When to Put Your Turkey in the Oven for Thanksgiving
Every Thanksgiving, plenty of people around the country panic about turkey timing. When does a turkey go in the oven so dinner's ready at 7?
The answer? It depends on the size of the bird and whether or not it's thawed. Here's what you need to know.
The Basic Math
An unstuffed, fully thawed turkey cooks best at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. That's the baseline.
Don't solely rely on cooking time to tell you when it's done though. Get a meat thermometer. Turkey needs to hit 165 degrees in the breast, thigh, and wing to be considered safe to eat.
For a 7 p.m. Dinner
8-12 lbs: Takes 2¾ to 3 hours. Start around 4 p.m.
12-14 lbs: Takes 3 to 3¾ hours. Start around 3:15-4 p.m.
14-18 lbs: Takes 3¾ to 4¼ hours. Start around 2:45-3:15 p.m.
18-20 lbs: Takes 4¼ to 4½ hours. Start around 2:30 p.m.
20-24 lbs: Takes 4½ to 5 hours. Start around 2 p.m.
These times don't include resting after cooking. Let it sit for 20 minutes before carving or the juices will run everywhere and you'll get dry slices. So, bump everything back another 20 minutes to work that into your plans.
If You Stuffed it
The USDA says don't stuff your bird for maximum safety. Cook your stuffing separately. It's safer and the stuffing will cook more evenly.
Doing it anyway? Add 15-30 minutes to those cooking times. And check that the stuffing itself hits 165 degrees because undercooked stuffing is how Thanksgiving trips to the ER happen.
Forgot to Thaw it?
You're in for a long day. Frozen turkey needs at least 50% more time in the oven.
A frozen 12-pounder needs four and a half hours minimum. For 7 p.m. dinner, you'll have to start cooking by 2:30 p.m. or earlier if you want to include resting time.
How to Thaw Next Time
Fridge method: 24 hours per 4-5 pounds.
This means a 16-pound turkey needs four days to thaw. So, move your bird to the fridge on Sunday.
Do the cold water method if you are running out of time: Submerge wrapped turkey in cold water, and change the water every 30 minutes. It takes about 30 minutes per pound. So, a 16-pounder needs 8 hours.
But don't leave your bird to thaw on the counter. This will cause it to thaw unevenly, possibly resulting in spoiled meat.
Get a Meat Thermometer
Not optional. Those little pop-up timers that come with some turkeys are so unreliable. They go off at temps that are too high, and you end up with dry turkey.
Check the breast, thigh, wing. Everything needs to reach 165 degrees. If one spot's lower than the rest, keep cooking.
Other Stuff to Remember
Bigger turkeys take longer per pound, not the same amount of time scaled up. A 20-pound turkey takes way more than double what a 10-pound one takes.
Your oven might even be lying to you about temperature. Some can run up to 25 degrees off. If your turkey's always overcooked or undercooked, that's probably why.
High altitude cooking also takes longer. Google your turkey's cooking times if you're above 3,000 feet.
Work Backwards
When do you want to eat? Subtract cooking time. Subtract rest time. Add buffer time because turkeys are unpredictable. That's when it goes in.
16-pound turkey for 7 p.m.: About 4 hours cooking plus 20 minutes rest. Start by 2:30-2:40 p.m. to be safe.
It’s better to have it done early than have everyone sitting around hungry at 7:30 waiting for the turkey to finish cooking while the rest of your food is already done.
The Most Important Things
Buy a meat thermometer if you don't have one.
Thaw the turkey properly starting days ahead.
Know what time dinner is and work backwards.
Check the temperature in multiple spots.
Don't stuff your turkey unless you really want to deal with the extra hassle and you're prepared for the extra work. And whatever you do, definitely don't cook it frozen unless there's no other option.
And finally, once all of the math, planning and preparations are over, let your turkey rest before cutting into it.
Turkey timing isn't rocket science once you know the weight and have a thermometer. And like everything else that's stressful around the holidays, you just need a plan.
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