How Long To Cook A Turkey is a common phrase I hear the last few weeks of November and into December each year because no one likes a dry turkey! Keep reading to learn the proper cooking times and tips on knowing when your turkey is cooked perfectly!
Turkey is typically the star of the show each Thanksgiving and Christmas, and there's nothing worse than having the turkey you spent hours preparing and cooking turn out dry or overcooked because you didn't know how long to cook it!
Below you'll find cooking-time guidelines for all of the many ways you can cook a turkey! If I missed one, comment below and I'll be sure to add it to the list!
In This Article (Click To Go To Each Topic)
How Long To Cook A Turkey In A Bag
How Long To Cook A Turkey In The Oven
How Long To Cook A Turkey In A Convection Oven
How Long To Deep Fry A Turkey
How Long To Cook A Turkey In An Electric Roaster
How Long To Cook A Stuffed Turkey
How To Know If Your Turkey Is Done
How To Check The Temperature Of Turkey
DISCLAIMER: It's super important to note that you should ALWAYS check the internal temperature of the turkey with a thermometer before determining if your turkey is done. I'll go into more detail about checking the temperature of the turkey below, but I wanted to mention it before you got much further into looking at the cooking times.
How Long To Cook A Turkey In A Bag
Cooking turkey in an oven bag is one of the most fool-proof ways to roast a whole turkey. It seals in the moisture, so even if you overcook it a bit, it still stays relatively moist. The downside to cooking it in a bag is that the skin doesn't get quite as crispy as it would by roasting in an open oven. Moist turkey vs. Crispy Skin? Your call!
Times Based On Cooking In A Bag at 350 Degrees Fahrenheit
10-12 pound turkey: 1 ½ hours - 2 hours
12-16 pound turkey: 2 hours - 2 ½ hours
16-20 pound turkey: 2 ¼ hours - 2 ½ hours
20-24 pound turkey:2 ½ hours - 3 hours
How Long To Cook A Turkey In The Oven
If you have an oven, you can roast a turkey! As long as you're following the basics like adding a fat under or on the skin and some simple seasonings, you should end up with a tender turkey by following the guidelines below and using a thermometer to check that the internal temperature of the thigh meat is 165 degrees F.
Times Based On Cooking In The Oven at 350 Degrees Fahrenheit
10-18 pound turkey: 3 hours - 3 ½ hours
18-22 pound turkey: 3 ½ hours - 4 hours
22-24 pound turkey: 4 hours - 4 ½ hours
24-29 pound turkey: 4 ½ hours - 5 hours
How Long To Cook A Turkey In A Convection Oven
Convection ovens are great because they cook a turkey in less time and with more even results! Convection ovens work by circulating hot air through the oven for faster, more even cooking. Because they are so efficient at cooking, usually both the roasting temperature and time can be reduced when using a convection oven -- 300 Degrees F is an excellent place to start!
Times Based On Cooking In A Convection Oven at 300 Degrees Fahrenheit
14-18 pound turkey: 2 ¼ hours - 2 ½ hours
18-22 pound turkey: 2 ½ hours - 3 hours
How Long To Deep Fry A Turkey
Deep frying turkey can be tricky, but the results are well worth it, in my opinion! Not only does it produce a super juicy bird with crispy skin, but the cooking time is also significantly reduced from roasting in the oven. If you do end up frying, and use a propane turkey fryer, never leave it unattended and make sure your turkey is fully thawed and you're using the correct amount of oil. Be safe, friends!
Cooking Times For Deep Frying Based On Oil Heated to 375 degrees
3-4 minutes per pound of turkey
How Long To Cook A Turkey In An Electric Roaster
An electric turkey roaster can be a handy tool when cooking a turkey. It frees up the oven, so it's available to bake all your side dishes! Electric roaster ovens cook at approximately the same temperature and in the same amount of time as a conventional oven. Still, I do like to lower the heat to 325 degrees F when using a roaster.
Cooking Times For Cooking In A Roaster at 325 Degrees Fahrenheit
8-12 pound turkey: 2 ¾ hours - 3 hours
12-14 pound turkey: 3 hours - 3 ¼ hours
14-18 pound turkey: 3 ¾ hours - 4 ¼ hours
18-20 pound turkey: 4 ¼ hours - 4 ½ hours
20-24 pound turkey: 4 ½ hours - 5 hours
How Long To Cook A Stuffed Turkey
Baking stuffing in the cavity of a turkey adds flavor and moisture to the bird, creates flavorful dressing to serve alongside the meat, but also increases the cooking time of the turkey. Generally, a stuffed turkey takes about 1 hour longer to cook than it would be unstuffed. When cooking a stuffed turkey, it's vital that the internal temperature is taken of the meat as well as the stuffing-- both should be at least 165 degrees F.
Times Based On Cooking In The Oven at 350 Degrees Fahrenheit
10-18 pound turkey: 3 ¾ hours - 4 ½ hours
18-22 pound turkey: 4 ½ hours - 5 hours
22-24 pound turkey: 5 hours - 5 ½ hours
24-29 pound turkey: 5 ½ hours - 6 ¼ hours
How To Tell If Your Turkey Is Perfectly Cooked
As I mentioned before, the only safe and most effective way to know if your turkey is truly cooked is to check the internal temperature of the meat. This is done with a meat thermometer! There are many types of thermometers that you can use-- here are a few to consider.
- Oven-Safe Leave-In Thermometer This type of thermometer can be inserted into the turkey before placing it in the oven and left in during cooking. They are inexpensive but require you to open the oven to read the temperature, letting heat escape. See an example here
- Instant Read ThermometerInstant Read thermometers are great because they do just what you'd think-- read the temperature instantly! Just open the oven, insert it into the turkey, and almost immediately, the temperature will appear on the screen. See an example here
- Leave-In Probe ThermometerWhen cooking a turkey, probe thermometers are definitely my favorite tool! They come with a probe (or 2) connected to a wire that is oven safe and connects to a digital box that you can read the temperature on. The box stays outside of the oven so it's easily read and you can even set alarms that will alert you when the turkey is the correct temperature! 2 probe thermometers are especially handy when cooking a stuffed turkey because you can monitor the temperature of the meat as well as the stuffing. See an example here
Where to Check Turkey Temperature
It's crucial that when you check the temperature of the turkey, you're taking it in the right spot! White meat cooks faster than dark meat, so the breast will always be done before the thighs.
Because of this, insert your meat thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey thigh, poking the bird just between the thigh and the place where the turkey breast starts — and pushing it into the thigh meat. When the thermometer reads 165 degrees F, your turkey is ready!
What To Do Once Your Turkey Is Cooked
Just like when you're cooking a steak, turkeys need time to rest after being cooked! This resting period allows the juices to redistribute throughout the turkey. Once the turkey comes out of the oven, loosely wrap a few pieces of aluminum foil around the bird to retain some heat, and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes before carving.
Need Some Side Dish Recipes To Go With Your Turkey? I've got you covered!
- Super Creamy Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Easy Au Gratin Potatoes with Fennel and Olives
- Sweet Potato Casserole With Coconut
- Corn Spoon Bread
- Best Dinner Roll Recipe
- Fresh Green Bean Casserole
- Homemade Creamed Corn
- Cranberry Fluff
- Pumpkin Turnovers
- Never Fail Pie Crust
- Caramel Apple Pie with Crumb Topping
If you make a killer turkey this year from knowing how long to cook a turkey, I want to hear about it! Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram! #heatherlikesfood
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