Turkey Cooking Time Calculator
Enter the weight and whether it's stuffed for the USDA roasting time at 325°F, plus fridge and cold-water thawing, deep-fry and spatchcock times, and how big a bird to buy for your table.
Roast at 325°F
3 h 45 min
USDA band 3 h – 3 h 45 min for 12-14 lb
Thaw in the fridge
4 days
USDA band 3–4 days; plan to the top
Thaw in cold water
7 h
30 min per lb, change water every 30 min
Bird to buy
18 lb
10 people × 1.75 lb
Deep fry at 350°F
0 h 49 min
3.5 min per lb, whole bird 8-14 lb, unstuffed
Spatchcocked at 450°F
1 h 24 min
about 6 min per lb, flat on a sheet pan
Done when
165°F
thigh, wing and thickest breast; stuffing too
USDA roasting table, 325°F
| Weight | Unstuffed | Stuffed | Fridge thaw | Cold-water thaw |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-8 lb (breast, bone-in) | 1 h 30 min – 2 h 45 min | 2 h – 2 h 30 min | 1–3 days | 2 h – 4 h |
| 8-12 lb | 2 h 45 min – 3 h | 3 h – 3 h 30 min | 1–3 days | 4 h – 6 h |
| 12-14 lb | 3 h – 3 h 45 min | 3 h 30 min – 4 h | 3–4 days | 6 h – 7 h |
| 14-18 lb | 3 h 45 min – 4 h 15 min | 4 h – 4 h 15 min | 4–5 days | 7 h – 9 h |
| 18-20 lb | 4 h 15 min – 4 h 30 min | 4 h 15 min – 4 h 45 min | 4–5 days | 9 h – 10 h |
| 20-24 lb | 4 h 30 min – 5 h | 4 h 45 min – 5 h 15 min | 5–6 days | 10 h – 12 h |
Roasting and thawing figures are the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service tables for a fresh or fully thawed bird in an open pan at 325°F. Start checking 45 minutes before the low end; a thermometer, not the clock, decides when it is done.
Every method by weight
| Weight | Roast 325°F | Stuffed | Spatchcock 450°F | Deep fry 350°F | Fridge thaw | Feeds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 lb | 2 h 45 min | 2 h 30 min | 0 h 48 min | 0 h 28 min | 1–3 days | 6 |
| 10 lb | 2 h 53 min | 3 h 15 min | 1 h | 0 h 35 min | 1–3 days | 8 |
| 12 lb | 3 h | 3 h 30 min | 1 h 12 min | 0 h 42 min | 1–3 days | 9 |
| 14 lb | 3 h 45 min | 4 h | 1 h 24 min | 0 h 49 min | 3–4 days | 11 |
| 16 lb | 4 h | 4 h 8 min | 1 h 36 min | too big | 3–4 days | 12 |
| 18 lb | 4 h 15 min | 4 h 15 min | 1 h 48 min | too big | 4–5 days | 14 |
| 20 lb | 4 h 30 min | 4 h 45 min | 2 h | too big | 4–5 days | 16 |
| 22 lb | 4 h 45 min | 5 h | 2 h 12 min | too big | 5–6 days | 17 |
| 24 lb | 5 h | 5 h 15 min | 2 h 24 min | too big | 5–6 days | 19 |
Working backwards from dinner time
For a 16-pound unstuffed bird served at 4 pm: it needs 4 h in the oven plus 30 minutes of resting, so it goes in around 11:15 am, and it should have come out of the freezer into the fridge 4 days earlier, the Sunday before a Thursday dinner. Ten guests with leftovers want about 18 pounds, so 16 is right. Resting matters: the temperature climbs another 5°F and the juices settle, so pull it at 160°F and let it reach 165°F on the board.
Cover the breast with foil for the first two-thirds if it browns early. Stuffing must reach 165°F on its own, which is why stuffed birds take longer and many cooks bake the stuffing separately. Times assume a fully thawed bird straight from the fridge in an open roasting pan; a partly frozen turkey can take 50% longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I cook a turkey per pound?
At 325°F, about 13 minutes per pound unstuffed and 15 per pound stuffed, which is what the USDA table works out to across the middle weights: a 14-pound unstuffed bird takes 3 to 3¾ hours, stuffed 3½ to 4. The calculator interpolates inside the USDA band for your exact weight. It is done at 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh, wing and breast, and in the centre of the stuffing.
How long does it take to thaw a turkey?
In the fridge, roughly 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds, but plan by the USDA bands: 4 to 12 pounds takes 1 to 3 days, 12 to 16 pounds 3 to 4 days, 16 to 20 pounds 4 to 5 days, 20 to 24 pounds 5 to 6 days. A 16-pound turkey should go into the fridge 4 days ahead. In cold water (breast down, wrapper on, water changed every 30 minutes), 30 minutes per pound: 8 hours for 16 pounds. Never thaw on the counter. A thawed bird keeps 1 to 2 more days in the fridge.
What size turkey do I need?
1¼ pounds per person for a meal, 1½ to 2 pounds per person if you want leftovers; the calculator uses 1¾. Ten guests with leftovers is about an 18-pound bird. Birds over 20 pounds have more meat per pound of bone but take proportionally longer, so two 12-pounders cook faster than one 24.
Does brining change the cooking time?
No. A brined turkey cooks in the same time as an unbrined one of the same weight; brining changes moisture and seasoning, not heat transfer. Pat a wet-brined bird dry so the skin browns, and do not salt the gravy until you taste it.
How long to deep fry or spatchcock a turkey?
Deep frying at 350°F takes about 3 to 3½ minutes per pound for an unstuffed bird of 8 to 14 pounds, so a 12-pounder is about 42 minutes. A spatchcocked (butterflied) turkey roasted at 450°F takes roughly 6 minutes per pound, about 80 to 90 minutes for 14 pounds, because it lies flat. Both are checked with a thermometer, never the clock.
These tools use baker's percentages, salt-by-weight brining, coffee ratios by weight and the USDA roasting and thawing tables, all stated on each page. They are starting points for your kitchen, your flour and your oven: taste the brine, watch the dough, and always cook poultry to 165°F on a thermometer.