Are you gearing up to roast a delectable turkey this holiday season? Then it’s crucial to know the ideal turkey cooking time for that perfectly juicy, tender bird. From Thanksgiving feasts to Christmas dinners, understanding the ins and outs of turkey cooking time can make all the difference between a succulent centerpiece and a dry disappointment. This complete guide on how long to cook a turkey by pound will help you deliver a moist and flavorful Thanksgiving turkey every time!
Table of Contents
- Factors Affecting Cooking Times
- Size of the turkey
- Fresh turkey vs. frozen turkey.
- Cooking Method (oven, smoker, etc.)
- Spatchcock Turkey vs. Whole Turkey
- Oven Temperature
- Turkey Cooking Times for a 325-degree Oven
- 🦃 How Long to Cook a Turkey Per Pound Chart
- Our Favorite Turkey Recipes
- Girl Carnivore Expert Tips
- More helpful Turkey Guides
- Helpful FAQs
It’s no surprise that turkey is the star of holiday meals, from Thanksgiving to Christmas. That’s why it’s super important to get the cooking times right on your turkey recipes so you can let your holiday bird steal the show and not let your side dishes take all the credit!
Whether it’s your first time cooking the main centerpiece or you’re refreshing your knowledge. In this post, we’ll break down factors affecting cooking times, show a cooking timetable, and answer some frequently asked questions about turkey cooking times!
Factors Affecting Cooking Times
You’ve seen in on recipes before, “cook time will vary depending on size.” And that’s probably the biggest obstacle to mastering cooking a whole bird to a safe temperature every time. Whether cooking a turkey in the oven or mastering smoked turkey it on the grill, the size of the bird does matter and we’re breaking down why.
Size of the turkey
The size of the bird and the temperature you’re cooking at are the 2 main factors for determining how long to cook a turkey. A turkey breast will cook faster than a whole turkey thats. A smaller bird will cook faster than a larger one and stuffed turkeys take longer than an unstuffed bird.
- A general rule of thumb is 13 minutes for every pound of turkey at 350 degrees F.
Fresh turkey vs. frozen turkey.
- A fully thawed turkey can take anywhere from 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours of cook time, depending on the size of the turkey.
- A frozen turkey may take 1-4 days to thaw, depending on the size turkey you have, and you want to make sure you’re turkey is completely thawed before cooking. See our guide on How to Defrost a Turkey.
Cooking Method (oven, smoker, etc.)
- The cooking method you use to cook your turkey can also affect turkey cook times.
- For example, this Smoked Turkey with Stuffing takes around 5-7 hours as it’s slow-cooked at a lower temperature in the smoker. This Smoked Thanksgiving Turkey has a similar cooking time of 6 hours.
- On the other hand, roast turkey in the oven only takes 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours.
Spatchcock Turkey vs. Whole Turkey
- The way the turkey is cut can also affect how long it cooks. Cutting the turkey open, butterflying it, and laying it out flat is called spatchcocking. We break down How to Spatchcock a Turkey step-by-step which speeds up the overall cooking time.
- For example, this Spatchcock Turkey only takes 1 hour and 20 minutes, whereas this Oven Roasted Turkey takes around 2 1/2 -3 hours.
Oven Temperature
The higher the oven temperature, the faster the turkey will cook, and vice versa. However, we recommend a lower temperature of 325-350 degrees F and a weight between 12 to 14 pounds for a perfectly cooked bird.
Turkey Cooking Times for a 325-degree Oven
| Pounds of turkey | Cooking Times (Unstuffed) | Cooking Times (Stuffed) |
| 10 | 2 ½ – 3 Hours | 2 ¾ – 3 ½ Hours |
| 11 | 3 – 3 ½ Hours | 3 ¾ – 4 ½ Hours |
| 12 | 3 – 3 ½ Hours | 3 ¾ – 4 ½ Hours |
| 13 | 3 – 3 ½ Hours | 3 ¾ – 4 ½ Hours |
| 14 | 3 – 3 ½ Hours | 3 ¾ – 4 ½ Hours |
| 15 | 3 – 3 ½ Hours | 3 ¾ – 4 ½ Hours |
🦃 How Long to Cook a Turkey Per Pound Chart
Our Favorite Turkey Recipes
Poultry Recipes
How to Cook a Turkey in the Oven
Poultry Recipes
Smoked Thanksgiving Turkey
Poultry Recipes
Spatchcock Turkey
Poultry Recipes
Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
Girl Carnivore Expert Tips
- Always use a digital meat thermometer for the most accurate results.
- With Steak temperature, we cook our steaks to 5 degrees under where we want the finished temperature after rested. Although the turkey’s temperature will continue to rise 5 to 10 degrees while it rests, the safe internal temperature is 165 degrees F, according to the USDA.
- After you’ve pulled your bird from the oven, let the turkey rest for 30 minutes before carving it.
Whether cooking turkey for Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas, these simple instructions will help you cook the perfect turkey every time!
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More helpful Turkey Guides
Poultry Recipes
How to Carve a Turkey: Step-by-Step Guide with Video
Get picture-perfect presentation for your Thanksgiving dinner by following our easy-to-follow instructions on how to carve a turkey.
Poultry Recipes
How to Thaw a Turkey Easily and Safely
Avoid turkey-thawing disasters! 🦃 Learn the best methods to safely and efficiently defrost your Thanksgiving turkey with our step-by-step guide.
How To
How to Truss a Turkey
Learn how to truss a turkey for Thanksgiving with step-by-step instructions, photos, and video. Trussing keeps the turkey compact for even cooking – let us show you how.
Turkey
Grilling Guide: The Best Wood For Smoking Turkey
Discover the best woods for smoking turkey, including hickory, apple, pecan and post oak. Learn how to choose the right variety to impart ideal flavor notes from sweet to savory.
Helpful FAQs
Yes! Let your turkey sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cooking to ensure even cooking.
Yes! An unstuffed turkey will take slightly less time to cook than a stuffed turkey.
165 degrees F for the thickest part of the breast and 170°F for the thickest part of the thigh. Use a meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature. If you have a stuffed bird, the temperature of the stuffing should also be 165 degrees F. Remember, the temperature will continue to rise 5 to 10 degrees while the bird rests.
Once your turkey is done, it’s time to carve it up using our How to Carve a Turkey guide!
Nope! Brining is simply a technique where you load up a thawed turkey with seasoning for a dry brine or submerge it in water for a wet brine. It doesn’t affect the cooking times, only the turkey meat and skin.
If you’re not using fresh turkey, you’ll need to factor in the thawing time for a frozen turkey into the total cooking time. Depending on the size turkey you bought, give at least 1-4 days for total thawing time. You can check out our How to Thaw a Turkey guide for more info.
We don’t recommend cooking a turkey over 15 pounds as they can take too long to come to a safe internal temperature and can dry out easily.
