How Long To Cook The Turkey Per Pound

You've mastered how to thaw frozen turkey and prepped your bird with a proper dry brine—now it's time to roast! While it's helpful to know exactly how long to cook a turkey per pound, the temperature of your bird is really the best way to tell if it's done, rather than how much time it's been in the oven. So, invest in a great meat thermometer and stop stressing about undercooked poultry for good—especially on Thanksgiving!

Since a straight-up number can be helpful to get you started, here you go: figure about 13 minutes per pound of turkey when cooking an unstuffed bird. We don't recommend cooking your stuffing recipe inside the turkey because it will not get hot enough to kill off bacteria before the turkey is done cooking. You'd have to overcook your bird to make sure the stuffing reaches a safe temperature.

Our Best Turkey Tips

Buy two smaller birds (or one whole turkey and one turkey breast) if you're feeding a crowd. Two 10-pound birds will cook more evenly and will be less likely to dry out than a 20-pound monster (plus, they'll be easier to carve!).
The Test Kitchen agrees that 375℉ is the best temperature to cook a turkey, because it's not too hot, not too cold, and cooks quickly enough to ensure that a juicy, flavorful bird is ready by dinnertime.
When your turkey is done, a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the turkey's thigh should register 165°F and its juices should be clear, not pink.
Allow your turkey to rest for at least 25 minutes before carving. Cover it loosely with foil to keep it hot.

How Long Does It Take To Cook a Turkey?

Use our handy guide for turkey cooking times by size.

Laura Formisano

Turkey still a little bit frozen on Thanksgiving morning? It's actually completely safe to cook a frozen turkey, but it will take about 50 percent longer to cook than a fully thawed bird. Dinner might get pushed back by a few hours, but you'll still have a delicious roast to serve and share.

Samantha MacAvoy Samantha MacAvoy joined the Good Housekeeping food team in March 2020, where she writes about the latest tasty offerings from the Test Kitchen, must-try food trends, and top tips for home cooking success.

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