How Long To Cook A Turkey With Chart Wellplated Com

From thawing to oven temperature, figuring out how to best tackle your Thanksgiving turkey is quite a feat. That’s why I’ve broken every step down for you, meaning you can now begin your turkey takedown with confidence! Whether you’re preparing a modest 4-pound turkey breast or a whopping 24-pound full bird, I have tips to help you figure out when to thaw, brine, and bake your turkey. Plus, I’ve included some of my best tips and tricks for knowing when your turkey is done (spoiler alert: you’re definitely going to want one of these bad boys). Scroll down to view all of the content, or use the Table of Contents box below to skip to the content you need. Plus, I have a printable chart with turkey cook times at end.

Turkey Cooking Times

Below, you’ll find estimated cook times for unstuffed turkeys (stuffing cooked outside the bird) and stuffed turkeys (stuffing cooked inside the bird). The estimated times are also broken down by oven temperature. Regardless of which method you choose, know that these are just estimates.

These times are based on letting a turkey come to room temperature first. If you skip this step, your turkey will likely take longer to cook. Each oven is different; some run hot and others run cold.Each turkey is different (for example: more white meat vs dark meat can make a difference).Opening and closing the oven will affect your cook time. If you are opening it every 5 to 10 minutes to keep checking for doneness (understandable!), it will take longer to cook the turkey. BE FLEXIBLE. Give yourself a buffer and anticipate a range.

It’s important to keep a close eye on things throughout the cooking process to make sure everything turns out perfectly.

Unstuffed Turkey Cooking Times

These times are based on cooking a room temperature turkey at 325 degrees F the entire time; plan on 10 to 12 minutes per pound.

6 to 8 pounds: 45 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes8 to 10 pounds: 1 hour 15 minutes to 2 hours10 to 12 pounds: 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes12 to 14 pounds: 2 hours to 2 hours 45 minutes14 to 16 pounds: 2 hours 15 minutes to 3 hours 15 minutes16 to 18 pounds: 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours 45 minutes18 to 20 pounds: 3 hours to 4 hours20 to 24 pounds: 3 hours 15 minutes to 4 hours 45 minutes

These times are based on starting a room temperature turkey at high temp (450 degrees F), then lowering it to 325 degrees F after 45 minutes to 1 hour (recommended for crispy skin).

6 to 8 pounds: 35 minutes to 1 hour8 to 10 pounds: 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes10 to 12 pounds: 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes12 to 14 pounds: 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours14 to 16 pounds: 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes16 to 18 pounds: 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes18 to 20 pounds: 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours20 to 24 pounds: 3 hours to 3 hours 30 minutes

Stuffed Turkey Cooktimes

These times are based on a room temperature turkey at 325 degrees F the entire time; plan on about 15 to 17 minutes per pound (the times below are based on 15 minutes per pound).

4 to 8 pounds: 1 to 2 hours8 to 10 pounds: 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes12 to 14 pounds: 3 hours to 3 hours 30 minutes14 to 16 pounds: 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours16 to 18 pounds: 4 hours to 4 hours 30 minutes18 to 20 pounds: 4 hours 30 minutes to 5 hours20 to 24 pounds: 5 to 6 hours

These times are based on starting a room temperature turkey at higher temp (450 degrees F), then lowering it to 325 degrees F after 45 minutes to 1 hour (recommended for crispy skin).

4 to 8 pounds: 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes8 to 10 pounds: 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes12 to 14 pounds: 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes14 to 16 pounds: 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours 15 minutes16 to 18 pounds: 3 hours 15 minutes to 3 hours 45 minutes18 to 20 pounds: 3 hours 45 minutes to 4 hours 15 minutes20 to 24 pounds: 4 hours 15 minutes to 5 hours 15 minutes

A Faster Way to Cook Turkey

Want to speed up the roasting process? Make Spatchcock Turkey!

Spatchcocking (removing the turkey’s backbone and laying it flat to cook) cooks 75% faster than traditional roast turkey—a 10- to 12-pound spatchcock turkey can be done in around an hour.

The Turkey Prep Countdown

So, Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, you know how many guests you’ll be serving, and you’ve purchased your turkey.

A turkey is done when the thermometer shows 150 to 155 degrees F in the breast and 165 degrees F if in the thigh. Make sure you’re close to the bone but not touching it. The turkey’s temperature will rise as it rests.

You can also poke your turkey with a fork (try a couple of different places), paying attention to the juices. If the juices are still pink or reddish in color, the turkey is not done. If the juices are clear, it is done—this isn’t foolproof though as thigh juices will often run red if the turkey has been frozen, even if it is cooked through. The best, safest (and I’d say only) bet: an instant read thermometer. Now, it’s time to make a turkey timeline! Using the reference guides below, you can game plan what steps you’ll need to do and when you’ll need to do them.

When to Thaw Your Turkey

Plan on 24 hours of thawing per 5 pounds of turkey

4 to 8 pounds: 1 day before8 to 10 pounds: 2 days before12 to 14 pounds: 2 to 3 days before14 to 16 pounds: 3 days before16 to 18 pounds: 3 to 4 days before18 to 20 pounds: 4 to 5 days before20 to 24 pounds: 5 to 6 days before

When to Brine Your Turkey

Wet Brine. If you’re using a wet brine, plan on adding it 12 to 24 hours ahead of time. Dry Brine. If you’re using a dry brine, plan on adding it 24 to 48 hours ahead of time.

What to Do the Day Before/Morning Of

Wet Brine. Up to 24 hours in advance (complete by the morning of), remove the turkey from the brine and rinse it, pat it dry, then transfer it to a baking sheet. Return the uncovered turkey to the refrigerator until you’re ready to roast. Dry Brine. Up to 24 hours in advance (complete by the morning of), uncover the turkey and leave it in the refrigerator.

Recommended Tools to Roast a Turkey

Roasting Pan. Ideal for preparing a perfectly-cooked turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. Instant Read Thermometer. This option is an investment, but it’s well worth it. Here’s a more affordable option too. Both work very well for checking the internal temperature of your turkey. Cutting Board with Grooves. Once you’ve roasted your turkey, you’ll need a cutting board like this one for carving.

Turkey Cooking Time Chart

Submerge your packaged turkey in an ice water bath (your sink, a large bucket, or even a cooler will work), ensuring the water stays between 32 degrees F and 38 degrees F. Check it constantly to ensure it stays ice cold. This method will still take a while (about 8 hours for a 15-pound turkey), but it will be much faster than the times listed above and result in tender meat.
You should also let the oven preheat for at least 30 minutes before you plan to start roasting the turkey. Leave a rating below in the comments and let me know how you liked the recipe.