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Turkey Cooking Time Calculator

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.

When to use

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.

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

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.

Inputs

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`weight`	number	yes	Weight of the whole (thawed) turkey, in weight_unit. Covered range: 4–24 lb (1.8–10.9 kg) unstuffed, 8–24 lb stuffed. Range: > 0, ≤ 50
`weight_unit`	enum: kg \| lb	default kg	Unit of the weight input.
`stuffed`	boolean	default false	true if the cavity is filled with stuffing (adds roughly 15–45 minutes and the stuffing must also reach 165 °F).
`oven_temperature`	enum: 163c_325f	default 163c_325f	Oven setting; the USDA timetable is defined for 325 °F only.

Outputs

Output	Type	Unit	Description
`min_minutes`	number	min	Lower end of the USDA time range.
`max_minutes`	number	min	Upper end of the USDA time range.
`time_range`	string		Time range in hours and minutes.
`weight_lb`	number	lb	Turkey weight in pounds.
`weight_kg`	number	kg	Turkey weight in kilograms.
`usda_weight_band`	string		Row of the USDA timetable applied.
`safe_internal_temp_c`	number	°C	Minimum internal temperature in the thickest part of thigh, wing and breast (and stuffing centre).
`safe_internal_temp_f`	number	°F	Same in Fahrenheit.
`thaw_refrigerator_days`	string		About 24 hours per 4–5 lb at 4 °C / 40 °F.

Example

6.5 kg unstuffed: {"weight":6.5,"weight_unit":"kg","stuffed":false} → {"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}

20 lb stuffed: {"weight":20,"weight_unit":"lb","stuffed":true} → {"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"}

GET https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculate/turkey-cooking-time?weight=6.5&weight_unit=kg&stuffed=false

Machine access

API: GET https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculate/turkey-cooking-time (query parameters) or POST with a JSON body {"inputs": {...}}
Schema: https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculators/turkey-cooking-time · Markdown: https://tttkmbb.com/food/turkey-cooking-time.md · JSON definition: https://tttkmbb.com/food/turkey-cooking-time.json
MCP: server https://tttkmbb.com/mcp, tool run_calculator with calculator_id="turkey-cooking-time"
OpenAPI operationId: estimate_turkey_cooking_time
Freshness: static. Authentication: none. Rate limit: fair use (see rate limits).

Sources

FAQ

Where do I put the thermometer?

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).

Can I roast at a higher temperature to save time?

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.

Related calculators

Brine Calculator — Brine the turkey before roasting.
Cooking Measurement Converter — Convert kitchen volumes for the stuffing or brine.