Every November the same search explodes: how long do I cook a turkey? The honest answer has three parts — the bird's weight, whether it's stuffed, and your oven temperature. Get one wrong and you're either carving cold turkey at 6 PM or serving sawdust.

This guide gives you the full 8-24 lb chart based on USDA roasting guidance at 325°F, the minutes-per-pound math behind it, and a backwards-planned timeline so the bird lands on the table when dinner is actually served.

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Want the answer for your exact bird in seconds? The free Turkey Cooking Time Calculator handles any weight from 2-30 lb, stuffed or unstuffed, at four oven temperatures.

The 10-Second Answer

Unstuffed turkey at 325°F: about 13-15 minutes per pound
Stuffed turkey at 325°F: about 15-17 minutes per pound
Done temperature: 165°F measured in the thickest part of the thigh and breast
Rest before carving: 20-45 minutes

A 12 lb unstuffed bird needs roughly 3 hours; the same bird stuffed needs about 3 hours 35 minutes. A 20 pounder runs 4.5 hours unstuffed, 5 hours stuffed.

Turkey Cooking Time Chart (Unstuffed)

All times below are for a 325°F oven, unstuffed bird, roasted to 165°F. They come from the same USDA-anchored model used in the turkey cooking time calculator.

Weight	Time (325°F)	Minutes per lb
8 lb (3.6 kg)	2 hr 45 min	20.6
10 lb (4.5 kg)	2 hr 55 min	17.5
12 lb (5.4 kg)	3 hr 00 min	15.0
14 lb (6.4 kg)	3 hr 45 min	16.1
16 lb (7.3 kg)	4 hr 00 min	15.0
18 lb (8.2 kg)	4 hr 15 min	14.2
20 lb (9.1 kg)	4 hr 30 min	13.5
22 lb (10.0 kg)	4 hr 45 min	13.0
24 lb (10.9 kg)	5 hr 00 min	12.5

Notice the minutes-per-pound column shrinks as birds get bigger. A small 8 lb turkey cooks at nearly 21 min/lb, while a hefty 24 lb bird needs only 12.5. Physics, not magic: big birds hold heat and cook more efficiently per pound, while small birds lose proportionally more heat to the oven air.

This is why "15 minutes per pound" rules of thumb fail at the extremes — they overshoot small birds and undercook large ones.

Turkey Cooking Time Chart (Stuffed)

Stuffing adds mass and slows heat penetration into the cavity, so add 20-45 minutes depending on size. USDA guidance for stuffed birds at 325°F:

Weight	Time (325°F)	Minutes per lb
8 lb (3.6 kg)	3 hr 00 min	22.5
10 lb (4.5 kg)	3 hr 20 min	20.0
12 lb (5.4 kg)	3 hr 35 min	17.9
14 lb (6.4 kg)	4 hr 00 min	17.1
16 lb (7.3 kg)	4 hr 15 min	15.9
18 lb (8.2 kg)	4 hr 25 min	14.7
20 lb (9.1 kg)	5 hr 00 min	15.0
22 lb (10.0 kg)	5 hr 00 min	13.6
24 lb (10.9 kg)	5 hr 00 min	12.5

One safety note the USDA is firm about: the stuffing itself must also reach 165°F. Check it at the center of the cavity, not just the meat. If the breast hits 165°F but the stuffing reads 140°F, scoop the stuffing into a dish and finish it in the oven while the bird rests.

Minutes Per Pound: The Worked Examples

Because per-pound time falls with size, two birds "at 15 minutes per pound" can land an hour apart from reality. Compare:

12 lb unstuffed: 15.0 min/lb → 3 hr 00 min (the rule happens to be right)
20 lb unstuffed: 13.5 min/lb → 4 hr 30 min (the rule predicts 5 hr — 30 min too long)
8 lb unstuffed: 20.6 min/lb → 2 hr 45 min (the rule predicts 2 hr — badly short)

Stuffed birds at the small end are the classic Thanksgiving disaster: a 10 lb stuffed turkey takes 20 min/lb, not 15, and every "quick rule" chart undercooks it.

If your bird is between chart weights, interpolate. A 15 lb unstuffed turkey sits between the 14 lb (3:45) and 16 lb (4:00) rows — call it about 3 hr 50 min. Or skip the math entirely: enter the exact weight in the turkey cooking time calculator and get the estimate plus a printable chart.

What About 350°F or 400°F?

325°F is the USDA's recommended temperature — high enough to cook safely through, low enough that the breast doesn't dry out before the thigh finishes. But schedules break, ovens differ. Adjust like this:

300°F: roughly 15% longer than the 325°F chart (a 3-hour bird becomes about 3 hr 30)
350°F: roughly 10% shorter (that 3-hour bird finishes closer to 2 hr 40)
400°F: roughly 20% shorter — but watch the breast; high heat dries white meat fast

Example from the calculator's model: a 10 lb unstuffed bird takes 2 hr 55 at 325°F but about 2 hr 35 at 350°F. Useful when you're behind schedule — not worth the dryness as a default.

Your Thanksgiving Day Timeline (Worked Backwards)

Chart times only help if the bird exits the oven when people sit down. Plan backwards from dinner. Say a 16 lb unstuffed turkey, dinner at 3:00 PM (chart time: 4 hr):

3:00 PM — dinner served
2:30 PM — carve (30 min for a big bird)
1:45 PM — rest ends (45 min resting, loosely tented with foil)
1:45 PM — turkey out of the oven (4 hr roast started on time)
9:45 AM — turkey into the oven
9:15 AM — oven preheated to 325°F (30 min preheat)
8:30 AM — turkey out of the fridge, seasoned, trussed (45-60 min on the counter takes the chill off for more even roasting)

Total runway: about 6.5 hours from fridge to table for a mid-size bird. If your family eats at 6 PM, shift everything three hours later.

Doneness: Trust the Thermometer, Not the Clock

Every chart on this page is an estimate — ovens run hot or cold by 25°F, birds start at different fridge temperatures, and roasting pans change heat flow. The only number that matters is 165°F in the thickest part of the breast and the innermost thigh, without touching bone.

Two extra tips that consistently produce a better bird:

Pull the turkey at 160°F breast and let carryover heat during the 20-45 minute rest carry it past 165°F. The result is noticeably juicier.
Old recipes say 180°F thigh. That's a texture preference from stringier heritage birds, not a safety line. 165°F is the USDA's instant-kill temperature for poultry.

Metric Birds: Kilogram Quick Reference

Turkeys outside the US are sold by the kilo. Quick conversion anchors: 4 kg ≈ 8.8 lb, 6 kg ≈ 13.2 lb, 8 kg ≈ 17.6 lb, 10 kg ≈ 22 lb. The chart columns above list both units, and the calculator accepts kg directly. For everything else kitchen-related, the cooking ingredient converter handles cups, grams, and ounces, and a general weight converter covers any lb-kg math.

FAQ

How many minutes per pound do you cook a turkey?

At 325°F, plan 13-15 minutes per pound unstuffed and 15-17 minutes per pound stuffed — but the rate drops as birds get bigger. An 8 lb unstuffed turkey needs about 20 min/lb while a 24 lb bird needs only 12.5, so use a weight-specific chart or the turkey cooking time calculator rather than a single rule.

How long do I cook a 12 lb turkey?

About 3 hours unstuffed or 3 hours 35 minutes stuffed at 325°F, plus a 20-45 minute rest. Start checking the thermometer at the 2 hr 45 min mark — it's done at 165°F in the thigh and breast.

How long do I cook a 20 lb turkey?

About 4 hours 30 minutes unstuffed or 5 hours stuffed at 325°F, plus resting. A bird this size needs a full 45-minute rest before carving, and you'll want 30 minutes just to carve it — build both into your schedule.

Is turkey done at 165°F or 180°F?

165°F is the USDA's safe internal temperature for all poultry, measured in the thickest part of the thigh and breast without touching bone. Some cooks take dark meat to 175-180°F for texture, but that's preference, not safety. Stuffing must also reach 165°F at its center.

Do you cook a stuffed turkey longer than unstuffed?

Yes — stuffed birds run 20-45 minutes longer at the same weight because stuffing slows heat penetration into the cavity. A 16 lb turkey takes 4 hours unstuffed versus 4 hr 15 min stuffed. The USDA also caps stuffed birds at 20 lb; bigger birds risk the stuffing spending too long in the danger zone.

Can I cook a turkey at 350°F instead of 325°F?

Yes, and it's about 10% faster — a 3-hour 325°F roast finishes near 2 hr 40 at 350°F. The trade-off is slightly drier breast meat. Never go below 325°F with a stuffed bird; the cavity needs to pass through the danger zone quickly.