How long to cook a 20lbs turkey

No Thanksgiving guest is more important than the turkey. But you might have a late arrival on your hands if you don't get it in the oven on time. Planning a 3 p.m. meal? You'll need to have a 20-pound bird (sans stuffing) cooking by around 10:30 a.m. Don't stress about the math though—follow our easy chart for how long to cook a turkey, plus recommendations from the USDA for cooking frozen and stuffed turkeys.

Just remember: Even with this turkey cooking chart, the safest way to know your turkey is cooked is to use a meat thermometer. Your turkey is done when the internal temperature is minimum 165 degrees F.

How to Take a Turkey's Temperature

How Long Does it Take to Cook a Turkey?

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.

How Long to Cook an Unstuffed Turkey

WeightCook Time8 to 12 pounds2¾ to 3 hours12 to 14 pounds3 to 3¾ hours14 to 18 pounds3¾ to 4¼ hours18 to 20 pounds4¼ to 4½ hours20 to 24 pounds4½ to 5 hours

How Long to Cook an Stuffed Turkey

WeightCook Time8 to 12 pounds3 to 3½ hours12 to 14 pounds3½ to 4 hours14 to 18 pounds4 to 4¼ hours18 to 20 pounds4¼ to 4¾ hours20 to 24 pounds4¾ to 5¼ hours

Can You Cook a Frozen Turkey?

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.

How to Thaw a Frozen Turkey

Cooking a Stuffed Turkey Guidelines

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.

Sticking with a casserole dish? You should still cook the stuffing to 165 degrees F. If you're caught without a thermometer, don't stress: Here's how to know if a turkey's done without a thermometer.

When it comes to preparing the perfect Thanksgiving turkey, one size doesn't fit all. And while recipes and "package directions" usually offer some general guidance, they don't always cover all the important factors.

But fear not—you've found the perfect guide for roasting your best turkey, no matter the size. Just check out our handy charts below, and pay special attention the following tips to guarantee your Thanksgiving feast is a delicious success.

Fast Turkey Tips

Before we get started on the specifics of turkey roasting times, these handy Q&As may help you understand the numbers below.

What size turkey should I buy?

That depends on how many people you're feeding. On average, look to buy one to one and half pounds per Thanksgiving guest. For 10 people, you'll want a turkey between 10 and 15 pounds.

How long to cook a turkey per pound?

More on this below, but the standard rule of turkey roasting time says 13 minutes per pound for unstuffed birds and 15 minutes per pound for the stuffed ones.

At what temperature should I cook the turkey?

Techniques for cooking a turkey vary. Some cooks swear by starting the bird off at 450°F to get a crispy skin. We like a steady temperature the whole time, and 325°F is the ideal turkey roasting temperature in our books.

How will I know when a turkey is done?

Grab your meat thermometer, and stick the probe in the thickest part of the turkey thigh. When it reads 165°F, your bird is cooked.

How long should a turkey rest before carving?

Resting the turkey before carving is essential to prevent all that delicious moisture from escaping, so make sure you let the turkey rest at least 15 minutes once it's out of the oven.

To Baste or Not to Baste?

That is indeed the question, right? While basting your turkey may seem as close to Thanksgiving gospel as a Norman Rockwell painting, it isn't as necessary or as helpful as you may think.

Read more about our take on basting, but the gist is this: The more you open that oven door to baste your bird, the longer it's going to take to roast evenly. And if you have a long line of Thanksgiving side dishes waiting to bake up golden brown and bubbly, that's precious time you don't want to waste. So keep that oven door closed as much as possible.

To Stuff or Not to Stuff?

There are a lot of food safety debates when it comes to filling your turkey with stuffing (we all know it's dressing, right?), so we won't get into that right at this moment. But we'd be remiss to not point out that baking a stuffed-to-the-brim bird takes longer than baking an unstuffed bird.

Stuff or don't stuff—that's totally up to you. Just know it does take a bit longer to bake. Don't worry: The handy charts below cover that, too!

How Big Is Too Big?

If you haven't already bought your turkey, we advise that you buy a turkey that's between 12 and 15 pounds—anything larger could result in uneven cooking. If you must buy a 24-pound turkey, we'll still provide a time range, but we recommend buying two smaller birds instead.

The Right Temp to Cook a Turkey

If you'd like to keep things simple, set your oven temperature to 325°F for a for a slow, steady roast. Preheat your oven to 325°F, and use the timetable below.

You can also find more information on FoodSafety.gov. If you're more adventurous, there's more than one way to roast a turkey. But if you already have enough on your plate (and it's Thanksgiving, so you surely do!), stick to a trusty 325°F.

How to Tell When a Turkey Is Done

When it comes to the cooking time for your bird, focus on the temperature of the meat rather than the actual time. The times listed below are a guideline to help you plan the approximate time required to cook your Thanksgiving turkey to the right temperature, but we highly recommend using a meat thermometer to determine doneness. Remove the turkey from the oven when a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion of the thigh registers 165°F.

8 – 12 lb Turkey Cooking Time:

2 hours 45 minutes - 3 hours (unstuffed)

3 hours - 3 hours 30 minutes (stuffed)

12 – 14 lb Turkey Cooking Time:

3 hours - 3 hours and 45 minutes (unstuffed)

3 hours 30 minutes - 4 hours (stuffed)

14 – 18 lb Turkey Cooking Time:

3 hours 45 minutes - 4 hours 15 minutes (unstuffed)

4 hours - 4 hours 15 minutes (stuffed)

18 – 20 lb Turkey Cooking Time:

4 hours 15 minutes - 4 hours 30 minutes (unstuffed)

4 hours 15 minutes - 4 hours 45 minutes (stuffed)

20 – 24 lb Turkey Cooking Time:

4 hours 30 minutes - 5 hours (unstuffed)

4 hours 45 minutes - 5 hours 15 minutes (stuffed)

Turkey SizeUnstuffed Cooking TimeStuffed Cooking Time8 - 12 pounds2 hours, 45 minutes - 3 hours3 hours - 3 hours, 30 minutes12 - 14 pounds3 hours - 3 hours, 45 minutes3 hours, 30 minutes - 4 hours14 - 18 pounds3 hours, 45 minutes - 4 hours, 15 minutes4 hours - 4 hours, 15 minutes18 - 20 pounds4 hours, 15 minutes - 4 hours, 30 minutes4 hours, 15 minutes - 4 hours, 45 minutes20 - 24 pounds4 hours, 30 minutes - 5 hours4 hours, 45 minutes - 5 hours, 15 minutes

How long does a 20 pound turkey take at 350?

Is it better to cook a turkey at 325 or 350?

How long do I cook a 20 lb turkey and at what temperature?

How long does it take to cook a 20 lb stuffed turkey?