How long will my turkey take to cook?
Whether its for Thanksgiving dinner or any other gathering, we are here to help you make the best turkey ever.
A lot of you wrote in asking for times for your specific turkey size. Use the USDA chart below as a guide–we all need to have some idea in order to plan the rest of the meal. This chart assumes you are cooking the turkey at 325°F (which the USDA recommends as the minimum oven temperature to use). But keep in mind–this chart is a guide only, and you need to take the turkey's temperature with a thermometer to check for doneness.
Timetables for Turkey Roasting (325°F oven temperature)
Use the timetables below to determine how long to cook your turkey. These times are approximate. Always use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of your turkey and stuffing.
| Unstuffed | |
| 4 to 8 pounds (breast) | 1 1/2 to 3 1/4 hours |
| 8 to 12 pounds | 2 3/4 to 3 hours |
| 12 to 14 pounds | 3 to 3 3/4 hours |
| 14 to 18 pounds | 3 3/4 to 4 1/4 hours |
| 18 to 20 pounds | 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 hours |
| 20 to 24 pounds | 4 1/2 to 5 hours |
| Stuffed | |
| 4 to 6 pounds (breast) | Not usually applicable |
| 6 to 8 pounds (breast) | 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours |
| 8 to 12 pounds | 3 to 3 1/2 hours |
| 12 to 14 pounds | 3 1/2 to 4 hours |
| 14 to 18 pounds | 4 to 4 1/4 hours |
| 18 to 20 pounds | 4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours |
| 20 to 24 pounds | 4 3/4 to 5 1/4 hours |
For more information, see Top Turkey Questions Answered.