A Guide & Tutorial for How to Cook a Turkey
An easy, step by step guide for how to cook a turkey. You will be a pro in no time at all!
Cooking a whole turkey can feel like a big job, especially when you have side dishes to finish and people coming over. But you don’t need a complicated recipe to put a delicious turkey on the table.
In our house, I like to keep things simple with butter, seasonings and a roasting pan. The most important parts happen before you ever start carving: give your turkey enough time to thaw, plan your cooking time and use a meat thermometer.
This guide walks you through each step, from taking your turkey out of the freezer to putting away the leftovers.
The Basics at a Glance
This guide is for a fully thawed, unstuffed whole turkey roasted in a conventional oven.
- Oven temperature: 325°F.
- Safe internal temperature: At least 165°F in the thickest part of the breast and the innermost parts of the thigh and wing.
- Resting time: About 20 minutes before carving.
- Most important tool: A meat thermometer.
Cooking times help you plan your day. The thermometer tells you when dinner is ready.
How Much Turkey Do You Need?
Plan on about 1 to 1½ pounds of whole turkey per person. That includes the bones, so it doesn’t mean each person will eat that much meat.
Choose the higher end if you want leftovers or have some big turkey eaters at the table. For eight people, a 12 pound turkey is a reasonable starting point.
Before buying a large turkey, make sure it will fit in your roasting pan, refrigerator and oven.
When Should You Thaw Your Turkey?
Thawing is the step you need to plan for first. A large frozen turkey can take several days to thaw in the refrigerator.
Allow about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds, with your refrigerator set to 40°F or below.
| Turkey weight | Approximate refrigerator thawing time |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Keep the turkey in its wrapping and set it on a rimmed tray or in a pan to catch any drips. Place it on the bottom shelf, away from foods that are ready to eat.
Once completely thawed in the refrigerator, the turkey can stay there for another 1 to 2 days before cooking. Do not thaw turkey on the counter.
What If Your Turkey Is Still Frozen?
If you don’t have enough time for refrigerator thawing, use the cold water method.
- Place the turkey in a leakproof bag.
- Submerge it completely in cold tap water.
- Change the water every 30 minutes.
- Allow about 30 minutes per pound.
- Cook the turkey immediately after thawing.
A 12 pound turkey can take about six hours this way, so it still requires some planning. Don’t use warm water to speed things up.
What You’ll Need
Gather everything before opening the turkey package:
- A fully thawed whole turkey
- Softened or melted butter, or olive oil
- Salt and black pepper
- Optional garlic powder, rosemary, thyme or sage
- A roasting pan with a rack
- A meat thermometer
- Aluminum foil
- Paper towels
- A cutting board and sharp carving knife
Check the turkey label before adding salt. Some turkeys already contain a salt solution, so they may need less added salt.
How to Prepare the Turkey
1. Preheat the Oven
Set your oven to 325°F. Adjust the oven rack so the turkey will sit near the center of the oven with room above it.
2. Remove the Packaging and Giblets
Remove the outer wrapping. Check both the main cavity and the neck cavity for the neck and giblet packet.
Remove any absorbent pads and follow the package directions for any leg holders or other attachments.
3. Pat the Turkey Dry
Use paper towels to pat the turkey dry, then throw the towels away.
Do not rinse raw turkey. Splashing water can spread germs around your sink and onto nearby surfaces. Wash your hands and clean anything that has touched the raw turkey or its juices.
4. Place It on the Roasting Rack
Set the turkey breast side up on the rack in your roasting pan.
I cook my stuffing separately. It makes the meal easier to manage, and USDA recommends cooking stuffing outside the bird for the best safety. My Homemade Stove Top Stuffing is a great option.
5. Add Butter and Seasonings
Rub the outside with softened or melted butter, or brush it with olive oil. Add salt, pepper and any herbs you like.
Butter adds flavor, but it doesn’t replace watching the temperature. Avoiding overcooking is an important part of keeping the breast meat moist.
How to Roast a Turkey
Place the prepared turkey in the preheated oven.
I like using a loose foil tent to help protect the skin while the turkey cooks, then removing it toward the end so the skin can brown. Leave space between the foil and the turkey.
You can also begin roasting uncovered and loosely cover the breast if it starts getting too brown.
Keep the oven door closed as much as possible. If you choose to baste, work quickly so you don’t lose too much oven heat.
How Long Does a Turkey Take to Cook?
Use this chart to plan for a fully thawed, unstuffed turkey at 325°F.
| Turkey weight | Approximate roasting time |
|---|---|
| 8 to 12 pounds | 2¾ to 3 hours |
| 12 to 14 pounds | 3 to 3¾ hours |
| 14 to 18 pounds | 3¾ to 4¼ hours |
| 18 to 20 pounds | 4¼ to 4½ hours |
| 20 to 24 pounds | 4½ to 5 hours |
These are estimates. Your oven, roasting pan and turkey can affect the cooking time. Start checking the temperature before the earliest time listed, and allow extra time in your dinner schedule.
This chart does not apply to stuffed or frozen turkeys, oven bags or countertop electric roasters.
How Do You Know When Turkey Is Done?
Use a meat thermometer to check all three places:
- The thickest part of the breast
- The innermost part of the thigh
- The innermost part of the wing
Keep the thermometer tip away from bone. All three areas need to reach at least 165°F before you remove the turkey from the oven.
If one area is below that temperature, keep roasting and check again. Don’t rely on the skin color, clear juices or a pop up timer alone.
Let the Turkey Rest Before Carving
Once the turkey reaches the proper temperature, remove it from the oven and let it rest for about 20 minutes before carving. Loosely cover it with foil while it rests.
This gives the juices time to settle and makes carving easier. It also gives you a little time to finish getting dinner on the table.
How to Carve a Turkey
Use a sturdy cutting board and a sharp knife.
- Remove the legs and separate the thighs from the drumsticks.
- Remove the wings.
- Cut along one side of the breastbone to remove a breast half.
- Slice the breast meat across the grain.
- Repeat on the other side.
Arrange the meat on a serving platter and bring it to the table.
And if someone else in your family enjoys carving, this is a perfectly good job to hand over!
What to Serve With Turkey
Build your Thanksgiving menu with a few of our favorite sides:
- Traditional Green Bean Casserole
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Homemade Stove Top Stuffing
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Garlic Herb Buttermilk Dinner Rolls
- Cranberry Ambrosia Salad
How to Store Leftover Turkey
Remove the remaining meat from the bones and divide it into shallow containers so it can cool quickly.
Refrigerate turkey within two hours of cooking, including resting and serving time. If the temperature around the food is above 90°F, refrigerate it within one hour. You don’t need to wait for it to reach room temperature.
Use refrigerated turkey within 3 to 4 days, or freeze it for longer storage. When reheating leftovers, heat them to 165°F.
Save some for my Ultimate Thanksgiving Leftovers Turkey Sandwich. That next day sandwich is something worth planning for!
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