See more
While the best temperature to cook a turkey is always 325 degrees F, how much time your bird will need in the oven will depend on its weight. An unstuffed 8-pound turkey can take less than 3 hours, while a stuffed 24-pound turkey can take over 5 hours. Here's how long it takes to cook a fully thawed turkey.
Read more
8 to 12 pounds – 2¾ to 3 hours 12 to 14 pounds – 3 to 3¾ hours 14 to 18 pounds – 3¾ to 4¼ hours 18 to 20 pounds – 4¼ to 4½ hours 20 to 24 pounds – 4½ to 5 hours 8 to 12 pounds – 2¾ to 3 hours 12 to 14 pounds – 3 to 3¾ hours 14 to 18 pounds – 3¾ to 4¼ hours 18 to 20 pounds – 4¼ to 4½ hours 20 to 24 pounds – 4½ to 5 hours
Read more
8 to 12 pounds – 3 to 3½ hours 12 to 14 pounds – 3½ to 4 hours 14 to 18 pounds – 4 to 4¼ hours 18 to 20 pounds – 4¼ to 4¾ hours 20 to 24 pounds – 4¾ to 5¼ hours
Read more
It is safe to cook a turkey from the frozen state, according to the USDA. However, the cooking time will be at least 50 percent longer than what's recommended in the table above.
Read more
For safety reasons, the USDA recommends cooking Thanksgiving stuffing outside your turkey to guarantee uniform doneness. If you do choose to stuff it, check the temp of the center of the stuffing to make sure it, too, reaches the safe 165 degrees F (otherwise bacteria could contaminate your cooked turkey). Keep wet stuffing ingredients refrigerated ahead of time, and separate from dry ingredients until just before mixing, stuffing loosely and cooking.
Read more