Turkey Cooking Times Cook Perfect Roast Turkey

When it's time to cook turkey you have to plan your meal and work out your turkey cooking times.This is not a 10 minute microwave meal. Cooking turkey is an event as much as it is a meal and it takes a lot of time to prepare, roast the turkey and then serve.

If you are planning on cooking a frozen turkey you need to allow a couple of days or so but even when roasting fresh turkey you still need to allow several hours but this is what makes having a turkey dinner such a special occasion.

Invite all your friends and family and make a whole day of it. Everyone will be interested in knowing how the turkey roast is doing. It is like the old days when every day cooking was the big event of the day for many people..

You should allow about one pound of turkey for each person you are cooking for. If you are getting a fresh turkey it makes life a lot easier to collect it a day or two before you plan to cook it and keep it in your refrigerator.

If you are cooking a frozen turkey it takes a lot of time to thaw out and it is very important that you allow this time and do it properly. If you don't thaw your turkey out properly and go ahead and cook it while some of it is still frozen you are taking the risk of potentially poisoning everyone who eats it. Don't rush the process but if you do find you need to speed things up you can put your turkey into cold water and that will thaw it out a lot faster.

You should allow for 24 hours for every 4 pounds of turkey when thawing in a refrigerator so you can see it does take time. It will take up to 3 days for a 12 pound turkey, 4 days for a 16 pounder, 5 days for a 20 pound turkey and a 24 pound turkey will need to spend around 6 days in your refrigerator to be sure it is safely thawed. You can see why cooking a frozen turkey takes so much planning.

In the Refrigerator (40 °F or below)
Allow approximately 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds 4 to 12 pounds 1 to 3 days 12 to 16 pounds 3 to 4 days 16 to 20 pounds 4 to 5 days 20 to 24 pounds 5 to 6 days

4 to 12 pounds 1 to 3 days

12 to 16 pounds 3 to 4 days

16 to 20 pounds 4 to 5 days

20 to 24 pounds 5 to 6 days

If you want to speed up the process you can reduce the time required to thaw by submerging the frozen turkey in cold water. Change the water after every 30 minutes or so. Thawing time for a turkey is reduced to around two hours for every 4 pounds of turkey compared to the 24 hours it can take in the refrigerator.

In Cold Water
Allow approximately 30 minutes per pound

4 to 12 pounds 2 to 6 hours

12 to 16 pounds 6 to 8 hours

16 to 20 pounds 8 to 10 hours

20 to 24 pounds 10 to 12 hours

If you purchase a frozen pre-stuffed turkey the guidelines say you should cook from frozen according to the instructions on the packaging.

Warning: A large Turkey takes up quite a bit of space in the refrigerator and in the oven. Make sure that you will have the space in your refrigerator and especially in your oven. There is no disaster like the time when the guests arrive and you still haven't figured out how you can get the Turkey cooked because it just won't fit in your oven.

It is likely you will be wanting to cook vegetables and other dishes in the oven at the same time as you cook the turkey. You need to think about this and plan how and when each dish will be cooked and be sure you have the space to do everything at once. If you can't fit everything in you will need to either get a neighbor to help out with some of the cooking or alternatively maybe pre-cook what you can the day before.

When roasting turkey you should ensure the oven temperature is set to at least 325 °F. Place your turkey on a rack in a shallow roasting pan and if you want to stay safe it is best not to stuff the turkey to help it to cook through properly.You can easily cook your stuffing outside the bird in a casserole.

The best way to be sure your turkey is properly cooked is by using a cooking thermometer and check that the internal temperature reaches the safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F. Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. Note these are minimum recommended temperatures and you might want to cook turkey to reach higher temperatures.

A turkey that has a "pop-up" temperature indicator should still be checked with your cooking thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of the turkey in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast reach 165 °F for safety.

Like most joints of meat allowing the turkey to stand and 'rest' for 10-20 minutes before carving allows the juices to set and improves flavor and texture and make the turkey a little easier to carve.

Times of cooking are always guidelines as every oven will be slightly different so follow the guidelines but check the temperature with a cooking thermometer to be safe.

Times For A Turkey Without Stuffing:

A stuffed turkey will take longer and you should add around 15 to 30 minutes for a stuffed bird and always check with the thermometer.