Where the calculator's numbers come from
Whole turkey: the roasting table below, at 325°F, 8 to 24 pounds. Bone-in breast: Illinois Extension's rows, 4 to 6 pounds at 1½ to 2¼ hours and 6 to 8 pounds at 2¼ to 3¼ hours.[3][4][12][1]
Doneness: for a whole turkey, 165°F in the innermost thigh, the innermost wing and the thickest part of the breast; for a breast, 165°F in the thickest part of the breast; if stuffed, the center of the stuffing too.[9][13][14][2]
Thawing: the refrigerator table below and about 30 minutes per pound in a leak-proof plastic bag submerged in cold water, with the water changed every 30 minutes, cooking it immediately afterward. A thawed turkey can stay in the refrigerator 1 to 2 days.[5][8][6]
Roasting directly from frozen takes at least 50 percent longer; take out the giblet package during cooking with tongs or a fork. Everything else in a plan, the dates, cold-water hours and clock times, is our calculation from these rules, and says so.[15][16]
Roasting time table (325°F, thawed)
| Weight | Unstuffed | Stuffed |
|---|---|---|
| 8 to 12 pounds | 2¾ to 3 hours | 3 to 3½ hours |
| 12 to 14 pounds | 3 to 3¾ hours | 3½ to 4 hours |
| 14 to 18 pounds | 3¾ to 4¼ hours | 4 to 4¼ hours |
| 18 to 20 pounds | 4¼ to 4½ hours | 4¼ to 4¾ hours |
| 20 to 24 pounds | 4½ to 5 hours | 4¾ to 5¼ hours |
Nebraska Extension's version of the USDA timetable. NDSU prints the same five rows, and Ohio State (Jefferson County) matches in the rows we quote. These times are approximate: the thermometer decides.[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]
Set the oven no lower than 325°F and roast breast side up on a rack in a shallow pan. Real times drift from the table: an oven that runs cool, a bird that is still very cold or partly frozen, or a pan that is too small all slow it down.[11][26][27]
Other versions of this table differ by a quarter hour in a few rows. We list them, with sources, on the roasting times page.
Thawing time table
| Weight | Refrigerator, 40°F or below | Cold water, changed every 30 minutes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 to 12 pounds | 1 to 3 days | 2 to 6 hours |
| 12 to 16 pounds | 3 to 4 days | 6 to 8 hours |
| 16 to 20 pounds | 4 to 5 days | 8 to 10 hours |
| 20 to 24 pounds | 5 to 6 days | 10 to 12 hours |
Nebraska Extension's thawing tables (rates: about 24 hours per 4 to 5 pounds in the refrigerator, about 30 minutes per pound in cold water).[6][8]
Cold water means the turkey in a leak-proof plastic bag, submerged in cold water, with the water changed every 30 minutes. A turkey thawed in the refrigerator can stay there 1 to 2 more days. One thawed in cold water or the microwave is cooked immediately. Never on the counter, in the garage or on the porch: the outside sits between 40 and 140°F while the middle is still frozen.[6][8][28][29]
Start dates for Thanksgiving and what to do if you forgot are on the thawing page.
Guides
- Roasting timesThe full timetable, oven bags, holding a done turkey, and where versions disagree.
- ThawingThree methods, the tables, and the day to start for Thanksgiving.
- From frozenStill frozen on the day: how much longer, and the giblet bag.
- ThermometerThe three spots, checking stuffing, and the ice-water test.
- StuffingThe rules if you stuff the bird, and pre-stuffed turkeys.
- BriningCold, short, and no splashing: the brining steps.
- Deep fryingSize limit, the water test, oil temperature and time per pound.
- Grill, smoke, spatchcockGrill and smoker temperatures, and a flattened bird.
- Breast and partsBreast, drumstick, thigh and wing times.
- LeftoversThe 2-hour rule, how many days, freezing and reheating.
- BuyingHow big, fresh or frozen, and reading the label.
- Unsafe methodsPaper bags, overnight ovens and other shortcuts to skip.
Questions people ask
How long does it take to cook a 20-pound turkey?
A 20-pound turkey is on the line between two rows. We use the heavier row, 20 to 24 pounds: 4½ to 5 hours unstuffed, or 4¾ to 5¼ hours stuffed, at 325°F. Start checking at the short end. It is done when the thermometer reads 165°F in the innermost thigh, the innermost wing and the thickest part of the breast, and in the center of the stuffing if it is stuffed.[3][4][9][11][2]
Can I cook a turkey that is still frozen?
Yes, in the oven: it takes at least 50 percent longer than a thawed bird. Pull the giblet package out with tongs once it loosens. The steps are on the cooking from frozen page.[15][16]
Can I trust the pop-up timer?
Can I roast at 350°F instead of 325°F?
How long should the turkey rest?
20 minutes before carving, so the juices set and it carves more easily. If dinner is at a set time, the calculator subtracts the 20 minutes for you.[10]
Earn the second helping: find a Thanksgiving turkey trot in Ohio at FindATurkeyTrot.com.
Thanksgiving tables, from the archives
Two family Thanksgivings photographed for the federal government in the early 1940s, now in the Library of Congress. The tables have changed less than the advice.
Neffsville, Pennsylvania. Saying grace before carving the turkey at Thanksgiving dinner in the home of Earle LandisPhoto: Marjory Collins for the Office of War Information, Library of Congress, no known restrictions (record). Neffsville, Pennsylvania; the record dates it 1942.
The family of Mr. Timothy Levy Crouch, a Rogerine Quaker, at their annual Thanksgiving Day dinner. A twenty-pound turkey was dispensed with in short order. Ledyard, ConnecticutPhoto: Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration, Library of Congress, no known restrictions (record). Ledyard, Connecticut; the record dates it 1940.
Sources
Each quote is a short excerpt shown exactly as printed on the source page. Our checker re-finds every quote on its page before the site is rebuilt; if one can't be found, the site isn't rebuilt and this date doesn't move. How we source and check.
USDA Roasting Timetable for Fresh or Thawed Turkey at 325°F. These times are approximate and should always be used in conjunction with a properly placed thermometer.
If you have stuffed your turkey, the center of the stuffing must also reach 165°F.
Unstuffed Turkey Cooking Times Size Time 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
Stuffed Turkey Cooking Times Size Time 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
Refrigerator Turkey Thawing Times Size of Whole Turkey Number of Days 4 to 12 pounds 1 to 3 days 12 to 16 pounds 3 to 4 days 16 to 20 pounds 4 to 5 days 20 to 24 pounds 5 to 6 days
Put in the refrigerator (40 °F or below) and allow approximately 24 hours per 4 to 5 pounds. A thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
Cold Water Turkey Thawing Times Size of Whole Turkey Number of Hours 4 to 12 pounds 2 to 6 hours 12 to 16 pounds 6 to 8 hours 16 to 20 pounds 8 to 10 hours 20 to 24 pounds 10 to 12 hours
Be sure the turkey is in a leak-proof plastic bag to prevent cross-contamination and to prevent the turkey from absorbing water. Submerge the turkey in cold water and change the water every 30 minutes. Allow about 30 minutes defrosting time per pound of turkey. A turkey thawed in cold water should be cooked immediately.
A whole turkey is safe when cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 °F as measured with a food thermometer. Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.
For quality, let the turkey stand for 20 minutes before carving to allow juices to set.
Set your oven temperature no lower than 325°F.
Breast, Half 2 to 3 pounds 50 to 60 minutes Not applicable Breast, Whole 4 to 6 pounds 1 1/2 to 2 1/4 hours Not applicable Breast, Whole 6 to 8 pounds 2 1/4 to 3 1/4 hours 3 to 3 1/2 hours
Raw turkey breasts cooks faster alone. It should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. Use a food thermometer and check the temperature by inserting in the thickest part of the breast. Breast meat cooks faster than dark meat and will dry out if over cooked.
For turkey breasts, place thermometer in the thickest part. For whole turkeys, place in the thickest part of the inner thigh.
It is safe to cook a turkey from the frozen state. The cooking time will take at least 50 percent longer than recommended for a fully thawed turkey.
If cooking from frozen, remember to remove the giblet packages during the cooking time. Remove carefully with tongs or a fork.
These times are approximate. Always use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of your turkey and stuffing.
8-12 2¾ to 3 3 to 3½
12-14 3 to 3¾ 3½ to 4
14-18 3¾ to 4¼ 4 to 4¼
18-20 4¼ to 4½ 4¼ to 4¾
20-24 4½ to 5 4¾ to 5¼
FN1443 (Revised November 2023)
14-18 pounds = 3 3/4 - 4 1/4 hours
20-24 pounds = 4 3/4-5 1/4 hours
Place your turkey breast-side up on a flat wire rack in a shallow roasting pan (2 to 2½ inches deep).
Cooking times do vary. Why? There are many reasons - oven temperature may not be completely accurate, the turkey may be very cold or partially frozen, and/or the roasting pan may be too small which inhibits the flow of heat.
Microwave thawing is safe if the turkey is not too large. Check the manufacturer's instructions for the size of turkey that will fit into your microwave oven, the minutes per pound, and the power level to use for thawing. Cook immediately after thawing.
Thawing a turkey at on the counter, in the garage, or on the back porch is not recommended. Frozen meat or poultry left thawing at room temperature for more than 2 hours is not at a safe temperature. The center of the package may still be frozen, but the outer layer of the food is in the "Danger Zone" (temperatures between 40 - 140°F) where bacteria grows rapidly.
If your turkey has a "pop-up" temperature indicator, it is recommended that you also check the internal temperature of the turkey in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast with a food thermometer.
The pop-up gauges are not temperature specific
is there any danger in cooking turkey at a very higher temperature— above 350ºF? No, there is no danger as long as the turkey is cooked to an internal temperature of 165ºF or higher.