Turkey calculator
Enter your guests or your turkey's weight, get thawing and cooking times.
How big a turkey do I need?
USDA's rule is 1 pound of turkey per person for a fresh or frozen whole bird, and 1¼ pounds per person for a frozen pre-stuffed turkey. For 12 guests that is a 12-pound turkey — more if you want leftovers.
How long does a turkey take to thaw?
In the refrigerator, about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds — 3 to 4 days for a 15-pound bird. In cold water, about 30 minutes per pound (7½ hours for 15 pounds), changing the water every 30 minutes.
How long do I cook a turkey?
At 325 °F, USDA's timetable gives 3¾ to 4¼ hours for an unstuffed 14–18 pound turkey and 4 to 4¼ hours stuffed. Cooking from frozen takes at least 50% longer.
How do I know the turkey is done?
When a food thermometer reads at least 165 °F in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. Stuffing must reach 165 °F too. Let the turkey stand 20 minutes before carving.
Can I cook a turkey that is still frozen?
Yes, USDA says it is safe, but the cooking time will be at least 50 percent longer than for a thawed bird. Check 165 °F in the thigh, wing and breast just the same.
How much turkey should I buy for 10 people?
By USDA's rule of 1 pound per person, buy about 10 pounds of whole turkey, or 12.5 pounds if it is a frozen pre-stuffed bird. Because the rule counts bone and skin, a 10-pound bird gives roughly one serving per person, with little left over; for leftovers, plan on more than the minimum.
When should I start thawing a 16-pound turkey?
In the refrigerator it needs about 3.2 to 4.0 days (24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds), so start four days ahead to be safe. In cold water it takes about 8 hours, with the water changed every 30 minutes, and the bird must be cooked right away afterward.
What the plan is based on
All numbers come from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. The amount to buy is 1 pound per person for a whole fresh or frozen bird and 1¼ pounds for a pre-stuffed frozen one. Thawing in the refrigerator takes one day per 4 to 5 pounds; thawing in cold water takes about 30 minutes per pound. Roasting times are the USDA table for a 325 °F oven and an unstuffed or stuffed bird of a given weight, as ranges. The table covers turkeys from 4 to 24 pounds, and stuffed times are given for birds of 6 pounds and over. A turkey is safe when it reaches 165 °F, measured in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.
Worked example: a 16-pound turkey
At 325 °F an unstuffed 16-pound turkey roasts for 3 ¾ to 4 ¼ hours and a stuffed one for 4 to 4 ¼ hours. Thawed in the refrigerator it needs 3.2 to 4.0 days. Starting from frozen, USDA says to allow at least 50% more time, so at least 5 ⅝ to 6 ⅜ hours for the unstuffed bird. Moving up to a 22-pound bird, the table gives 4 ½ to 5 hours. These are ranges, not promises: the oven, the pan and the bird's shape change the real time, which is why the thermometer decides, not the clock.
Taking the temperature
Insert a food thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the thigh and the innermost part of the wing, without touching bone. All three need to read at least 165 °F. If you stuffed the turkey, the stuffing in the center of the cavity must also reach 165 °F; a cooked turkey with undercooked stuffing is not safe. Let the turkey stand for about 20 minutes before carving; the juices settle and the meat is easier to slice.
Common mistakes
Thawing on the counter is the main one: the outside warms into the range where bacteria grow quickly while the middle is still frozen. Starting the thaw too late is the second; a 20-pound bird needs about four to five days in the refrigerator. Buying by the weight of the bird without thinking about a pre-stuffed one, which needs the larger allowance, is a third. Relying on the minutes per pound alone, without a thermometer, can leave the thickest part undercooked. And a bird heavier than 24 pounds is outside the USDA table, so check the temperature early and often.
Sources: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, "Turkey: Basics for Safe Cooking", "Let's Talk Turkey: A Consumer Guide to Safely Buying, Storing, Thawing and Preparing Your Turkey" and the Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart (165 °F). Related: meat temperature chart and brine calculator.