Turkey Cooking Time Per Pound: Roasting & Thawing Chart

Roasting a whole turkey is the one time of year many of us cook something this big, and the questions are always the same: how long does it take, when do I start thawing it, and how big a bird do I need? This guide answers all three with the official USDA food-safety timings, in pounds and kilograms, Fahrenheit and Celsius.

Turkey cooking time per pound at 325°F

The USDA recommends roasting a whole turkey at 325°F (163°C). These are the timings from the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service for a fresh or fully thawed bird:

Turkey weight	Unstuffed	Stuffed
4–8 lb / 1.8–3.6 kg (breast)	1½ to 3¼ hours	2½ to 3½ hours (6–8 lb)
8–12 lb / 3.6–5.4 kg	2¾ to 3 hours	3 to 3½ hours
12–14 lb / 5.4–6.4 kg	3 to 3¾ hours	3½ to 4 hours
14–18 lb / 6.4–8.2 kg	3¾ to 4¼ hours	4 to 4¼ hours
18–20 lb / 8.2–9.1 kg	4¼ to 4½ hours	4¼ to 4¾ hours
20–24 lb / 9.1–10.9 kg	4½ to 5 hours	4¾ to 5¼ hours

As a rough rule, that works out to about 13–15 minutes per pound for an unstuffed turkey (about 30 minutes per kilogram), a little more if it is stuffed. Larger birds take fewer minutes per pound than small ones, which is why the chart is more reliable than the rule.

How to know it’s done: 165°F

Times are only a guide. The turkey is safely cooked when a food thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) in all three of these places:

the innermost part of the thigh,
the innermost part of the wing,
the thickest part of the breast.

Don’t let the bone touch the thermometer tip, as bone heats faster than meat. If the turkey is stuffed, the center of the stuffing must also reach 165°F; stuffing inside the bird is often the last part to get there, which is why many cooks bake it separately.

When it’s done, let the turkey rest for 20 minutes before carving. The juices settle back into the meat, and carving is much cleaner.

Why your turkey might take longer (or shorter)

The oven runs cool. Many home ovens are 10–25°F off. An inexpensive oven thermometer tells you the truth.
The bird is still partly frozen. An icy center can add an hour or more. A turkey cooked straight from frozen takes at least 50% longer than a thawed one.
Opening the door often. Every look lets heat escape. Baste less and trust the thermometer.
A dark roasting pan cooks a little faster than a shiny one.
Convection (fan) ovens roast faster. Start checking the temperature about 30 minutes early, or lower the oven by about 25°F (15°C). See our oven temperature converter for fan settings and Celsius.

How long to thaw a frozen turkey

Thawing is where most turkey plans go wrong: a big bird needs days, not hours. There are two safe methods.

In the refrigerator (best)

Allow roughly 24 hours for every 4–5 pounds. Keep it in its wrapper, on a tray to catch drips, in a fridge at 40°F (4°C) or colder.

Turkey weight	Fridge thawing time	Cold water thawing time
4–12 lb (1.8–5.4 kg)	1 to 3 days	2 to 6 hours
12–16 lb (5.4–7.3 kg)	3 to 4 days	6 to 8 hours
16–20 lb (7.3–9.1 kg)	4 to 5 days	8 to 10 hours
20–24 lb (9.1–10.9 kg)	5 to 6 days	10 to 12 hours

In cold water (faster)

Keep the turkey in its sealed wrapper, submerge it completely in cold tap water, and change the water every 30 minutes. That works out to about 30 minutes per pound. A turkey thawed this way must be cooked right away.

Never thaw a turkey on the counter: the outside sits in the temperature range where bacteria multiply while the inside is still frozen.

When to start thawing for Thanksgiving 2026

Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26, 2026. Using the longest fridge times above, move the turkey from the freezer to the fridge by:

Turkey weight	Put it in the fridge by
4–12 lb	Monday, November 23
12–16 lb	Sunday, November 22
16–20 lb	Saturday, November 21
20–24 lb	Friday, November 20

A bird that thaws a day early is fine: a thawed turkey keeps in the fridge for a day or two before cooking.

How much turkey per person

The USDA guideline is 1 pound of turkey per person for a whole bird (bone and all), or 1¼ pounds per person for a frozen pre-stuffed turkey. If you want leftovers for sandwiches, plan on about 1½ pounds per person.

Guests	Turkey size (1 lb each)	With leftovers (1½ lb each)
4	4–6 lb (or a turkey breast)	6–8 lb
8	8–10 lb	12 lb
12	12–14 lb	18 lb
16	16–18 lb	24 lb
20	20–22 lb	Two 14–16 lb birds

For more than about 20 people, two medium turkeys are easier than one giant one: they cook faster, more evenly, and fit in a normal oven.

A simple roasting timeline

The days before: thaw in the fridge (see the table above).
Morning of: take the turkey out of the fridge about 30 minutes before it goes in. Remove the neck and giblets from the cavities and pat the skin dry.
Heat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Put the turkey breast-side up on a rack in a roasting pan.
Roast using the chart for its weight. If the breast browns too fast, tent it loosely with foil.
Check the temperature about 30 minutes before the earliest time in the chart.
At 165°F in the thigh, wing and breast, take it out and rest it for 20 minutes, then carve.

Work backwards from when you want to eat: cooking time + 20 minutes resting + about 30 minutes of buffer for a slow oven.

Can you roast at a lower or higher temperature?

Don’t go lower. The USDA advises against roasting a turkey below 325°F: at lower oven temperatures the meat spends too long in the range where bacteria grow before it gets hot enough. Some cooks start at a higher temperature (around 425°F / 220°C) for the first 30 minutes to brown the skin, then drop to 325°F. That shortens the total time a little, so start checking the thermometer early.

Storing leftovers safely

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking. Carve the meat off the bones first and store it in shallow containers so it cools quickly. Leftover turkey keeps for 3 to 4 days in the fridge, or several months in the freezer. Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), and gravy until it boils.

Cooking the sides in metric?

Holiday recipes from different countries mix cups, grams and Fahrenheit. Our recipe converter turns a whole ingredient list into grams, and the guide to converting US recipes to metric covers temperatures and pan sizes. Baking pies too? See how many cups are in a can of pumpkin.

Quick answers

How long to cook a 12 lb turkey? About 2¾ to 3 hours unstuffed at 325°F, 3 to 3½ hours stuffed.
How long to cook a 15 lb turkey? About 3¾ to 4¼ hours unstuffed, 4 to 4¼ hours stuffed.
How long to cook a 20 lb turkey? About 4¼ to 4½ hours unstuffed (the 18–20 lb range), 4¼ to 4¾ hours stuffed.
What temperature is turkey done? 165°F (74°C) in the thigh, wing and breast.
How long to thaw a 20 lb turkey? 4 to 5 days in the fridge, or 8 to 10 hours in cold water.

Roasting times, internal temperature, resting time and serving sizes follow USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service guidance; thawing tables follow FoodSafety.gov.