{"success":true,"version":"v1","request":{"tool":"get_calculator_schema","calculator_id":"turkey-cooking-time"},"result":{"entity_type":"calculator","id":"turkey-cooking-time","calculator_id":"turkey-cooking-time","canonical_url":"https://tttkmbb.com/food/turkey-cooking-time","name":"Turkey Cooking Time Calculator","title":"Turkey Cooking Time Calculator – USDA Roasting Times at 325 °F / 163 °C by Weight, Stuffed or Unstuffed","category":"food","category_name":"Food & Cooking","tool_name":"estimate_turkey_cooking_time","featured_mcp_tool":false,"description":"Looks up the USDA FSIS roasting timetable for a whole turkey at 325 °F (163 °C) by weight and stuffing, returning the time range in minutes, the 165 °F (74 °C) safe internal temperature and refrigerator thawing time.","use_when":"You need to plan how long a turkey of a given weight takes to roast in a conventional oven and when to start thawing it.","do_not_use_when":"You are deep-frying, smoking, spatchcocking, cooking a turkey breast only over 8 lb, or roasting at a different oven temperature; the USDA table covers whole birds at 325 °F only.","inputs":[{"name":"weight","label":"Turkey weight","type":"number","required":true,"max":50,"exclusive_min":0,"description":"Weight of the whole (thawed) turkey, in weight_unit. Covered range: 4–24 lb (1.8–10.9 kg) unstuffed, 8–24 lb stuffed.","example":6.5},{"name":"weight_unit","label":"Weight unit","type":"enum","required":false,"default":"kg","values":[{"value":"kg","label":"Kilograms","aliases":["kilograms","kilos"]},{"value":"lb","label":"Pounds","aliases":["lbs","pounds","pound"]}],"description":"Unit of the weight input.","example":"kg"},{"name":"stuffed","label":"Stuffed","type":"boolean","required":false,"default":false,"description":"true if the cavity is filled with stuffing (adds roughly 15–45 minutes and the stuffing must also reach 165 °F).","example":false},{"name":"oven_temperature","label":"Oven temperature","type":"enum","required":false,"default":"163c_325f","values":[{"value":"163c_325f","label":"163 °C / 325 °F (USDA standard)","aliases":["325","325f","163","163c"]}],"description":"Oven setting; the USDA timetable is defined for 325 °F only.","example":"163c_325f"}],"outputs":[{"name":"min_minutes","label":"Minimum time","type":"number","unit":"min","decimals":0,"description":"Lower end of the USDA time range."},{"name":"max_minutes","label":"Maximum time","type":"number","unit":"min","decimals":0,"description":"Upper end of the USDA time range."},{"name":"time_range","label":"Roasting time","type":"string","decimals":4,"description":"Time range in hours and minutes."},{"name":"weight_lb","label":"Weight","type":"number","unit":"lb","decimals":1,"description":"Turkey weight in pounds."},{"name":"weight_kg","label":"Weight","type":"number","unit":"kg","decimals":2,"description":"Turkey weight in kilograms."},{"name":"usda_weight_band","label":"USDA weight band","type":"string","decimals":4,"description":"Row of the USDA timetable applied."},{"name":"safe_internal_temp_c","label":"Safe internal temperature","type":"number","unit":"°C","decimals":0,"description":"Minimum internal temperature in the thickest part of thigh, wing and breast (and stuffing centre)."},{"name":"safe_internal_temp_f","label":"Safe internal temperature","type":"number","unit":"°F","decimals":0,"description":"Same in Fahrenheit."},{"name":"thaw_refrigerator_days","label":"Thawing in refrigerator","type":"string","decimals":4,"description":"About 24 hours per 4–5 lb at 4 °C / 40 °F."}],"input_schema":{"type":"object","properties":{"weight":{"description":"Weight of the whole (thawed) turkey, in weight_unit. Covered range: 4–24 lb (1.8–10.9 kg) unstuffed, 8–24 lb stuffed.","type":"number","maximum":50,"exclusiveMinimum":0,"examples":[6.5]},"weight_unit":{"description":"Unit of the weight input.","type":"string","enum":["kg","lb"],"default":"kg","examples":["kg"]},"stuffed":{"description":"true if the cavity is filled with stuffing (adds roughly 15–45 minutes and the stuffing must also reach 165 °F).","type":"boolean","default":false,"examples":[false]},"oven_temperature":{"description":"Oven setting; the USDA timetable is defined for 325 °F only.","type":"string","enum":["163c_325f"],"default":"163c_325f","examples":["163c_325f"]}},"additionalProperties":false,"required":["weight"]},"output_schema":{"type":"object","properties":{"min_minutes":{"description":"Lower end of the USDA time range. Unit: min.","type":"number","x-unit":"min"},"max_minutes":{"description":"Upper end of the USDA time range. Unit: min.","type":"number","x-unit":"min"},"time_range":{"description":"Time range in hours and minutes.","type":"string"},"weight_lb":{"description":"Turkey weight in pounds. Unit: lb.","type":"number","x-unit":"lb"},"weight_kg":{"description":"Turkey weight in kilograms. Unit: kg.","type":"number","x-unit":"kg"},"usda_weight_band":{"description":"Row of the USDA timetable applied.","type":"string"},"safe_internal_temp_c":{"description":"Minimum internal temperature in the thickest part of thigh, wing and breast (and stuffing centre). Unit: °C.","type":"number","x-unit":"°C"},"safe_internal_temp_f":{"description":"Same in Fahrenheit. Unit: °F.","type":"number","x-unit":"°F"},"thaw_refrigerator_days":{"description":"About 24 hours per 4–5 lb at 4 °C / 40 °F.","type":"string"}}},"formula":"Lookup by weight_lb in the USDA FSIS timetable (325 °F): unstuffed 8–12 lb 2¾–3 h, 12–14 lb 3–3¾ h, 14–18 lb 3¾–4¼ h, 18–20 lb 4¼–4½ h, 20–24 lb 4½–5 h (breast 4–6 lb 1½–2¼ h, 6–8 lb 2¼–3¼ h); stuffed 8–12 lb 3–3½ h, 12–14 lb 3½–4 h, 14–18 lb 4–4¼ h, 18–20 lb 4¼–4¾ h, 20–24 lb 4¾–5¼ h; thaw_days = weight_lb / 5 to weight_lb / 4","method":"Times are for a fresh or fully thawed bird in an open pan at 325 °F and are approximate; doneness must be verified with a food thermometer reading 165 °F (74 °C). Let the turkey stand 20 minutes before carving or removing stuffing.","sources":[{"name":"USDA FSIS – Turkey Basics: Safe Cooking (roasting timetable at 325 °F; 165 °F minimum internal temperature)","url":"https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/poultry/turkey-basics-safe-cooking","type":"government","retrieved_at":"2026-09-24"},{"name":"USDA FSIS – Let's Talk Turkey: a consumer guide to safely roasting a turkey","url":"https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/poultry/lets-talk-turkey-roasting","type":"government","retrieved_at":"2026-09-24"}],"freshness":{"type":"static","max_age_seconds":null,"note":"Deterministic formula with fixed constants; results never go stale. Inputs supplied by the caller determine the output."},"examples":[{"name":"6.5 kg unstuffed","inputs":{"weight":6.5,"weight_unit":"kg","stuffed":false},"expected":{"weight_lb":14.3,"min_minutes":225,"max_minutes":255,"time_range":"3 h 45 min – 4 h 15 min","usda_weight_band":"14 to 18 lb, unstuffed","safe_internal_temp_c":74,"safe_internal_temp_f":165},"url":"https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculate/turkey-cooking-time?weight=6.5&weight_unit=kg&stuffed=false"},{"name":"20 lb stuffed","inputs":{"weight":20,"weight_unit":"lb","stuffed":true},"expected":{"weight_kg":9.07,"min_minutes":255,"max_minutes":285,"time_range":"4 h 15 min – 4 h 45 min","usda_weight_band":"18 to 20 lb, stuffed"},"url":"https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculate/turkey-cooking-time?weight=20&weight_unit=lb&stuffed=true"}],"faq":[{"q":"Where do I put the thermometer?","a":"In the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast, not touching bone; a stuffed bird is done only when the centre of the stuffing also reads 165 °F (74 °C)."},{"q":"Can I roast at a higher temperature to save time?","a":"Many recipes use 350–425 °F, but the USDA timetable does not cover them; rely on the thermometer and expect roughly 10–20 % shorter times at 350 °F."}],"tags":["turkey cooking time","how long to cook a turkey","turkey roasting time per pound","stuffed turkey time","turkey internal temperature"],"related":[{"calculator_id":"brine","reason":"Brine the turkey before roasting."},{"calculator_id":"cooking-converter","reason":"Convert kitchen volumes for the stuffing or brine."}],"links":{"html":"https://tttkmbb.com/food/turkey-cooking-time","markdown":"https://tttkmbb.com/food/turkey-cooking-time.md","json":"https://tttkmbb.com/food/turkey-cooking-time.json","api":"https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculate/turkey-cooking-time","schema":"https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculators/turkey-cooking-time","openapi":"https://tttkmbb.com/openapi.json","mcp":"https://tttkmbb.com/mcp"},"version":"v1","updated_at":"2026-09-24"},"timestamp":"2026-09-23T23:34:08Z","next_actions":[{"tool":"run_calculator","calculator_id":"turkey-cooking-time","reason":"Run Turkey Cooking Time Calculator with the inputs above."}],"links":{"markdown":"https://tttkmbb.com/food/turkey-cooking-time.md"}}