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Turkey Cooking Time Calculator
Work out how long to roast a turkey by weight, stuffed or not, how long to thaw it, and when it must go in the oven for dinner on time, from the USDA's own roasting and thawing tables.
Turkey Cooking Time Calculator: The times come straight from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service's roasting timetable for a 325 °F oven, stuffed and unstuffed, from 4 to 24 pounds, with its thawing rules: about 24 hours in the fridge for every 4 to 5 pounds, or 30 minutes a pound in cold water. Roasting from frozen takes at least half as long again. The schedule works back from serving time, allowing 20 minutes to rest before carving. Runs 100% locally in your browser with zero server file uploads.
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Roasting time at 325 °F (163 °C)
16 lb3 h 45 min – 4 h 15 min
These are USDA's approximate times for an oven at 325 °F (163 °C). Ovens and birds vary, so the thermometer decides when it is done, not the clock.
Plan the day
Pick when you want to eat, and the page works back to when the turkey goes in.
How big a turkey?
USDA suggests 1 lb per person: 12 lb for 12.
Timing the day
A thawed turkey can wait in the fridge for a day or two, so start thawing early rather than late: a 20 lb bird needs 4 to 5 days, which for a Thursday dinner means the weekend before. If the day arrives and it is still partly frozen, cold water speeds things up, and roasting it from frozen is safe if you allow at least half as long again.
The range in the table exists because ovens, pans, and birds differ. Start checking the temperature at the short end of the range, and plan the side dishes for the long end; the 20 minutes the turkey rests is when the oven is free for them. An online timer with a few labelled timers keeps the dishes straight.
Stuffing, safely
USDA recommends cooking stuffing in a separate dish, where it heats more evenly. If you stuff the bird, mix the wet and dry ingredients just before filling, pack it loosely, put the turkey in the oven straight away, and check that the centre of the stuffing reaches 165 °F as well as the meat. A stuffed bird takes longer, which the calculator includes. To count down the days to the dinner itself, use the countdown.
How to use it
- Enter the turkey's weight in pounds or kilograms, and whether it is stuffed or still frozen.
- Read the roasting time at 325 °F, the safe temperature, and the thawing time.
- Pick when dinner is served to see when to start thawing, when it goes in, and when to take it out to rest.
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Everything is calculated in your browser. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere.
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Frequently asked questions
How do I know when the turkey is done?
With a food thermometer, not the clock or the colour: the turkey is safe at 165 °F (74 °C) in the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the thigh, and the wing. A pop-up indicator is not enough on its own. Stuffing must reach 165 °F in its centre too.
How long does a turkey take to thaw?
In the refrigerator, about a day for every 4 to 5 pounds: 4 to 5 days for a 20 lb bird. In cold water, about 30 minutes a pound, changing the water every half hour, and cook it straight away. Never thaw it on the counter.
Can I roast a turkey that is still frozen?
Yes, it is safe, but it takes at least 50 percent longer than a thawed one, and you need to pull out the giblet bag with tongs once it has thawed enough. A frozen turkey sold already stuffed is different: cook it from frozen exactly as its package directs.
How big a turkey do I need?
USDA suggests 1 pound per person, or 1¼ pounds for a frozen turkey sold already stuffed. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of serving.
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