How long to cook a turkey: cooking times, thawing and timeline

The short answer: how long to cook a turkey depends mostly on its weight and whether it is stuffed. Whatever the clock says, it's done when a food thermometer reads 165°F.

• At 325°F, 12 to 14 lb unstuffed: about 3 to 3¾ hours
• 20 to 24 lb: about 4½ to 5 hours
• Thaw safely in the refrigerator or in cold water
• Don't forget the rest time
• Next step: Plan it with the Family Recipe Binder ($6.99).

How long to cook a turkey depends mostly on its weight and whether it is stuffed. At 325°F, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service's Let's Talk Turkey roasting guide puts a 12 to 14 pound unstuffed turkey at about 3 to 3¾ hours and a 20 to 24 pound turkey at about 4½ to 5 hours. Whatever the clock says, the turkey is done when a food thermometer reads 165°F.

Below you will find the full turkey cooking time charts for stuffed and unstuffed birds, how long to thaw a turkey, a timeline that works backward from dinner, and what to do with leftovers. Our Thanksgiving countdown shows the date to move a frozen bird to the fridge.

Turkey cooking time chart (unstuffed, 325°F)

These are the FSIS times for a fully thawed, unstuffed turkey roasted at 325°F:

If you want a quick estimate, these ranges work out to roughly 13 to 15 minutes per pound for most mid-size birds. That per-pound math is only a planning tool. Ovens vary, and a turkey straight from a cold fridge cooks more slowly than one that has sat out briefly while you prep.

Turkey cooking time chart (stuffed, 325°F)

Stuffing slows the cooking because heat has to reach the center of the cavity. FSIS lists these times for a stuffed turkey:

The stuffing must reach 165°F in the center, just like the meat. Many hosts bake the stuffing in a separate dish so the turkey cooks faster and the stuffing gets a crisp top.

How to tell when the turkey is done

The only reliable test is a food thermometer. FSIS says to check the internal temperature in three places:

Once it's done, let it rest. Our guide on how to carve a turkey covers the resting time, the tools and the step-by-step cuts.

1. The innermost part of the thigh, without touching bone.
2. The innermost part of the wing.
3. The thickest part of the breast.

All three should read at least 165°F. If the turkey is stuffed, check the center of the stuffing too. Pop-up timers are a helpful signal, but confirm with a thermometer. When it is done, let the turkey rest about 20 minutes before carving so the juices settle.

How long to cook a turkey per pound (and when the math breaks)

People often ask how long to cook a turkey per pound because it is easy to multiply. Here is what the FSIS ranges look like as a per-pound guide:

Short on time? A spatchcock turkey roasts flat and finishes much faster than a whole bird. Our guide has the steps and the times.

Notice that bigger birds need fewer minutes per pound. That is why a single "15 minutes per pound" rule tends to overcook a large turkey. Use the weight chart for planning and the thermometer for the final call. Start checking the temperature about 30 minutes before the low end of the range.

How to thaw a turkey safely

A frozen turkey has to thaw before it can follow the charts above, and thawing takes longer than most people expect. The FSIS Big Thaw guide explains that perishable food should never be thawed on the counter or in hot water, because the outer layer can sit in the "danger zone" between 40°F and 140°F where bacteria multiply. There are three safe ways to thaw a turkey.

For a chart by weight and start dates for Thanksgiving 2026, see how long to thaw a turkey. Planning to brine? Our guide on how to brine a turkey covers wet and dry brines, salt ratios and how to fit it into the thaw.

In the refrigerator (best for planning ahead). Allow about one day for every 4 to 5 pounds:

A turkey thawed in the fridge stays safe for another 1 to 2 days before cooking.

In cold water (faster, more hands-on). Keep the turkey in a leak-proof bag, submerge it in cold tap water and change the water every 30 minutes. Allow about 30 minutes per pound:

Cook the turkey immediately after it thaws in cold water.

In the microwave. Only if your turkey fits and your microwave's manual allows it. Cook it immediately afterward, because parts of the bird may start to warm during thawing.

Cooking from frozen. If you run out of time, FSIS says it is safe to cook a turkey from frozen. It will take at least 50 percent longer than the times in the charts.

A Thanksgiving turkey timeline that works backward from dinner

Here is a sample plan for a 16 pound unstuffed turkey and a 4 p.m. dinner:

If your bird is larger, move every step earlier. Build a little buffer into the plan, because a turkey can take longer than expected.

Common turkey timing mistakes

Most Thanksgiving turkey problems are timing problems, not recipe problems. Watch for these:

• Starting to thaw too late. A 20 pound turkey needs about five days in the fridge. If Thursday is the day, that means moving it from the freezer by the weekend before.
• Leaving the giblets inside. Check both the body cavity and the neck cavity for the giblet bag before roasting. If you are cooking from frozen, remove it with tongs once it loosens.
• Trusting the clock over the thermometer. The charts are ranges. Your oven, pan and how cold the turkey was going in all change the real time. Check 165°F in the thigh, wing and thickest part of the breast.
• Opening the oven again and again. Each peek lets heat out. Check the temperature at set times instead of every few minutes.
• Forgetting the rest time. Carving right away lets juices run out onto the board. The 20-minute rest is also when you finish the gravy and warm the sides.
• Planning the sides around a busy oven. The turkey fills the oven for hours, so plan stovetop, slow cooker or make-ahead sides, and bake casseroles while the turkey rests.

Writing each of these on a timeline a few days ahead is the easiest way to avoid them.

Buying the right size turkey

FSIS suggests about 1 pound of turkey per person, or 1¼ pounds per person for a frozen pre-stuffed bird. For 12 guests, that means a 12 to 14 pound turkey with some leftovers. If you buy fresh, do it only 1 to 2 days before cooking. If you buy frozen, count the thawing days backward from Thursday before you shop. Our Thanksgiving grocery list covers the rest of the shopping.

Not sure what size to buy? Our chart on how much turkey per person covers 4 to 30 guests, with and without leftovers.

Leftovers: how long turkey keeps

FSIS gives clear limits for leftovers:

• Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour if the room is above 90°F.
• Refrigerated turkey leftovers keep 3 to 4 days.
• Frozen leftovers are best within 2 to 6 months.
• Reheat leftovers to 165°F.

Cut the meat off the bone and store it in shallow containers so it cools quickly. For ideas, see our Thanksgiving leftovers meal plan.

If you have a food safety question on the day, the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline is 1-888-674-6854.

Plan the whole day on paper

The turkey is the longest item on the schedule, so it sets the timing for everything else. The Meal Planner & Grocery List: Thanksgiving Edition ($4.99) is a 14-page printable with a Thanksgiving Day timeline, a guest and dish sign-up sheet, a dinner plan and prep page, a grocery list, recipe cards and pantry and freezer inventory pages. Write the thaw start date and the oven time on the timeline the week before, and the day runs more smoothly.

While the turkey rests, make the gravy. Our guide on how to make gravy shows pan-drippings, make-ahead and no-drippings methods.

If your family has a turkey or stuffing recipe worth keeping, the Family Recipe Binder ($6.99) has a Holidays section, recipe page layouts and 4x6 recipe cards. For the full menu and schedule, see our guide on how to plan Thanksgiving dinner.

Before the bird goes in the oven, rub it with our easy homemade turkey seasoning. It mixes up quickly from dried herbs and spices.