How Long to Cook a Turkey: Times by Weight, Thawing and a Thanksgiving Timeline
Published 2026-10-27
The turkey is the one dish that can push Thanksgiving dinner back by an hour. The good news is that the timing is predictable once you know the weight. This guide uses the USDA's roasting chart; to get times for your exact turkey and dinner time, use the turkey calculator.
Turkey cooking time by weight (325°F)
| Turkey weight | Unstuffed | Stuffed |
|---|---|---|
| 4–8 lb (breast) | 1½–3¼ hours | 2½–3½ hours (6–8 lb) |
| 8–12 lb | 2¾–3 hours | 3–3½ hours |
| 12–14 lb | 3–3¾ hours | 3½–4 hours |
| 14–18 lb | 3¾–4¼ hours | 4–4¼ hours |
| 18–20 lb | 4¼–4½ hours | 4¼–4¾ hours |
| 20–24 lb | 4½–5 hours | 4¾–5¼ hours |
Times are for a fully thawed turkey in a 325°F oven. A turkey cooked from frozen takes about 50% longer. The turkey is done when a food thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the thigh and the wing. Do not rely on the pop-up timer alone.
How big a turkey do you need?
Plan on about 1 pound of whole turkey per person, or 1½ pounds if you want leftovers. Count children as half a portion.
- 6 people: an 8 to 10 lb turkey
- 8 people: 12 to 14 lb with leftovers
- 12 people: 18 to 20 lb with leftovers
- 20 or more: two medium turkeys cook more evenly than one huge one
How long to thaw a turkey
Thawing is where most plans go wrong, because a large frozen turkey needs days, not hours.
| Weight | In the refrigerator | In cold water |
|---|---|---|
| 4–12 lb | 1–3 days | 2–6 hours |
| 12–16 lb | 3–4 days | 6–8 hours |
| 16–20 lb | 4–5 days | 8–10 hours |
| 20–24 lb | 5–6 days | 10–12 hours |
For a Thursday dinner, a 16 lb turkey should go into the fridge by Sunday. For a cold-water thaw, keep the turkey in its wrapper, cover it completely, change the water every 30 minutes and cook it as soon as it is thawed. Never thaw a turkey on the counter.
A simple Thanksgiving day timeline
Here is an example for a 14 lb unstuffed turkey with dinner at 4:00 PM:
- 11:25 AM: preheat the oven to 325°F.
- 11:55 AM: turkey goes in.
- 2:25 PM: start checking the temperature.
- 3:40 PM at the latest: out of the oven at 165°F, covered loosely with foil.
- 3:40–4:00 PM: let it rest about 20 minutes while you make the gravy, then carve.
The resting time is not wasted: the juices settle back into the meat, and the oven is free for the sides.
Tips for a juicy turkey
- Pat the skin dry and season it the night before for crisper skin.
- Roast breast-side up on a rack in a shallow pan.
- If the breast browns too fast, cover it with a loose tent of foil.
- Cooking the stuffing in a separate dish is quicker and easier to get to a safe 165°F.
Counting down? See exactly how many days until Thanksgiving.