Find out just how long to make the turkey, and so you lot tin finish stressing together with get-go planning your Thanksgiving repast. Follow these unproblematic turkey cooking time charts for roasting a whole turkey, per pound. I’ve included baking times for stuffed and unstuffed turkeys, too as turkey breast.
How long does it take to prepare a turkey for Thanksgiving?
When Thanksgiving rolls around, ane of the biggest stressors is cooking the perfect Thanksgiving turkey. For me, the hardest part of planning is figuring out how long it takes to ready the turkey.
To brand things easier for myself (too for yous), I place together these turkey roasting fourth dimension charts (pound by pound), and then I can gauge together with plan without the hassle. I did the math for turkeys of all sizes–equally modest as ii-iii pounds, as well as every bit large as 24 pounds. You’ll observe cooking time estimates for turkeys both stuffed together with unstuffed. And I’ve included fourth dimension charts for cooking turkey breast likewise!
How Long to Cook a Turkey Per Pound (Charts)
Keep these turkey cooking times handy, then y'all know how long to cook your whole turkey or turkey chest inward the oven. If you lot are planning to prepare your turkey with a different method, scroll downwardly to the FAQ for around more time estimates.
Note: These roasting times are all estimates–the exact fourth dimension may vary depending on your oven, the kernel-to-os ratio of your turkey, as well as other factors. Make sure your turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165°F earlier consuming.
Whole Turkey Cooking Time (Unstuffed)
As an approximate, fix a whole turkey inward the oven for near 13-xv minutes per pound. I’ve done the math for you for a turkey between eight pounds as well as 24 pounds, roasted at 325°F.
| Turkey Size (Pounds) | Roasting Time |
|---|---|
| eight-11 lbs. | two-3 hours |
| 12 lbs. | 3 hours |
| xiii lbs. | iii hours, 15 minutes |
| xiv lbs. | three hours, thirty minutes |
| 15 lbs. | 3 hours, 45 minutes |
| xvi lbs. | four hours |
| 17 lbs. | 4 hours, xv minutes |
| 18 lbs. | four hours, thirty minutes |
| nineteen lbs. | 4 hours, 45 minutes |
| 20 lbs. | five hours |
| 21-24 lbs. | five-half dozen hours |
Note: Smaller turkeys (nether 12 pounds) too larger turkeys (over twenty pounds) don’t follow the xv minute rule quite likewise, then I’ve included a reach. Always go along an middle on your turkey as well as check the internal temp to make certain yous don’t overcook it.
Stuffed Turkey Cooking Time
As a general dominion of pollex, add 30 minutes (per pound) to the roasting fourth dimension if your turkey is stuffed.
| Turkey Size (Pounds) | Roasting Time |
|---|---|
| eight-xi lbs. | ii one/two – 3 one/two hours |
| 12 lbs. | three hours, 30 minutes |
| xiii lbs. | 3 hours, 45 minutes |
| 14 lbs. | four hours |
| xv lbs. | 4 hours, xv minutes |
| xvi lbs. | four hours, xxx minutes |
| 17 lbs. | iv hours, 45 minutes |
| eighteen lbs. | v hours |
| xix lbs. | five hours, fifteen minutes |
| twenty lbs. | v hours, xxx minutes |
| 21-24 lbs. | five one/ii – half-dozen hours |
Note: I don’t recommend cooking stuffing inside the turkey, because it is much harder to get fully cooked stuffing without overcooking your turkey. Instead, make stuffing exterior of the turkey (aka dressing).
Turkey Breast Cooking Time
Generally, estimate fifteen-20 minutes of roasting fourth dimension per pound for turkey breasts, cooking at 325°F.
| Turkey Breast Size (Pounds) | Roasting Time |
|---|---|
| ii-3 lbs. | 45-hr |
| 4-5 lbs. | one 60 minutes, 15 minutes |
| half dozen lbs. | one hr, thirty minutes |
| vii lbs. | one hour, 45 minutes |
| viii lbs. | ii hours |
| 9 lbs. | two hours, fifteen minutes |
| ten lbs. | 2 hours, xxx minutes |
| 11 lbs. | two hours, 45 minutes |
| 12 lbs. | three hours |
How make y'all know when the turkey is done?
The time charts will assist yous judge roasting fourth dimension for your turkey, only they are non 100% guaranteed. The best too nigh accurate manner to know when your turkey is done, is to cheque the internal temperature.
- Begin checking the internal temperature of the turkey nearly an 60 minutes earlier it’s gear up to be finished, inward xv minute intervals.
- Use an instant read pith thermometer to bank check for doneness.
- Insert the center thermometer inwards iii unlike spots to brand certain it’sec fully cooked through: innermost role of the thigh, innermost office of the fly, as well as thickest role of the chest.
Turkey should achieve 165°F earlier consuming. Since it will continue cooking slightly while resting, I recommend removing it from the oven when the breast reads betwixt 150-155°F, and the thigh should be about 160°F. Dark nitty-gritty is improve when it’sec cooked to a slightly higher temp, so it’second okay (adept, actually) if it ends upwards closer to 170-180°F subsequently resting.
When should I showtime cooking my turkey for Thanksgiving?
When it comes to planning your Thanksgiving turkey journeying, their are a few things to view inwards add-on to the turkey roasting time.
- Turkey Thawing Time: Estimate 24 hours of defrosting fourth dimension for every v pounds of turkey.
- Brining Time: If y'all are going to moisture brine or dry brine your turkey, that may demand extra fourth dimension.
- Prepping to Roast: You’ll need to fully preheat your oven, and allow your turkey come up to room temperature. Estimate ane 60 minutes for this.
- Turkey Resting Time: And later on cooking, your turkey volition postulate to balance before carving in addition to serving. This time allows the juices to live fully absorbed past the inwardness. Estimate 20-45 minutes of rest time.
So commencement defrosting days ahead, become your oven cook an hour early, use the turkey cooking chart higher up to plan, together with add together virtually one-half an hour (residual time) earlier yous design to sit downwards in addition to swallow.
All turkey should attain an internal temperature of 165°F before consuming. White nitty-gritty (breast) is best at 165°F, patch nighttime center (legs) is best at 170-180°F.
I recommend roasting your turkey at 325°F for irksome too even cooking. Setting your oven to 350°F won’t brand a huge deviation, merely it volition ready slightly faster, so first checking it before.
Although I would recommend fully thawing your turkey, it is safe to fix a turkey straight from frozen without defrosting. But the cooking time will increment by at to the lowest degree 50%. For example, if roasting a thawed, 12-pound unstuffed turkey takes near 3 hours, so cooking it from frozen would take closer to iv ½ hours.
Yes! Cooking a turkey alongside stuffing takes slightly longer than cooking a turkey without stuffing–nearly xxx minutes extra per pound–because you require to ensure the stuffing is fully cooked.
It takes 3-five minutes per pound to deep tyke a whole turkey. You can also deep nestling turkey breast inward virtually the same timeframe.
Estimate xxx minutes per pound when smoking a turkey at 225-250°F.
A spatchcocked turkey volition ready much faster–near 8-x minutes per pound, roasting at 425°F.
Now that y'all know exactly how long it takes to prepare a turkey inwards the oven, you’ll be ready for Thanksgiving day! Keep these turkey cooking fourth dimension charts on hand (bookmark or pin) and then that y'all accept them handy when you need them every year.
Thanksgiving Cooking Guides
Get more than help, guidance, as well as recipes for your turkey in addition to Thanksgiving meal!
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