Where
- Thigh first: the thickest part of the inner thigh, closest to the body, away from the bone. Dark meat takes longest.[2][4][5]
- Once the thigh reads 165°F, check the wing and the thickest part of the breast.[6]
- Stuffed bird: push the thermometer through the cavity into the thickest part of the stuffing. A standard thermometer stays 5 minutes; an instant-read one registers in about 15 seconds. Keep roasting until the center of the stuffing reaches 165°F, as well as the three spots on the bird.[7][8][3]
Turkey breast on its own: the thickest part of the breast.[2][9]
Which thermometer
- Instant-read: plastic head, can't stay in the oven, registers in about 15 seconds when the tip goes in past the dimple on the stem.[10]
- Oven-safe: goes in at the start and stays in, so you can read it while the turkey cooks.[11]
- Oven thermometer: reads the air in the oven, or under a grill lid. Useful when the dial lies.[12]
Check that it's accurate
Put the stem in a large cup of half ice, half water for 10 minutes. It should read 32°F. Within two degrees either way counts as accurate.[13]
The pop-up timer
Check with a food thermometer even if the turkey has a pop-up indicator. Nebraska Extension's answer to "Is a pop-up thermometer reliable?" is "No." Kentucky Extension says pop-ups are not temperature specific.[14][15][16]
Pink meat
Turkey can stay pink after it reaches 165°F, and smoked turkey is always pink. Young birds' porous bones can let pigment into the meat nearby, and smoking and grilling do the same. Color doesn't tell you it's done or not done; the thermometer does.[17][18][19]
Is hotter better?
165°F is the minimum. Some people cook turkey hotter for personal preference.[1][20]
You may still see 180°F in the thigh on older pages. Current extension and USDA-authored guidance gives 165°F; see where versions differ.[21][1][22]
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.
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 turkey breasts, place thermometer in the thickest part. For whole turkeys, place in the thickest part of the inner thigh.
If you have stuffed your turkey, the center of the stuffing must also reach 165°F.
Place the thermometer tip in the thick part of the thigh away from the bone. The thigh area closest to the body of the turkey is the thickest part.
Always place the thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh because the dark meat of turkey thigh takes longer to cook than any other part.
Once the thigh has reached 165 °F, check the wing and the thickest part of the breast to ensure the turkey has reached a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F throughout the product.
Insert the thermometer through the cavity into the thickest part of the stuffing and leave it for 5 minutes. Or use an instant red thermometer which will register the temperature after 15 seconds. The stuffing temperature will rise a few degrees after the turkey is removed from the oven. If the center of the stuffing has not reached 165°F after stand time, return the turkey to the oven and continue cooking.
Keep wet and dry ingredients separate if you prepare ingredients ahead of time. Chill all of the wet ingredients (butter/margarine, cooked celery and onions, broth, etc.). Mix wet and dry ingredients just before filling the turkey cavities. Fill the cavities loosely. Cook the turkey immediately. Use a food thermometer to make sure the center of the stuffing reaches a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F.
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.
Instant read thermometers have plastic heads and cannot go into the oven while the turkey is cooking. However, it will register the temperature of food within 15 seconds when the metal tip is inserted up to the dimple on the stem
If using an oven-proof food thermometer, place it in the turkey at the start of the cooking cycle. It will allow you to check the internal temperature of the turkey while it is cooking.
Oven thermometers read the temperature of the air inside of the oven. They are also useful for monitoring the temperature under the lid of a grill.
Check the accuracy of the thermometer (especially an old one) by placing it in a large cup of 50/50 ice and water slush for 10 minutes. It should read 32°F. Thermometers are considered accurate if they are within two degrees on the plus or minus side.
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.
Is a pop-up thermometer reliable? No.
The pop-up gauges are not temperature specific
Turkey can remain pink even after cooking to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F. The meat of smoked turkey is always pink.
Very young turkeys (and chickens) have immature porous bones, which may allow red pigmentation (hemoglobin) to leach out into the meat. Smoking and grilling can also cause this reaction.
Never use color or texture to check for doneness; this isn't reliable.
For reasons of personal preference, consumers may choose to cook turkey to higher temperatures.
must reach a minimum of 180 degrees in the thigh before removing from the oven
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 minimum internal temperature should reach 165°F for safety.