Turkey calculator
What size turkey to buy, how long it takes to thaw and to roast, and a countdown from the day it goes in the fridge to the moment you carve, in pounds or kilograms. Every time is USDA's. No sign-up.
Your turkey countdown
- Sunday, Nov 22 · 9:00 amMove the turkey to the fridgeStill in its wrapper, on a tray to catch drips, at 40°F (4°C) or below. FSIS allows 3 to 4 days at this size; starting on the long end is safe, since a thawed bird keeps 1 to 2 days in the fridge.
- Thursday, Nov 26 · 11:05 amPreheat to 325°F (163°C)Giblets out of both cavities. Pat the bird dry, set it on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.
- Thursday, Nov 26 · 11:25 amTurkey in the ovenFSIS gives 3 hr 45 min to 4 hr 15 min at this weight. This start time uses the long end, so a slow bird still makes dinner.
- Thursday, Nov 26 · 3:10 pmStart checking the temperatureInnermost thigh first, then the wing and the thickest part of the breast. Done is 165°F (74°C) in all three places, whatever a pop-up timer says. If it is done early, tent it with foil and hold it.
- Thursday, Nov 26 · 3:40 pmOut of the oven, let it stand20 minutes before carving so the juices set, per FSIS.
- Thursday, Nov 26 · 4:00 pmCarve and serveCarve across the grain. Anything left out at room temperature longer than 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F, 32°C) gets thrown away.
- Thursday, Nov 26 · 5:40 pmLeftovers in the fridge by nowIn small, shallow containers so they chill fast. Eat within 3 to 4 days, or freeze for 2 to 6 months.
Times are USDA FSIS's, for a conventional oven at 325°F (163°C). They are approximate: the thermometer, not the clock, says when it is done.
Turkey thawing and roasting times by weight
USDA FSIS's tables, for a conventional oven at 325°F (163°C). Roasting times are approximate; always finish with a thermometer.
| Weight | Roast, unstuffed | Roast, stuffed |
|---|---|---|
| 4 to 8 lb (1.8 to 3.6 kg), breast | 1 hr 30 min to 3 hr 15 min | 2 hr 30 min to 3 hr 30 min, for 6 to 8 lb (2.7 to 3.6 kg) |
| 8 to 12 lb (3.6 to 5.4 kg) | 2 hr 45 min to 3 hr | 3 hr to 3 hr 30 min |
| 12 to 14 lb (5.4 to 6.4 kg) | 3 hr to 3 hr 45 min | 3 hr 30 min to 4 hr |
| 14 to 18 lb (6.4 to 8.2 kg) | 3 hr 45 min to 4 hr 15 min | 4 hr to 4 hr 15 min |
| 18 to 20 lb (8.2 to 9.1 kg) | 4 hr 15 min to 4 hr 30 min | 4 hr 15 min to 4 hr 45 min |
| 20 to 24 lb (9.1 to 10.9 kg) | 4 hr 30 min to 5 hr | 4 hr 45 min to 5 hr 15 min |
| Weight | Thaw in the fridge | Thaw in cold water |
|---|---|---|
| 4 to 12 lb (1.8 to 5.4 kg) | 1 to 3 days | 2 to 6 hours |
| 12 to 16 lb (5.4 to 7.3 kg) | 3 to 4 days | 6 to 8 hours |
| 16 to 20 lb (7.3 to 9.1 kg) | 4 to 5 days | 8 to 10 hours |
| 20 to 24 lb (9.1 to 10.9 kg) | 5 to 6 days | 10 to 12 hours |
Turkey cooking time chart by weight, kg and lb
The same USDA timetable read at whole kilograms, for a conventional oven at 325°F (163°C). Each row is the published band that weight falls in; nothing is interpolated. The table stops at 24 lb (10.9 kg), so 10 kg is the last whole kilogram it covers.
| Weight | Roast, unstuffed | Roast, stuffed |
|---|---|---|
| 2 kg (4.4 lb), breast | 1 hr 30 min to 3 hr 15 min | No USDA time |
| 3 kg (6.6 lb), breast | 1 hr 30 min to 3 hr 15 min | 2 hr 30 min to 3 hr 30 min |
| 4 kg (8.8 lb) | 2 hr 45 min to 3 hr | 3 hr to 3 hr 30 min |
| 5 kg (11 lb) | 2 hr 45 min to 3 hr | 3 hr to 3 hr 30 min |
| 6 kg (13.2 lb) | 3 hr to 3 hr 45 min | 3 hr 30 min to 4 hr |
| 7 kg (15.4 lb) | 3 hr 45 min to 4 hr 15 min | 4 hr to 4 hr 15 min |
| 8 kg (17.6 lb) | 3 hr 45 min to 4 hr 15 min | 4 hr to 4 hr 15 min |
| 9 kg (19.8 lb) | 4 hr 15 min to 4 hr 30 min | 4 hr 15 min to 4 hr 45 min |
| 10 kg (22 lb) | 4 hr 30 min to 5 hr | 4 hr 45 min to 5 hr 15 min |
Whatever the row says, the turkey is done at 165°F (74°C) in the innermost thigh, the wing and the thickest part of the breast, and stuffing cooked inside it must reach the same in its centre.
Where the numbers come from
Every thawing time, roasting time and temperature on this page is from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service's consumer guide, Let's Talk Turkey, as published in September 2026: 1 lb a person, thawing at about 24 hours per 4 to 5 lb in the fridge or 30 minutes per lb in cold water, the 325°F roasting timetable, 165°F (74°C) in the thigh, wing and breast, and a 20-minute stand. The one number that is not USDA's is the leftovers allowance, 1½ lb a person, which is the rule the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line gives.
The countdown works backwards from dinner. It uses the long end of USDA's roasting range to set the oven time, so a slow bird is still ready, and tells you to start checking the temperature at the short end. A turkey that is done early holds happily under foil for the length of its rest and then some; a turkey that is late holds up dinner. The 20 minutes it gives the oven to reach 325°F is our allowance, not USDA's.
When the rest is over, our guide to carving a turkey has the cuts in order, the platter and how to keep the meat warm. Once it is carved, plating matters as much as it does for any other dish. Our guide to plating food shows, dish by dish, how to build a plate so it does not arrive as a heap, and the charcuterie board guide handles the grazing before it.
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Turkey questions, answered
How big a turkey do I need?
USDA's rule is 1 lb (450 g) of whole turkey a person, raw weight, because the bones and the carcass account for a lot of it. For leftovers, plan on 1½ lb (680 g) a person, the figure the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line gives. A frozen pre-stuffed turkey needs 1¼ lb (570 g) a person. So twelve guests need a 12 lb turkey for dinner alone, or 18 lb with leftovers.
How big a turkey for 20 people?
About 20 lb (9 kg) for dinner alone, or 30 lb (13.6 kg) if you want leftovers. USDA's roasting table stops at 24 lb, so for the leftovers version buy two 15 lb birds rather than one giant, which is hard to cook evenly: the breast dries out before the thigh is safe.
How long does it take to thaw a turkey?
In the fridge, about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 lb: 3 to 4 days for a 14 lb bird and 4 to 5 days for 20 lb. In cold water, about 30 minutes a pound, changing the water every 30 minutes, and cook it straight away. Never on the counter. A thawed turkey keeps 1 to 2 days in the fridge, so starting early is safe.
How long to cook a turkey?
At 325°F (163°C), unstuffed, USDA gives 2 hr 45 min to 3 hr for 8 to 12 lb, 3 hr 45 min to 4 hr 15 min for 14 to 18 lb and 4 hr 30 min to 5 hr for 20 to 24 lb. Stuffed adds up to half an hour: 4 hr to 4 hr 15 min for 14 to 18 lb. The times are approximate; the thermometer decides.
How long to cook a 4 kg turkey?
A 4 kg (8.8 lb) turkey takes 2 hr 45 min to 3 hr at 325°F (163°C) unstuffed, or 3 hr to 3 hr 30 min with stuffing inside, by USDA's timetable for a conventional oven. Start checking at the short end. It is done when a thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) in the innermost thigh, the wing and the thickest part of the breast.
How long to cook a 5 kg turkey?
A 5 kg (11 lb) turkey takes 2 hr 45 min to 3 hr at 325°F (163°C) unstuffed, or 3 hr to 3 hr 30 min with stuffing inside, by USDA's timetable for a conventional oven. Start checking at the short end. It is done when a thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) in the innermost thigh, the wing and the thickest part of the breast.
How long to cook a 6 kg turkey?
A 6 kg (13.2 lb) turkey takes 3 hr to 3 hr 45 min at 325°F (163°C) unstuffed, or 3 hr 30 min to 4 hr with stuffing inside, by USDA's timetable for a conventional oven. Start checking at the short end. It is done when a thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) in the innermost thigh, the wing and the thickest part of the breast.
How long to cook a 7 kg turkey?
A 7 kg (15.4 lb) turkey takes 3 hr 45 min to 4 hr 15 min at 325°F (163°C) unstuffed, or 4 hr to 4 hr 15 min with stuffing inside, by USDA's timetable for a conventional oven. Start checking at the short end. It is done when a thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) in the innermost thigh, the wing and the thickest part of the breast.
How long to cook a turkey per kg?
USDA publishes no per-kilogram figure, only a table by weight band, and a single rate would mislead because small birds take longer for their weight. By our arithmetic on that table, an unstuffed whole turkey at 325°F (163°C) works out to about 45 minutes a kg at 8 lb (3.6 kg) and about 28 minutes a kg at 24 lb (10.9 kg). Read the time for your weight off the chart instead, and finish with a thermometer at 165°F (74°C).
What temperature is turkey done?
165°F (74°C), measured with a food thermometer in three places: the innermost part of the thigh, the innermost part of the wing and the thickest part of the breast. If it has a pop-up timer, check with a thermometer anyway. Stuffing cooked inside the bird must also reach 165°F (74°C) in its centre.
Can I cook a turkey from frozen?
Yes, USDA says it is safe, but it takes at least 50 percent longer than a thawed bird, and the giblet bag has to be pulled out with tongs partway through. A frozen pre-stuffed turkey is the opposite case: never thaw it first, cook it from frozen following the package directions.
How long should a turkey rest?
20 minutes before carving, per USDA, so the juices set and the meat carves cleanly. A loose foil tent is optional: USDA's page does not mention one. Take all the stuffing out of the cavities at the same time.
How long are turkey leftovers good for?
Get them into the fridge within 2 hours of coming out of the oven (1 hour if it is above 90°F, 32°C), in small shallow containers. Eat them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 2 to 6 months. Reheat to 165°F (74°C).
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