How Long to Cook a Turkey: Time Chart by Weight and Temp

An unstuffed, fully thawed turkey takes about 13 to 15 minutes per pound in a 325°F oven: roughly 3 hours for a 12-pound bird, 3¾ to 4¼ hours for 15 to 16 pounds, and 4¼ to 4½ hours for 20 pounds, according to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) roasting timetable. A stuffed turkey needs up to 30 minutes more. The clock only gets you close. The turkey is done when a food thermometer reads 165°F in the innermost part of the thigh, the innermost part of the wing and the thickest part of the breast.

This guide gives the full chart by weight, the adjustments for 350°F, convection, roaster ovens and other methods, a classic roast turkey recipe, and a Thanksgiving Day timeline. Thanksgiving 2026 falls on Thursday, November 26, and the dates below are worked out for that day.

Turkey cooking time chart by weight (325°F)

These are the USDA FSIS times for a fresh or fully thawed whole turkey, straight from a 40°F refrigerator into a 325°F conventional oven. USDA says 325°F is the lowest oven temperature you should use, and that preheating is not required.

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

Source: USDA FSIS, "Turkey Basics: Safe Cooking" and "Let's Talk Turkey." Times are approximate. Start checking the temperature 30 to 45 minutes before the low end of the range.

How long to cook a turkey per pound

The per-pound figure is not constant, which is why a single "minutes per pound" rule gets people into trouble. Working backward from the USDA chart at 325°F:

• Small birds, 8 to 12 lb: about 15 to 20 minutes per pound unstuffed.
• Medium birds, 12 to 18 lb: about 14 to 16 minutes per pound.
• Large birds, 18 to 24 lb: about 12½ to 14 minutes per pound.

Big turkeys cook faster per pound because a turkey does not get proportionally thicker as it gets heavier. If you want one number for planning, use 15 minutes per pound for an unstuffed bird at 325°F and expect a large bird to finish early.

Quick answers for the most common sizes

Size	Unstuffed at 325°F	Stuffed at 325°F
10 lb turkey	2¾ to 3 hours	3 to 3½ hours
12 lb turkey	About 3 hours	About 3½ hours
13 lb turkey	3 to 3¾ hours	3½ to 4 hours
14 lb turkey	About 3¾ hours	About 4 hours
15 lb turkey	3¾ to 4¼ hours	4 to 4¼ hours
16 lb turkey	3¾ to 4¼ hours	4 to 4¼ hours
17 lb turkey	3¾ to 4¼ hours	4 to 4¼ hours
18 lb turkey	About 4¼ hours	About 4¼ hours
20 lb turkey	About 4½ hours	About 4¾ hours
22 lb turkey	4½ to 5 hours	4¾ to 5¼ hours
24 lb turkey	About 5 hours	About 5¼ hours

The USDA chart stops at 24 pounds. For a 25-pound or larger turkey, Butterball's roasting chart (also at 325°F) lists 4½ to 5 hours unstuffed and 5½ to 6¼ hours stuffed for birds of 24 to 30 pounds. For a crowd that large, two 12- to 14-pound turkeys cook more evenly and finish in less time than one giant bird.

What changes the cooking time

USDA lists the variables that move a turkey off the chart. The ones that matter most at home:

• A partly frozen center. An icy cavity can add an hour. See how long to thaw a turkey for the day-by-day schedule.
• Stuffing. The stuffing in the cavity has to reach 165°F too, which usually means the breast overcooks while you wait.
• The pan. Dark pans cook faster than shiny ones. A deep pan with high sides shields the thighs and slows them down. USDA suggests a shallow pan, 2 to 2½ inches deep, with a flat rack.
• Foil and lids. A foil tent left on the whole time slows cooking. A roaster lid or an oven bag speeds it up.
• Your oven. Home ovens often run hotter or cooler than the dial says, and every time the door opens the temperature drops. An inexpensive oven thermometer answers the question.
• Crowding. A pan that nearly touches the oven walls blocks air circulation.

How long to cook a turkey at 350°F and other oven temperatures

USDA publishes times only for 325°F, so times at other temperatures come from test kitchens rather than from a federal chart. Treat them as planning estimates and rely on the thermometer.

Oven setting	Rule of thumb	12 to 14 lb unstuffed	Source
325°F conventional	About 15 min per lb	3 to 3¾ hours	USDA FSIS
350°F (after a 450°F preheat)	13 min per lb unstuffed, 15 min per lb stuffed	About 2½ to 3 hours	The Kitchn test kitchen
325°F convection	Roughly 30 percent less time than conventional	2 to 2½ hours (10 to 18 lb)	Butterball
450°F, spatchcocked (flattened)	Not per pound; by thickness	About 80 minutes	Serious Eats

At 350°F. The Kitchn's widely used method heats the oven to 450°F, drops it to 350°F as soon as the turkey goes in, and roasts for about 13 minutes per pound unstuffed. By that rule a 12-pound turkey takes about 2 hours 35 minutes, a 14-pound turkey about 3 hours, and a 16-pound turkey about 3½ hours. The rule overshoots for birds above 18 pounds, so start checking early.

Higher heat. Roasting a whole, intact turkey at 400°F or above browns the skin before the thighs are done. If you want high heat, flatten the bird first. A spatchcock turkey cooks in well under two hours.

Lower heat. Do not roast a turkey below 325°F, and do not cook it overnight at 200 or 250°F. A big bird warming slowly spends too long in what USDA calls the Danger Zone, 40 to 140°F, where bacteria multiply quickly.

Convection oven turkey times

A convection fan moves hot air across the skin, so the same turkey finishes sooner. Butterball's convection chart at 325°F:

Weight	Unstuffed, convection	Stuffed, convection
6 to 10 lb	1½ to 2 hours	1¾ to 2½ hours
10 to 18 lb	2 to 2½ hours	2½ to 3¼ hours
18 to 22 lb	2½ to 3 hours	3¼ to 3¾ hours
22 to 24 lb	3 to 3½ hours	3¾ to 4¼ hours

If your oven has a "convection roast" setting that automatically lowers the temperature you enter, check the manual so you do not reduce it twice.

Electric roaster oven

USDA says a tabletop roaster oven generally uses the same temperature and time as a conventional oven. Preheat it to at least 325°F, set the turkey on the rack so it sits above the juices, and keep the lid on. Each time the lid comes off, heat escapes and the cooking time stretches. The skin will be paler than oven-roasted skin because the roaster traps steam.

Oven bag

An oven cooking bag traps steam and shortens the cooking time noticeably. USDA's advice is to follow the bag manufacturer's time chart, and never to substitute a brown paper grocery bag, which can ignite or give off fumes.

Cooking a turkey from frozen

Forgot to thaw? USDA says it is safe to roast a turkey from fully frozen. Use the regular chart and add at least 50 percent: a 12- to 14-pound bird needs about 4½ to 5¾ hours at 325°F. Pull the giblet bag out with tongs once the cavity has thawed enough. Do not deep-fry, smoke, grill or microwave a frozen turkey, and do not use an oven bag.

How long other methods take

Method	Time	Heat	Notes
Deep-frying	3 to 5 minutes per pound	Oil held at 350°F	USDA: 12 lb or smaller, fully thawed, never stuffed. See deep-fried turkey.
Smoking	20 to 30 minutes per pound	225 to 300°F	USDA: best for 8 to 12 lb birds, never stuffed. See smoked turkey.
Covered grill, indirect heat	15 to 18 minutes per pound	225 to 300°F air temperature	USDA: 8 to 16 lb, drip pan under the bird.
Spatchcocked in the oven	About 80 minutes for 12 to 14 lb	450°F	Backbone removed, bird flattened.
Bone-in turkey breast	1½ to 3¼ hours for 4 to 8 lb	325°F	See turkey breast for boneless, air fryer and slow cooker times.
Air fryer (breast only)	45 to 60 minutes	400°F	Butterball: about 7 to 10 minutes per pound.
Microwave	9 to 10 minutes per pound	Medium (50%) power	USDA: 12 to 14 lb maximum, in an oven bag, never stuffed.

When is a turkey done? The 165°F rule

USDA's safe minimum internal temperature for turkey is 165°F. Check three places with a food thermometer: the innermost part of the thigh, the innermost part of the wing, and the thickest part of the breast. Keep the probe away from bone, which reads hot. If the bird is stuffed, the center of the stuffing has to read 165°F as well.

Pop-up timers are a backup, not a measurement. USDA recommends checking with a thermometer even when the pop-up has popped. Juices that "run clear" and a leg that wiggles are not reliable signs either, and a correctly cooked turkey can still be pink near the bone.

Dark meat tastes better hotter. Many cooks take the breast to 165°F and let the thighs go to 175°F or more, where the connective tissue softens. The full explanation, with a probe placement guide, is in turkey temperature.

Classic roast turkey recipe (12 to 14 pounds)

This is the plain, dependable method: salt ahead, herb butter, a shallow pan, 325°F. It feeds 10 to 12 people with leftovers. The amounts below match the recipe card.

Ingredients

• 1 whole turkey, 12 to 14 lb (5.4 to 6.4 kg), fully thawed, giblets and neck removed
• 2½ tablespoons kosher salt (about 1 tablespoon per 5 pounds, the USDA dry-brine ratio)
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon each chopped fresh thyme and sage, plus a few whole sprigs
• 1 large onion, 2 carrots and 2 celery ribs, cut in large chunks
• 1 lemon, halved, and 1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
• 2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium chicken or turkey broth

Steps

1. Salt ahead (optional, 1 to 2 days before). Pat the turkey dry and rub the salt and pepper over the skin and inside the cavity. Refrigerate on a rimmed tray. If you skip this, salt it just before roasting. Do not salt a turkey labeled kosher, "basted" or "self-basting"; it is already seasoned.
2. Set up. Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C) with a rack in the lowest position. Scatter the onion, carrots and celery in a shallow roasting pan and set a flat rack on top. Pour in the broth.
3. Butter. Mix the butter with the chopped herbs. Loosen the breast skin with your fingers and push about half the butter underneath; rub the rest over the outside. Put the lemon, garlic and herb sprigs in the cavity. Tuck the wing tips behind the shoulders.
4. Roast. Place the turkey breast side up on the rack. Roast 3 to 3¾ hours for 12 to 14 pounds. Do not wash the turkey first; USDA advises against rinsing raw poultry because it spreads bacteria around the sink.
5. Shield. When the breast is golden, usually around the two-hour mark, lay a loose piece of foil over it. Add a splash of water if the pan goes dry.
6. Check. Begin taking temperatures at 2½ hours. The turkey is done at 165°F in the inner thigh, the wing joint and the thickest part of the breast.
7. Rest. Move the turkey to a carving board and rest it 30 minutes, uncovered or loosely tented. USDA's minimum is 20 minutes. Use the time to make gravy from the pan drippings.
8. Carve. Remove the legs, then the breasts, and slice across the grain. Step-by-step instructions are in how to carve a turkey.

For a juicier bird, plan the salt or a wet soak a day or two ahead. Ratios and timing for both are in turkey brine.

Should you stuff the turkey?

USDA's position is that, for optimum safety, stuffing is best cooked in a separate casserole dish. Stuffing inside the cavity soaks up raw juices and is the last thing in the oven to reach 165°F. If you do stuff the bird:

• Mix wet and dry ingredients just before filling, never the night before.
• Fill loosely, about ¾ cup of stuffing per pound of turkey (9 to 12 cups for a 12- to 16-pound bird).
• Put the turkey in the oven immediately after stuffing.
• Confirm 165°F in the center of the stuffing, then let the turkey stand 20 minutes before scooping it out.
• Never buy a fresh pre-stuffed turkey. Frozen pre-stuffed turkeys with a USDA inspection mark are cooked from frozen, following the package.

Basting, foil and breast-side-down: what helps

Basting. It flavors the skin but does not make the meat juicier, and USDA notes that each time the oven door opens the temperature drops and cooking time grows. If you baste, do it every 45 minutes at most. Butter under the skin does the same job with the door shut.

Foil. USDA offers two options: tent the breast loosely for the first 1 to 1½ hours and then remove it to brown, or roast uncovered and add the tent once the skin reaches the color you want. Butterball suggests covering the breast when the turkey is about two-thirds done. Either works. Do not wrap the whole bird tightly; it steams.

Water in the pan. A half cup of water or broth, as USDA suggests, keeps the drippings from scorching and gives you a base for gravy.

Room temperature. Up to an hour on the counter while the oven heats is fine and helps dry the skin. Raw poultry should never sit out for more than two hours total.

Before the oven: buying, thawing and brining

How much turkey to buy

USDA's baseline is 1 pound of whole turkey per person. Test kitchens such as The Kitchn recommend 1 to 1½ pounds per person if you want leftovers. For 10 guests that means a 10- to 15-pound bird. A table for 4 to 24 guests is in how much turkey per person.

Thawing in time for November 26

Refrigerator thawing takes about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds, and a thawed turkey keeps another 1 to 2 days in the fridge. For Thanksgiving 2026:

Turkey weight	Fridge thawing time	Move from freezer to fridge by
4 to 12 lb	1 to 3 days	Monday, November 23
12 to 16 lb	3 to 4 days	Sunday, November 22
16 to 20 lb	4 to 5 days	Saturday, November 21
20 to 24 lb	5 to 6 days	Friday, November 20

Running late, cold-water thawing takes about 30 minutes per pound with the water changed every 30 minutes: 6 to 8 hours for a 12- to 16-pound turkey. A fresh, never-frozen turkey should be bought only 1 to 2 days ahead, so Tuesday, November 24, or Wednesday, November 25. If you still need one on the day, check which stores are open on Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Day timeline

This schedule assumes a 14-pound unstuffed turkey, a 325°F conventional oven and dinner at 4:00 p.m. Shift everything by the difference in cooking time for your bird.

When	What to do
Sunday, Nov. 22	Move a 12- to 16-pound frozen turkey to the refrigerator.
Tuesday, Nov. 24	Start a dry brine, or buy a fresh turkey. Shop for everything else.
Wednesday, Nov. 25	Start a wet brine if using one (12 to 24 hours). Bake pies. Chop vegetables. Check that the bird has thawed; feel inside the cavity for ice.
Thursday 10:00 a.m.	Take the turkey out of the fridge. Pat dry, butter, set up the pan.
10:45 a.m.	Oven on at 325°F.
11:15 a.m.	Turkey in. Estimated cooking time 3¾ hours at most.
1:15 p.m.	Tent the breast with foil if it is brown enough.
2:15 p.m.	First temperature check. Repeat every 15 to 20 minutes.
2:45 to 3:15 p.m.	Turkey out at 165°F. Rest on the board. Raise the oven heat and bake the stuffing and sides.
3:15 p.m.	Make gravy from the drippings.
3:40 p.m.	Carve.
4:00 p.m.	Dinner.
By 6:00 p.m.	Leftovers off the table and into the refrigerator within two hours of serving.

A turkey that finishes early is not a problem. A whole rested bird holds its heat well, and hot gravy revives slices that have cooled. A turkey that finishes late is a problem, so build in the cushion. Hosting a potluck the weekend before instead? The Friendsgiving ideas guide covers how to split the menu.

Resting and carving

USDA recommends letting the turkey stand at least 20 minutes so the juices settle and the meat firms up for carving. Most test kitchens rest a whole bird 30 minutes. The internal temperature keeps climbing several degrees during the rest, which is another reason not to roast far past 165°F in the breast. Carve only what you expect to serve, and keep the rest on the bone, where it stays moist.

Leftovers: how long turkey lasts

• Two hours. USDA says to discard turkey, stuffing and gravy left at room temperature longer than 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F).
• Three to four days. Refrigerated cooked turkey, stuffing and gravy are good for 3 to 4 days. Turkey cooked on Thursday, November 26, should be eaten or frozen by Monday, November 30.
• Freezer. Frozen leftovers stay safe indefinitely; USDA suggests using them within 2 to 6 months for best quality.
• Cooling. Strip the meat from the carcass, slice the breast, and store in shallow containers so it chills fast. Do not refrigerate a whole cooked turkey with stuffing inside.
• Reheating. Reheat turkey to 165°F, covered, with a spoonful of broth. Bring gravy to a rolling boil.
• Raw turkey. A fresh or thawed raw turkey keeps only 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator. In the freezer, a whole turkey holds its quality for about a year.

Common mistakes that throw off the timing

1. Starting with a half-frozen bird. The most common cause of a late dinner. Check the cavity the night before.
2. Trusting the clock or the pop-up. Charts are estimates. Only a thermometer in three places confirms 165°F.
3. Roasting below 325°F. Low-and-slow overnight roasting is not safe for a whole turkey.
4. Packing the stuffing tight. Dense stuffing can add 30 minutes or more and dries the breast.
5. Opening the door every 20 minutes. Each look costs heat and time.
6. Rinsing the turkey. In a USDA study, 60 percent of people who washed raw poultry had bacteria in the sink afterward. Pat it dry with paper towels instead.
7. Skipping the rest. Carving straight from the oven sends the juices onto the board.
8. Leaving the giblet bag inside. Check both the main cavity and the neck cavity before the bird goes in.

Who to call on Thanksgiving Day

The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline, 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854), answers food safety questions in English and Spanish on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern. In recent years, including 2025, it has also been staffed on Thanksgiving Day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern. USDA had not posted its 2026 holiday hours as of October 14, 2026; they are usually confirmed in mid-November. Butterball's Turkey Talk-Line, 1-800-BUTTERBALL, operates during November and December.

Once the bird is handled, the rest of the table is easier. Our apple pie and pumpkin recipes can be made a day ahead, and there are ready-to-send Thanksgiving wishes for the people who cannot be there.