How Many Minutes Per Pound to Cook a Turkey

Updated on November 20th, 2023

Everyone loves a great meal, and turkey is one you can be sure your guests will appreciate. Whether the occasion is Thanksgiving, Christmas, or you demonstrating your cooking skills to friends, you want your turkey roasting game to be on point. And here, you’ll get a quick answer to this question: How long should I cook a turkey in terms of minutes per pound? 

Turkey cooking time and temperature

To roast turkey, the general calculation for cooking time is 13 minutes per pound for an unstuffed turkey and 15 minutes per pound for stuffed turkey. This assumes you’re roasting at 350°F or 177°C. 

The table below shows total roasting times for different sized turkeys and at different oven temperatures. 

Note that these are guidelines to help you plan your day. Always verify that your turkey is done with a meat thermometer. The bird’s internal temperature should be 165°F or 74°C. 

6 essential tips for a delicious turkey

Knowing the cook time is important, but it’s not the only key to a delicious turkey. Use the six easy tips below for a Thanksgiving turkey everyone will enjoy. 

1. Thaw

Thaw a frozen turkey for more even cooking. Use the table below to guide you. 

2. Butter 

Soften some butter, loosen the skin of your turkey, and gently rub the butter directly onto the meat. This keeps the meat juicy. With the butter method, you won’t have to baste your turkey while it cooks. Basting isn’t ideal, because the turkey loses temperature every time you open the oven door.

3. Tent 

Cover the turkey loosely with aluminum foil before placing it in the oven. Make sure the shiny side is up so it deflects the heat. Then, remove the foil halfway through the cooking time. This way, the meat doesn’t darken too soon.

4. Don’t stuff 

Roast a turkey without stuffing inside. Stuffing in the cavity can fail to reach safe temperatures even once the bird itself is done. Take the safer route and cook your stuffing in a separate dish.  

Place aromatic herbs like shallots, thyme, onions, parsley, and even celery stalks in the turkey cavity instead.

5. Use a meat thermometer

To know if your turkey is fully cooked. The remote versions are best, as you’ll get real-time readings instead of opening the oven to check periodically. Poke the probe in the thickest part of the thigh, but make sure it doesn’t touch the bone.

6. Rest

Let your cooked turkey rest for at least 30 minutes before carving. This lets the juices seep back into the meat. 

For a more involved guide, see How Long to Cook a Turkey: The Ultimate Guide and How to Cook a Turkey in the Oven. And if all of this seems like too much work, try my Slow Cooker Turkey Breast Recipe.

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Yield: 16 servings

Thanksgiving Turkey

Print

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes

Total Time 3 hours 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 15 lb. turkey
• 1 onion, peeled and quartered
• 1 lemon, quartered
• 1 apple, quartered
• .75 ounce container fresh rosemary
• .75 ounce container fresh thyme
• .75 ounce container fresh sage

Herb Butter

• 1 cup of unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
• 6-8 cloves garlic, minced
• fresh chopped herbs

Instructions

1. If the turkey is frozen, allow 24 hours in the fridge for every 5 pounds of turkey to thaw.
2. 1 hour before roasting, take the thawed turkey out of the fridge to bring it to room temperature.
3. Make sure the turkey is in the center of the oven by adjusting the oven rack. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
4. Combine butter at room temperature, salt, minced garlic, pepper, one tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary, one tablespoon fresh chopped thyme, and half a tablespoon fresh chopped sage to make the herb butter. (The remaining fresh herbs will be used to stuff the cavity of the turkey.)
5. Remove the turkey from its packaging and the neck and giblets from the bird's cavity. (You can save them for gravy or throw them out.) Using paper towels, pat the turkey completely dry.
6. Season the turkey cavity with salt and pepper. Fill the cavity with the onion, quartered lemon, apple, and any other leftover herbs.
7. Lift the skin above the breasts (on the top of the turkey) with your fingertips and massage a few tablespoons of the herb butter below.
8. Set the turkey on a roasting rack inside a roasting pan, tucking the wings underneath the bird.
9. Microwave the remaining herb butter mixture for 30 seconds (it doesn't have to be totally melted; it just needs to be very softened). Brush the leftover herb butter all over the outside of the turkey, legs, and wings with a basting brush.
10. Roast at 325°F for 13-15 minutes per pound, or until an internal temperature of 165°F is reached when a thermometer is put in the middle of the thigh and breast.
11. Check the turkey halfway through cooking and cover the top with tinfoil to preserve the breast meat from overcooking once the skin has turned golden brown. Alternatively, you might start cooking the turkey with it tented in foil, then remove the foil for the last hour or two of cooking to allow the turkey to brown.
12. Allow 30 minutes for the turkey to rest before carving.
13. To prepare turkey gravy, you can save any drippings and juice in your roasting pan.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g