USDA turkey cooking time table (325°F, thawed)
These are the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service estimates for a fully thawed whole turkey in an oven set to 325°F. They are approximate. Oven calibration, how cold the bird is going in, the pan, and how often the door opens all move the real time, so start checking with a food thermometer toward the short end of the range.
| Weight | Unstuffed | Stuffed |
|---|---|---|
| 4 to 8 lb* | 1½ to 2¾ hours | 1¾ to 3 hours |
| 8 to 12 lb | 2¾ to 3 hours | 3 to 3½ hours |
| 12 to 14 lb | 3 to 3¾ hours | 3½ to 4 hours |
| 14 to 18 lb | 3¾ to 4¼ hours | 4 to 4¼ hours |
| 18 to 20 lb | 4¼ to 4½ hours | 4¼ to 4¾ hours |
| 20 to 24 lb | 4½ to 5 hours | 4¾ to 5¼ hours |
| 24 to 30 lb* | 5 to 6 hours | 5¼ to 6¼ hours |
* The USDA table runs from 8 to 24 pounds. The shaded rows are our extension: the 4-to-8 pound row follows USDA's whole-breast guidance for the same weights, and the 24-to-30 pound row continues the table's rate of roughly 15 minutes per added 2 pounds. Treat both as rougher estimates and lean on the thermometer.
USDA's other cooking rules: set the oven no lower than 325°F; place the turkey breast side up on a rack in a shallow pan; a loose tent of foil over the breast for the first 1 to 1½ hours slows browning; and a frozen or partially frozen turkey is safe to roast but takes at least 50 percent longer. Whole turkey breast, bone in, at 325°F: 4 to 6 pounds, 1½ to 2¼ hours; 6 to 8 pounds, 2¼ to 3¼ hours.
USDA turkey thawing time table
USDA allows three thawing methods: in the refrigerator at 40°F or below, in cold water, and in the microwave. Never on the counter, in the garage, on the porch, or in warm water. A turkey thawed in cold water or the microwave must be cooked immediately. A turkey thawed in the refrigerator can wait 1 to 2 more days before cooking, and it can be refrozen without cooking, with some loss of quality.
| Weight | Refrigerator (40°F) 24 hours per 4 to 5 lb | Cold water 30 minutes per lb, change water every 30 min |
|---|---|---|
| 4 to 12 lb | 1 to 3 days | 2 to 6 hours |
| 12 to 16 lb | 3 to 4 days | 6 to 8 hours |
| 16 to 20 lb | 4 to 5 days | 8 to 10 hours |
| 20 to 24 lb | 5 to 6 days | 10 to 12 hours |
| 24 to 30 lb* | 6 to 8 days | 12 to 15 hours |
* Extended from the USDA rates above; the published table ends at 24 pounds.
For cold-water thawing, keep the turkey in its original wrapper or a leak-proof bag so the meat does not absorb water and bacteria from the sink. Microwave thawing follows the oven manufacturer's minutes-per-pound guidance and the bird must go straight into the oven afterward.
How much turkey per person
USDA's rule of thumb is 1 pound of whole turkey per person. Plan 1½ pounds per person if you want meaningful leftovers or your crowd is heavy on dark-meat fans, since bone and carcass make up a good share of the weight. For 8 people that is an 8-to-12 pound bird; for 12 people, 12 to 18 pounds; for 16 or more, 16 to 24 pounds or two smaller birds, which also thaw and roast faster than one giant one.
When to buy
A frozen turkey can be bought weeks or months ahead. Kept frozen at 0°F it is safe indefinitely; USDA says quality holds best within about a year. The constraint is thaw time, not purchase time: count back from the meal using the table above. A fresh turkey is different. USDA advises buying it only 1 to 2 days before you cook it, and keeping it refrigerated at 40°F or below until it goes in the oven. Fresh pre-stuffed turkeys are not recommended; frozen pre-stuffed turkeys carrying the USDA or state mark of inspection should be cooked from frozen, following the package directions, not thawed first.
Brining
Brining changes flavor and moisture, not the USDA roasting table or the 165°F rule. A brined bird still goes in at 325°F and still comes out when the thermometer says so. Two safety points: the turkey must stay at 40°F or below the whole time it brines, which usually means the refrigerator or a cooler packed with ice, and the brine should be discarded afterward, not reused. Most frozen supermarket turkeys are already injected with a salt solution ("self-basting" or "enhanced" on the label), so extra salt brining can oversalt them; check the ingredient line first. Skip rinsing the raw bird afterward beyond what is needed to remove brine; USDA warns that washing raw poultry mainly spreads bacteria around the sink.
Stuffing: safety, and the case against stuffing the bird
USDA recommends cooking stuffing in a separate casserole dish. The reason is physics, not fussiness: stuffing packed inside the cavity is the last thing to heat, so by the time its center reaches a safe 165°F the breast meat around it has usually gone well past done. If you stuff anyway, USDA's rules are:
- Prepare the wet and dry ingredients separately and combine them just before stuffing. Never stuff the bird the night before.
- Stuff loosely, about ¾ cup of stuffing per pound of turkey, so heat can reach the center.
- Put the stuffed bird in the oven immediately, at 325°F or higher.
- Check the center of the stuffing with a food thermometer: it must read 165°F, in addition to the three checks on the bird.
- Let the turkey stand 20 minutes, then remove all the stuffing before carving and refrigerate it separately.
Do not stuff a turkey you will cook from frozen, partially frozen, in a microwave, or in a slow cooker.
Resting and carving
Take the turkey out when the thermometer confirms 165°F in the innermost thigh, innermost wing and thickest part of the breast. Let it stand 20 minutes; the juices redistribute and the meat is easier to slice cleanly. The calculator already subtracts those 20 minutes from your serving time. Remove the stuffing first, then the legs and thighs, then slice the breast. Carve only what you will serve, and get the rest into the refrigerator within the 2-hour window described below.
Leftovers
USDA's 2-hour rule applies: cooked turkey, stuffing and gravy must be refrigerated within 2 hours of coming out of the oven, or within 1 hour if the room is above 90°F. Cut the meat off the bone and store it in shallow containers so it cools quickly. Refrigerated leftovers should be eaten within 3 to 4 days. Frozen leftovers stay safe indefinitely and keep their quality for roughly 2 to 6 months. Reheat leftovers to 165°F and bring gravy to a rolling boil.
Questions people ask
How long does it take to cook a 20-pound turkey?
At 325°F, the USDA table puts a 20-to-24 pound unstuffed turkey at 4½ to 5 hours and a stuffed one at 4¾ to 5¼ hours. A 20-pound bird sits at the light end of that row, so start checking the thermometer at about the 4¼ hour mark. It is done when the innermost thigh, innermost wing and thickest part of the breast all read 165°F, whatever the clock says.
Can I thaw a turkey on the counter?
No. USDA says a turkey must never be thawed on the counter, in a garage, on the porch or in hot water. The outside of the bird warms into the 40°F to 140°F danger zone, where bacteria multiply quickly, while the inside is still frozen. The three safe methods are the refrigerator, cold water changed every 30 minutes, and the microwave with immediate cooking afterward.
How long does a frozen turkey take to thaw?
In the refrigerator, allow about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds: 1 to 3 days for a 4-to-12 pound bird, 3 to 4 days for 12 to 16 pounds, 4 to 5 days for 16 to 20 pounds, and 5 to 6 days for 20 to 24 pounds. In cold water, allow about 30 minutes per pound, so 6 to 8 hours for a 12-to-16 pound turkey, changing the water every 30 minutes. A refrigerator-thawed turkey can stay in the refrigerator 1 to 2 more days before cooking.
Is it safe to cook a partially frozen turkey?
Yes. USDA says a frozen or partially frozen turkey is safe to roast in the oven; it will just take at least 50 percent longer than the table time for a fully thawed bird. Do not stuff it, remove the giblet bag as soon as it loosens, and confirm 165°F in the thigh, wing and breast with a food thermometer. Never deep-fry a frozen or partially frozen turkey.
What temperature should a turkey be cooked to?
A minimum internal temperature of 165°F, measured with a food thermometer in three places: the innermost part of the thigh, the innermost part of the wing, and the thickest part of the breast. If the turkey is stuffed, the center of the stuffing must also reach 165°F. Many cooks take the thigh higher for texture, but 165°F is the safety threshold set by USDA.
How long should a turkey rest before carving?
USDA recommends letting the turkey stand 20 minutes before removing the stuffing and carving. The juices settle back into the meat, and the bird is easier to slice. Build those 20 minutes into your timeline: if dinner is at 4:00 pm, the turkey should come out of the oven by about 3:40 pm.
When should I take the turkey out of the oven?
When a food thermometer reads at least 165°F in the innermost thigh, the innermost wing and the thickest part of the breast, and in the center of any stuffing. The time table tells you roughly when to start checking; the thermometer tells you when to stop. Oven accuracy, how cold the bird was going in, and how often the door is opened all shift the real time.
Can I cook a turkey at 350°F instead of 325°F?
Yes. USDA's rule is that the oven must be set no lower than 325°F; higher is allowed. The USDA time table is built for 325°F, so at 350°F the bird will finish sooner, and the breast is more likely to dry out before the thigh is done. Whatever the oven setting, the finish line is the same: 165°F in the thigh, wing and breast.
How long does it take to cook a turkey breast?
USDA's 325°F table for a whole bone-in turkey breast gives 1½ to 2¼ hours for 4 to 6 pounds and 2¼ to 3¼ hours for 6 to 8 pounds. As with a whole bird, cook to 165°F in the thickest part, and let it rest before slicing. Boneless roasts cook faster, so rely on the thermometer.
Can I trust the pop-up timer in the turkey?
Treat it as a hint, not a verdict. USDA advises using a food thermometer even if the turkey has a pop-up timer, because the timer checks one spot and can pop early or late. Verify 165°F in the innermost thigh, innermost wing and thickest part of the breast before taking the bird out.
Sources
Every time, temperature and storage figure on this page comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), checked October 2026. The two shaded table rows are our extensions of those tables and are labeled as such.
- USDA FSIS. Turkey Basics: Safe Cooking. Roasting time table at 325°F for stuffed and unstuffed whole turkeys and whole breasts; the 165°F minimum internal temperature and the three thermometer locations; the 20-minute stand; cooking from frozen.
- USDA FSIS. Turkey Basics: Safe Thawing. Refrigerator (24 hours per 4 to 5 pounds), cold-water (30 minutes per pound) and microwave thawing; the 40°F rule; why counter thawing is unsafe.
- USDA FSIS. Turkey Basics: Stuffing. Separate-dish recommendation, ¾ cup per pound, 165°F in the stuffing.
- USDA FSIS. Turkey Basics: Handling Cooked Dinners. The 2-hour rule, 3-to-4 day refrigerator limit, and reheating to 165°F.
- USDA FSIS. Let's Talk Turkey: A Consumer Guide to Safely Roasting a Turkey. Fresh versus frozen buying guidance, 1 pound per person, pre-stuffed turkeys, pop-up timers.
About this page
Built with AI assistance from the USDA FSIS publications listed above, then reviewed by Bill Burkey. Published by North Coast AI LLC, Cleveland, Ohio. All times are USDA guidance and are estimates; always verify doneness with a food thermometer reading 165°F. Last reviewed October 2026.
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