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Turkey Cooking Time Calculator

Find how long to roast your turkey.

How it is calculated

The tool multiplies the turkey's weight in kilograms by a fixed number of minutes per kilogram: about 28.66 minutes per kg for an unstuffed bird and 33.07 minutes per kg for a stuffed one. The formula is time (min) = weight (kg) × minutes per kg. The total is rounded to the nearest whole minute and shown as hours and minutes. These rates assume an oven at 175 °C (350 °F). They are a planning estimate for a fresh or fully thawed turkey and do not account for fan ovens, roasting bags, a very cold start or an unusually shaped bird. Always confirm doneness with a thermometer.

Worked example

A turkey weighs 5.5 kg. Unstuffed: 5.5 × 28.66 = 157.63 minutes, which rounds to 158 minutes, or 2 h 38 min. Stuffed: 5.5 × 33.07 = 181.9 minutes, which rounds to 182 minutes, or 3 h 2 min. Stuffing therefore adds about 24 minutes for this bird, so plan the start time from the stuffed figure if the bird is stuffed.

Try this example →

Common mistakes

  • Entering the weight in pounds. The field is in kilograms, so 12 lb must be converted to about 5.4 kg first.
  • Using the weight with giblets or packaging included. Weigh the bird as it goes into the oven.
  • Treating the time as exact. The estimate is a guide; check that the thickest part of the thigh has reached a safe temperature with a thermometer.
  • Forgetting resting time. The turkey needs to rest after leaving the oven, and this time is not included in the result.
  • Roasting from partially frozen. The figure assumes a fully thawed bird at the start.

About this calculator

This calculator estimates roasting time at 175°C (350°F) using USDA-based guidelines that scale roughly 13 minutes per pound (about 29 minutes per kg) for an unstuffed turkey and slightly longer for a stuffed one, since stuffing slows how quickly heat reaches the center of the cavity. The goal in every case is reaching a safe internal temperature of 74°C (165°F) at the thickest part of the thigh, which the time estimate approximates but a meat thermometer confirms.

Home cooks planning a Thanksgiving or holiday dinner, especially those hosting for the first time, use this to work backward from a serving time to a start time, and to judge how a turkey's weight changes the schedule. Enter the turkey's weight and whether it's stuffed to get the estimated roasting time.

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