Turkey cooking time calculator 🦃

Planning your turkey timeline

Using the calculator

1. Turkey weight (lb): the weight on the label, in pounds. Half pounds are fine. It starts at 14 lb and is meant for birds of about 4 to 30 lb.
2. Dinner time: the time you want to start carving. It starts at 3:00 PM.
3. Rest time (min): how long the turkey sits out of the oven before carving. The default is 30 minutes.
4. Stuffed: tick this if the bird will have stuffing inside.

There’s no button. The results update as you type: Roast time (325°F), Put it in the oven at, Pull it out at and Ready to carve (the same as your dinner time). A sentence underneath sums up the whole plan. Set phone alarms for the first two times.

Where the times come from

The calculator is based on the USDA roasting chart for a thawed whole turkey in a 325°F oven, filled in between the chart’s weights. USDA’s ranges for an unstuffed bird are:

• 8–12 lb: 2¾ to 3 hours
• 12–14 lb: 3 to 3¾ hours
• 14–18 lb: 3¾ to 4¼ hours
• 18–20 lb: 4¼ to 4½ hours
• 20–24 lb: 4½ to 5 hours

For an unstuffed bird, the calculator’s times are at the short end of these ranges. A 14 lb turkey shows 3 hr 45 min, and a 20 lb one 4 hr 30 min. Ticking Stuffed adds 15 to 30 minutes, in line with USDA’s stuffed chart. Treat “Pull it out at” as the time to start checking the temperature, not a promise. Big birds and stuffed birds often need longer. Below 8 lb, USDA’s chart covers turkey breasts only, and above 24 lb the calculator goes past the chart, so check the temperature early in both cases.

When it’s done

Time is only an estimate. USDA says turkey is safe when a food thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest part of the breast and the innermost part of the thigh and wing. If you stuffed it, the center of the stuffing must also reach 165°F. If the bird isn’t there when the “Pull it out at” time comes, keep roasting and check again every 15 minutes or so. A 30-minute rest leaves room to absorb a short delay. USDA advises at least 20 minutes of rest before carving, so you can cut the rest to 20 if you need to.

Thawing for Thanksgiving 2026

Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26, 2026. The calculator doesn’t plan thawing, so use USDA’s guidance:

• In the refrigerator: allow about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 lb. A 12 lb bird needs about 3 days, so put it in the fridge by Monday, November 23. A 14–16 lb bird needs 3 to 4 days (by Sunday the 22nd), a 20 lb bird 4 to 5 days (Saturday the 21st) and a 24 lb bird 5 to 6 days (Friday the 20th). Put it on a tray to catch drips. A thawed turkey keeps 1 to 2 days in the fridge, so starting early is safe.
• In cold water: about 30 minutes per pound, with the bird in its wrapping and fully covered. Change the water every 30 minutes and cook it as soon as it’s thawed.
• Never thaw a turkey on the counter.
• Still frozen on the day? You can roast it from frozen, but it takes at least 50% longer than the times shown here.

Tips for the day

• Preheat so the oven is at 325°F when the put-in time arrives. Don’t roast at a lower temperature to save time later.
• Use the rest period to bake rolls and reheat sides while the oven is free, and to make gravy from the drippings.
• If you stuff the bird, stuff it loosely just before it goes in, about ¾ cup per pound. USDA considers baking the stuffing in a separate dish the safer choice.
• The calculator assumes a thawed, whole bird in a regular oven. It doesn’t adjust for spatchcocking, frying, smoking or convection.
• Planning how big a bird to buy? USDA suggests about 1 lb per person. Buy more if you want leftovers.
• Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of serving and eat them within 3 to 4 days.