What this calculator does
Roasting time is roughly 13 minutes per pound unstuffed at 325°F, or 15 minutes per pound stuffed. A 16 lb unstuffed bird is therefore about 3 hours 28 minutes, and thawing is the longer job: a day in the fridge for every 4 lb, so four days for the same bird.
Every one of those figures is a planning estimate and none of them is a doneness test. The only thing that establishes a turkey is cooked is a thermometer reading 74°C or 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone, and in the centre of the stuffing if the bird is stuffed.
The formula
Roasting time is the weight multiplied by 13 minutes per pound unstuffed or 15 stuffed, at a 325°F oven. Fridge thawing is one day per 4 lb and cold water thawing is 30 minutes per pound with the water changed every 30 minutes. The rates are standard food safety guidance, and the roasting figure in particular varies with oven accuracy and whether the bird starts fully chilled.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 325°F | About 163°C, the conventional roasting temperature these rates assume. |
| Stuffed | Adds about 2 minutes per pound, and requires the stuffing itself to reach a safe temperature. |
| Safe internal temperature | 74°C or 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh, and in the centre of any stuffing. |
| Resting | 20 to 30 minutes after roasting, during which the temperature continues to rise a little. |
The inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Turkey weight (lb) | Turkey weight in pounds. |
| Stuffed? | Whether the bird is stuffed, which slows cooking because the stuffing has to come up to temperature too. |
When to use it
Planning a holiday meal
Working backwards from when the meal is served, through resting time and roasting time to when the bird goes in, and further back still to when thawing has to start.
Deciding when to start thawing
Fridge thawing is the slow step and the one most often started too late. A 20 lb bird needs five days, which has to be planned well before the roasting is thought about.
Choosing a thawing method
Cold water thawing is roughly five times faster but requires the water changed every 30 minutes throughout, which is a real commitment for a large bird.
Worked examples
Every figure in the tables below is produced by this page’s own calculator at build time, so the numbers and the tool always agree. Select any row to load that scenario.
How long does each turkey size take?
A range of turkey weights with roasting and both thawing methods.
| Turkey weight | Roasting time (325°F) | Fridge thawing time | Cold-water thawing time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 lb | 1 h 44 min | 2.0 days | 4 h 0 min |
| 12 lb | 2 h 36 min | 3.0 days | 6 h 0 min |
| 16 lb | 3 h 28 min | 4.0 days | 8 h 0 min |
| 20 lb | 4 h 20 min | 5.0 days | 10 h 0 min |
Questions
How long to cook a turkey per pound?
About 13 minutes per pound unstuffed at 325°F, or 15 minutes per pound stuffed. These are estimates for planning: oven calibration, how cold the bird is going in and whether it is covered all shift the real time, sometimes considerably.
What temperature should turkey reach?
74°C or 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh, measured without touching bone. If the bird is stuffed, the centre of the stuffing must reach the same temperature, which is the reason stuffed birds take longer and why many cooks bake the stuffing separately instead.
Can I thaw a turkey at room temperature?
No. The outer layers spend hours in the temperature range where bacteria multiply rapidly while the centre is still frozen. Fridge thawing or cold water with the water changed every 30 minutes are the two safe methods.
Should I rest the turkey before carving?
Yes, 20 to 30 minutes. The internal temperature continues to rise several degrees during that time, and the juices redistribute so that carving does not lose them. A bird carved straight from the oven loses noticeably more liquid to the board.
For thawing times on their own, see the turkey thawing calculator. For ham instead of turkey, see the ham cooking time calculator.