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Learn how long to cook a turkey and get a perfectly cooked bird for your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner! The rule of thumb is 15 minutes per pound, but turkey cooking time also depends on oven temperature, whether it’s stuffed or unstuffed, and thawed vs. frozen.
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5 from 5 votes

How to Cook a Turkey (+ How Long to Cook a Turkey)

Learn how to cook a turkey for your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner! Follow this step-by-step guide to enjoy tender and juicy turkey at its best!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time3 hours
Total Time3 hours 15 minutes
Course: dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: How long to cook a turkey, How to cook a turkey
Servings: 10 people
Calories: 458kcal
Author: Cindy

Ingredients

  • 1 whole turkey (15 pound or 6.8kg) fresh or thawed, see notes for other sizes*
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened (1 stick)
  • 3 cloves garlic minced (1 tablespoon)
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil or another high-smoke point oil like sunflower or grapeseed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground

Instructions

  • Prepare the turkey: (Optional: brine the turkey for 8-18 hours for extra tenderness.) Remove the turkey from the fridge 1 to 2 hours before roasting. Remove the giblets from the body cavity or neck cavity. Pat dry with paper towels. It’s ok if your turkey still feels cool after sitting at room temperature.
  • Seasoning: In a small bowl, mix together the softened butter, garlic, salt, and pepper. Rub all over the turkey. Then rub with oil. (If you have stuffing, spoon it through the neck end of the turkey.)
  • Preheat the oven to 425°F: Position an oven rack in the bottom third of the oven. Then preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Place a wire rack in a roasting pan. Then place the turkey onto the rack breast side up. If available, insert an ovenproof meat thermometer all the way into the thigh and leave it in during baking.
  • Place the turkey in the oven and lower the heat to 325°F: When the oven is hot, add the turkey and immediately lower the heat to 325°F.
  • Roast the turkey: It takes about 3 hours to cook in a regular oven and 30 minutes less in a convection/forced air oven. Baste the turkey with pan juices every hour. Start checking the internal temperature of the turkey an hour before the expected time to avoid overcooking.
  • Check the doneness: Using an instant-read thermometer, measure in 3 places: the center of the breast, the innermost part of the drumstick and the innermost part of the wing. For a stuffed turkey, measure in the middle of the stuffing as well. When the thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) in each place, the turkey is done, but I recommend removing it at 160°F (71°C) as the temperature will keep rising while resting. (Note: the temperature can rise quickly above 130°F, so watch closely).
  • Remove from the oven: When the turkey is done baking, use oven mitts to remove it from the oven. Gently lift one end of the roasting pan lengthwise to allow liquids from the cavity to flow out.
  • Rest the turkey: Set aside a carving board large enough for the turkey. Using oven mitts or a thick layers of paper towels, gently lift the turkey with both hands and transfer to the board. Tent with a double layer of aluminum foil and let it rest undisturbed for 30 minutes. This steps allows the juices to retreat back into the bird for the most tender meat. Do not cut into the turkey during this time lest juices escape.
  • Serving: It's helpful to have a sharp carving knife and fork for this step. Remove the leg and thigh by cutting through the joint. Then separate the leg from the body, using your hand to grasp the leg if necessary. Break off the wings using your hands. Cut off the breasts, working the knife along the breastbone. Then cut the breasts widthwise into 1/2-inch pieces. Arrange the pieces on a platter as desired to serve.

Notes

  • *Cook times for other turkey sizes (unstuffed):
    • 12 pounds: 2 3/4 hours at 350°F (or 3 hours at 325°F)
    • 14 pounds: 3 1/2 hours at 325°F (or 3 hours at 325°F)
    • 15 pounds: 3 3/4 hours at 325°F
    • 18 pounds: 4 1/4 hours at 325°F
    • 22 pounds: 5 hours at 325°F
    • 25 pounds: 5 1/4 hours at 325°F
    • 30 pounds: 5 3/4 hours at 325°F
    • Reduce times by 15 to 30% when using a convection oven.
  • If you’re stuffing your turkey, add the weight of the stuffing to the overall weight used to calculate the cooking time. If you don't have a scale, then an extra 30 minutes is usually sufficient for smaller turkeys, and an extra 15 to 20 minutes for larger turkeys.
  • Recipe Yield: You should buy 1 1/2 pounds of turkey per person, as the cooked meat yield is only 35 to 40% of the original weight.
  • High Heat Roast: You can also opt roast an unstuffed turkey at 450°F in nearly half the time: a 10 lb turkey will take about 1 hour, while a 14 lb turkey will take 1 1/2 hours, and a 20 lb turkey will take 2 1/4 hours. If you use this method, position the oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Wrap the bones tightly with aluminum foil to prevent charring. Turn the exhaust fan on high and keep thick oven mitts on-hand. Place a half-inch of water in the pan to minimize smoking.
  • Leftovers: Cooked turkey can be stored in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days in the fridge and up to 2 months in the freezer according to the USDA. Use it to make roast turkey sandwiches, soup, casseroles and more.

Nutrition

Serving: 6oz | Calories: 458kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 56g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 210mg | Sodium: 290mg | Potassium: 581mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 428IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg | Net Carbs: 1g