

Turkey weight	Oven bag at 350°F, unstuffed
8–12 lb	1½–2 hr
12–16 lb	2–2½ hr
16–20 lb	2½–3 hr
20–24 lb	3–3½ hr

An electric roaster oven, preheated to at least 325°F, generally takes about the same time as a conventional oven. Convection ovens and spatchcocked (butterflied) turkeys usually cook faster than the chart above, but USDA does not publish a timetable for either, so follow your oven manual or recipe and rely on the 165°F reading.

How Long Do Turkey Leftovers Last?

Refrigerate leftover turkey, stuffing and gravy within 2 hours of cooking, and eat cooked turkey within 3 to 4 days. Frozen, cooked turkey keeps its best quality for about 2 to 6 months.

Carve the meat off the bone and store it in shallow containers so it cools quickly. Remove any stuffing from the cavity and refrigerate it separately. Large amounts of leftovers cool faster when divided into smaller portions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Short answers to the questions people ask most when planning a roast turkey.

How long does it take to cook a 20-pound turkey?

At 325°F (163°C), a 20-pound unstuffed turkey takes about 4¼ to 5 hours, depending on whether it falls in the 18–20 or 20–24 pound band. Stuffed, allow about 4¾ to 5¼ hours. Add 20 to 30 minutes of resting before carving.

Should I cook a turkey covered or uncovered?

Uncovered roasting gives the best browned skin. Many cooks tent the breast loosely with foil for the first 1 to 1½ hours, then remove it, which helps keep the breast from drying out before the thighs finish.

Can I cook a turkey at 350°F to save time?

Yes. USDA’s minimum oven temperature for poultry is 325°F, so 350°F is safe and will shorten the time somewhat. The USDA timetable is written for 325°F, so start checking the temperature earlier than the chart suggests.

What if the turkey is done early?

Take it out once all three spots reach 165°F (74°C). Keep it tented with foil; a large turkey stays warm for 45 minutes to an hour, and the meat is easier to carve after a longer rest.

Does a brined or kosher turkey cook faster?

Brining does not significantly change roasting time; follow the same chart and thermometer checks. Pre-brined, kosher or self-basting birds already contain salt, so skip additional brining.

Sources: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service; FoodSafety.gov; University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension; University of Illinois Extension; University of Minnesota Extension.