How long to cook a turkey depends mainly on its weight and whether it is stuffed. At an oven temperature of 325°F, the USDA’s timetable puts an unstuffed 12 to 14 pound turkey at about 3 to 3¾ hours and a 20 to 24 pound bird at about 4½ to 5 hours. A stuffed turkey takes roughly 15 to 30 minutes longer. The clock is only a guide: the turkey is done when a food thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest parts of the breast, thigh and wing.
Oven quirks, a cold bird straight from the fridge and how often the door is opened all move the timing, so plan on the chart and confirm with the thermometer. This guide gives the full timetable, where to take the temperature, resting time and the mistakes that most often throw dinner off schedule.
Key facts
- Roast at 325°F or higher; the USDA does not recommend lower oven temperatures for whole turkeys.
- Unstuffed, plan on about 3 to 3¾ hours for 12 to 14 pounds and 4½ to 5 hours for 20 to 24 pounds.
- Stuffed birds take longer, and the stuffing itself must also reach 165°F.
- Check 165°F in the innermost thigh, the wing and the thickest part of the breast.
- Let the turkey rest about 20 minutes before carving so the juices settle.
How long does a turkey take at 325°F?
These are the approximate roasting times published by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service in its Let’s Talk Turkey roasting guide, and repeated by university extension services such as University of Illinois Extension. All times assume a fully thawed turkey in a 325°F oven.
| Turkey weight | Unstuffed | Stuffed |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
For turkey parts, the same USDA timetable lists a whole bone-in breast of 4 to 6 pounds at about 1½ to 2¼ hours, and 6 to 8 pounds at 2¼ to 3¼ hours. Drumsticks and thighs of ¾ to 1 pound each take roughly 1¾ to 2¼ hours.
A quick way to plan your start time
Work backwards from when you want to eat. Take the top of the range for your turkey’s weight, add about 20 minutes of resting time, then add 30 minutes of buffer for oven variation and the carving itself. For a 16 pound unstuffed turkey and a 5:00 p.m. dinner, that means the bird goes in at about 11:30 a.m. If it finishes early, tent it loosely with foil; a large roast turkey stays hot for a good while.
Where should the thermometer go?
A food thermometer is the only reliable way to know a turkey is done. Pop-up timers, clear juices and wiggly legs are not dependable signs. The USDA and FoodSafety.gov set the safe minimum internal temperature for all poultry at 165°F.
- Innermost part of the thigh: push the probe in near the body, without touching the bone, which reads hotter than the meat.
- Thickest part of the breast: insert from the side, aiming for the center of the deepest section.
- The wing joint: the third spot the USDA lists, and often the last to come up to temperature on a large bird.
- The center of the stuffing: if the bird is stuffed, the stuffing also has to reach 165°F, even if the meat is already there.
Start checking about 30 minutes before the low end of the range on the chart. Leaving an oven-safe probe thermometer in the thigh saves opening the door repeatedly, which costs heat and time.
Stuffed or unstuffed: which is easier to time?
Unstuffed is simpler. Stuffing inside the cavity is dense and heats slowly, so the breast meat can overcook while you wait for the center of the stuffing to reach 165°F. That is why food safety agencies often suggest baking stuffing in a separate dish.
If you do stuff the bird, the USDA’s advice is to mix the stuffing just before it goes in, pack it loosely (about ¾ cup per pound of turkey is a common guide) and put the turkey in the oven straight away. Never stuff a turkey the night before. Regional traditions vary on whether it is cooked inside or out; our look at stuffing vs dressing covers the difference.
What changes the cooking time?
- Thawing. A turkey that is still partly frozen in the middle can take far longer than the chart. In the refrigerator, allow about 24 hours of thawing for every 4 to 5 pounds.
- Oven accuracy. Home ovens can run hot or cold. An inexpensive oven thermometer tells you what your dial really means.
- The pan. A shallow roasting pan lets hot air reach the lower part of the bird. Deep pans and crowded ovens slow things down.
- Opening the door. Every look lets heat escape. Baste less, or not at all; it mostly affects the skin.
- Starting temperature. A bird straight from a very cold fridge takes a little longer than one that has stood briefly while the oven heats. Do not leave raw poultry out for long, though; the two-hour rule for perishable food still applies.
How long should a turkey rest?
Let the cooked turkey stand for about 20 minutes before carving. Resting lets the juices redistribute so they stay in the meat instead of running onto the board, and it makes carving neater. Use the time to make gravy from the drippings and to warm the sides in the oven.
Common turkey timing mistakes
- Roasting at a low temperature overnight. The USDA advises against oven temperatures below 325°F for whole turkeys because the meat spends too long in the temperature danger zone.
- Trusting only the pop-up timer. Check with a thermometer as well, in all three spots.
- Forgetting the giblets. Remove the neck and giblet bag from the cavity before roasting. If you forget and they are in a paper bag, the turkey is usually still fine; plastic bags that have melted are a different story.
- Carving straight from the oven. Give it the rest. Twenty minutes is easy to fill.
- Letting leftovers sit out. Refrigerate carved turkey within two hours of it coming out of the oven.
Cooking for a crowd at someone else’s house? Our holiday potluck checklist covers transport and keeping food hot, and our Friendsgiving hosting checklist has a full timeline for the day.
FAQ
How long does it take to cook a 15 pound turkey?
At 325°F, an unstuffed 15 pound turkey falls in the 14 to 18 pound range, about 3¾ to 4¼ hours. Stuffed, allow about 4 to 4¼ hours. Confirm with a thermometer reading of 165°F.
How long does a 20 pound turkey take?
Roughly 4¼ to 4½ hours unstuffed and 4¼ to 4¾ hours stuffed at 325°F, according to the USDA timetable. A 20 pound bird sits at the top of one range and the bottom of the next, so start checking early.
Should I cook a turkey at 325 or 350°F?
Either is safe. The USDA timetable is written for 325°F, which cooks more evenly. At 350°F the turkey will finish somewhat sooner, so rely on the thermometer rather than the chart.
Do you cook a turkey covered or uncovered?
Most cooks roast uncovered for browned skin and tent the breast loosely with foil if it darkens too quickly. Covering for the whole time steams the skin and can change the timing.
What temperature is turkey done?
165°F, measured in the innermost part of the thigh, the wing and the thickest part of the breast. Stuffing cooked inside the bird must also reach 165°F.
Plan the day around the thermometer
Pick your turkey’s weight on the chart, take the top of the range, add resting time and a buffer, and set your start time. Check 165°F in three places and let the bird rest before you carve. The rest of the meal can then fall into place around it. For more holiday cooking, browse our food and recipes section, starting with our homemade cranberry sauce.
Featured photo: 2021 roast turkey by Mark Miller, CC BY-SA 4.0.
