Turkey cooking time
An unstuffed 16 lb turkey roasts at 325°F (163°C) for about 4 hours, until it reads 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the thigh and the innermost part of the wing.
How long to cook your turkey
Turkey roasting times at 325°F
USDA’s timetable for a thawed turkey. The calculator spreads the time evenly between the two ends of your weight range.
| Weight | Unstuffed | Stuffed |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey breast, 4 to 8 lb (1.8 to 3.6 kg) | 1½ hours to 3¼ hours | not listed |
| Whole turkey, 8 to 12 lb (3.6 to 5.4 kg) | 2¾ hours to 3 hours | 3 hours to 3½ hours |
| Whole turkey, 12 to 14 lb (5.4 to 6.4 kg) | 3 hours to 3¾ hours | 3½ hours to 4 hours |
| Whole turkey, 14 to 18 lb (6.4 to 8.2 kg) | 3¾ hours to 4¼ hours | 4 hours to 4¼ hours |
| Whole turkey, 18 to 20 lb (8.2 to 9.1 kg) | 4¼ hours to 4½ hours | 4¼ hours to 4¾ hours |
| Whole turkey, 20 to 24 lb (9.1 to 10.9 kg) | 4½ hours to 5 hours | 4¾ hours to 5¼ hours |
Plan backwards from dinner time
How to roast a turkey
Heat the oven to 325°F (163°C) and put the thawed turkey breast side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast it for the time in the chart, but trust the thermometer more than the clock. The turkey is done at 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the thigh and the innermost part of the wing, and in the center of the stuffing if it is stuffed.
Home-oven times vary, so start checking about 30 to 45 minutes before the low end of the range. Then let the turkey stand 20 to 30 minutes before you carve. A turkey cooked from frozen takes about 50 percent longer; a thawed one is quicker. Not sure how big to buy? Check the turkey size per person.
Source: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Let’s Talk Turkey—A Consumer Guide to Safely Roasting a Turkey; USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Turkey Basics: Safe Cooking. Times are estimates; always check with a food thermometer.
More for the Thanksgiving table
Work out the rest of the turkey plan.
Kids at the table? Make a turkey disguise page for them to color while the turkey cooks.
Questions
What time should I put my turkey in the oven for a 3pm dinner?
For a 16 lb (7.3 kg) unstuffed turkey, put it in the oven around 10:15 am, anywhere from 10:00 to 10:30 am. That allows about 4 hours at 325°F, which USDA gives as 3¾ to 4¼ hours, plus 30 minutes to rest before carving. Start checking the temperature around 1:15 pm.
How long does it take to cook a 20 lb turkey?
An unstuffed 20 lb (9.1 kg) turkey takes about 4½ hours at 325°F (163°C), and a stuffed one about 4¾ hours. USDA’s ranges are 4¼ to 4½ hours unstuffed and 4¼ to 4¾ hours stuffed for 18 to 20 lb, and 4½ to 5 hours and 4¾ to 5¼ hours for 20 to 24 lb.
What temperature is a turkey done?
165°F (74°C), measured with a food thermometer in the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the thigh and the innermost part of the wing. If the turkey is stuffed, the center of the stuffing must reach 165°F (74°C) too.
How long should a turkey rest before carving?
Let it stand for 20 to 30 minutes after it comes out of the oven. The plan above uses 30 minutes, so the turkey is still hot when you serve.
Why check the temperature before the time is up?
Home ovens run hot or cool, and a turkey’s shape changes how it cooks. Start checking about 30 to 45 minutes before the low end of the range, so you catch a turkey that is done early.
Is it better to cook the stuffing separately?
USDA recommends cooking stuffing outside the bird. If you do stuff it, the stuffing center must reach 165°F (74°C), and a stuffed turkey takes longer, as the table shows.
How long to cook a turkey from frozen?
USDA says it is safe to cook a turkey from frozen, but it takes about 50 percent longer. If you have the time, thaw it first.