The turkey is the one dish on the Thanksgiving table that sets the schedule for everything else. The sides can wait in a warm oven, the pie can sit on the counter, but the bird needs a plan, and that plan starts with one question: how long does it actually take?
The short answer: at 325°F, an unstuffed 12- to 14-pound turkey takes about 3 to 3¾ hours, and a 14- to 18-pound turkey takes about 3¾ to 4¼ hours. A stuffed turkey takes a little longer. Those times are only a guide, though. The turkey is done when a food thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest part of the breast and the innermost parts of the thigh and wing. All of the times below come from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
Turkey Roasting Times by Weight (Unstuffed)
These are USDA’s approximate times for a fully thawed turkey roasted at 325°F. Plan around the longer end of the range, and start checking the temperature near the shorter end.
| Turkey weight | Roasting time at 325°F |
|---|---|
| 4 to 8 pounds (breast) | 1½ to 3¼ hours |
| 8 to 12 pounds | 2¾ to 3 hours |
| 12 to 14 pounds | 3 to 3¾ hours |
| 14 to 18 pounds | 3¾ to 4¼ hours |
| 18 to 20 pounds | 4¼ to 4½ hours |
| 20 to 24 pounds | 4½ to 5 hours |
Source: USDA FSIS, Let’s Talk Turkey: A Consumer Guide to Safely Roasting a Turkey.
Why there’s no simple minutes-per-pound rule
Look closely at the chart and you’ll notice the time doesn’t climb evenly with weight. An 8- to 12-pound bird and a 12- to 14-pound bird can overlap at about 3 hours, while a 24-pound turkey needs only about two hours more than a 10-pound one. That’s why a flat per-pound formula can mislead you on a very small or very large bird. Use the chart for planning and the thermometer for the final call.
Turkey Roasting Times by Weight (Stuffed)
Stuffing slows things down, because the center of the bird has to heat all the way through the stuffing as well. Here are USDA’s times for a stuffed turkey at 325°F.
| Turkey weight | Roasting time at 325°F |
|---|---|
| 6 to 8 pounds (breast) | 2½ to 3½ hours |
| 8 to 12 pounds | 3 to 3½ hours |
| 12 to 14 pounds | 3½ to 4 hours |
| 14 to 18 pounds | 4 to 4¼ hours |
| 18 to 20 pounds | 4¼ to 4¾ hours |
| 20 to 24 pounds | 4¾ to 5¼ hours |
USDA notes that stuffing a 4- to 6-pound turkey breast is not usually applicable, so that size is left off the stuffed chart.
Should you stuff the turkey at all?
For the best safety and the most even cooking, USDA recommends baking the stuffing in a separate casserole dish instead. If you love stuffing cooked inside the bird, follow USDA’s rules:
- Prep ahead, but keep it separate. You can get the ingredients ready early, but keep the wet ingredients (butter, cooked celery and onions, broth) chilled and apart from the dry ones.
- Mix just before stuffing and fill the cavities loosely, not packed tight.
- Roast right away. Don’t stuff the turkey and let it sit.
- Check the stuffing, not just the meat. The center of the stuffing must reach 165°F on a food thermometer.
- Take all the stuffing out of the turkey once it’s cooked.
Looking for a favorite to bake on the side? Browse these stuffing recipes.
How to Tell When the Turkey Is Done
Color, clear juices, and wiggly legs are all hints, but none of them tells you the turkey is safe. A food thermometer does. According to USDA, a whole turkey is safe once it reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165°F, checked in three spots:
- The innermost part of the thigh.
- The innermost part of the wing.
- The thickest part of the breast.
If you’re using an oven-safe probe thermometer, USDA suggests putting it in at the start of roasting, in the thickest part of the inner thigh for a whole bird (or the thickest part of a breast). Once the thigh hits 165°F, check the wing and the breast too. You’re welcome to cook it hotter if you like the texture better; 165°F is the safety minimum, not a maximum.
About pop-up timers: if your turkey came with one, USDA still recommends confirming 165°F in all three spots with a food thermometer.
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How Long to Cook a Turkey Breast
For a smaller crowd, a bone-in turkey breast is a lot less to manage. On USDA’s chart, a 4- to 8-pound breast takes about 1½ to 3¼ hours at 325°F unstuffed. That’s a wide range, so start checking early. For a breast, put the thermometer in the thickest part, and it’s done at 165°F.
Cooking a Turkey That Is Still Frozen
If the thaw didn’t go to plan, you can still roast it. USDA says it’s safe to cook a turkey from frozen, but it will take at least 50 percent longer than the times above. Pull out the giblet packages partway through, once you can, using tongs or a fork. For thawing times and what to do on a still-frozen Thanksgiving morning, see how to thaw a turkey safely.
One exception: a frozen pre-stuffed turkey with a USDA or state mark of inspection should not be thawed first. Cook it from frozen and follow the package directions.
USDA’s Tips for Even Roasting
These optional steps from USDA’s roasting guide help the turkey cook more evenly and stay moist:
- Keep the oven at 325°F or higher. USDA says not to roast below 325°F. The charts above are for 325°F.
- Use a rack in a shallow roasting pan so heat can move around the bird.
- Tuck the wing tips under the shoulders (sometimes called “akimbo”) for more even cooking.
- Add ½ cup of water to the bottom of the pan.
- Tent with foil. If your pan has no lid, a tent of heavy-duty foil over the turkey for the first 1 to 1½ hours helps keep it moist and cuts down on splatter. You can also lay foil over it later if the skin is browning too fast.
- Using an oven bag? Follow the manufacturer’s directions on the package for times.
And one thing to skip: rinsing the raw turkey. USDA’s Safe Thanksgiving Guide explains that washing raw poultry can spread bacteria around your sink and counters. Cooking it to 165°F is what kills the bacteria. Wash your hands, utensils, the sink, and anything else that touched the raw turkey or its juices with soap and water.
Let It Rest Before You Carve
Once it’s out of the oven, give the turkey 20 minutes to stand before carving. USDA says the rest lets the juices set, and the turkey carves more easily. Build those 20 minutes into your schedule; it’s the perfect window to make gravy and pull the sides out of the oven.
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Work Backward From Dinnertime
Here’s a simple way to plan the day. Say you have a 16-pound unstuffed turkey and want to eat at 4:00 p.m.:
- Roasting time: USDA’s range for 14 to 18 pounds is 3¾ to 4¼ hours. Plan on the longer end, 4¼ hours.
- Resting time: add 20 minutes.
- Prep time: add a little time to preheat the oven and get the bird into the pan.
- Result: aim to have the turkey in the oven by about 11:15 a.m. Start checking the temperature around 3:00 p.m., at the shorter end of the range.
Not sure what size to buy? USDA suggests about 1 pound of turkey per person.
While it roasts, fill out the table with these side dishes for turkey, a batch of homemade cranberry sauce, and one of these make-ahead Thanksgiving desserts.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate within 2 hours. USDA says to discard turkey, stuffing, and gravy left at room temperature longer than 2 hours (1 hour if it’s above 90°F).
- Cool it fast. Divide leftovers into smaller portions in covered, shallow containers.
- Use within 3 to 4 days from the fridge, or freeze for 2 to 6 months for best quality.
- Reheat to 165°F. In the oven, use 325°F or higher and add a little broth or water and cover to keep it moist.
Then put the extras to work with these leftover turkey recipes.
Turkey Cooking Time FAQ
How long does it take to cook a 20-pound turkey?
At 325°F, USDA lists 4¼ to 4½ hours for an unstuffed 18- to 20-pound turkey, or 4½ to 5 hours for 20 to 24 pounds. A stuffed 18- to 20-pound turkey takes about 4¼ to 4¾ hours. Check that it reaches 165°F in the thigh, wing, and breast.
How long does it take to cook a 12-pound turkey?
A 12-pound turkey sits where two rows of USDA’s chart meet. USDA’s 8- to 12-pound row tops out at about 3 hours unstuffed and 3½ hours stuffed, so plan on roughly that and start checking the temperature a little earlier.
Is the turkey done when the juices run clear?
Not reliably. The only way to know it’s safe is a food thermometer reading 165°F in the innermost thigh, the innermost wing, and the thickest part of the breast.
Should I cook my turkey at 325°F or 350°F?
USDA’s guidance is to roast at no lower than 325°F, and its timetables are written for 325°F. If your recipe calls for a hotter oven, the turkey will likely finish sooner than the chart suggests, so begin checking the temperature earlier.
Can I cook a turkey the day before?
If you roast it ahead, handle it the way USDA says to handle leftovers: carve it, refrigerate it in shallow containers within 2 hours, and reheat it to 165°F before serving.
With the chart in hand and a thermometer in the drawer, the turkey stops being the scary part of the day. Pick your time, plan backward, and let the thermometer have the last word.