13 minutes per pound 20 minutes per pound.
4-1/2 to 5 hours. 5-1/2 to 6-1/4 hours. Cook the turkey until the skin is a light golden color, and then cover loosely with a foil tent. During the last 45 minutes of baking, remove the foil tent to brown the skin. Basting is not necessary, but will promote even browning. 20 to 24 pounds. Unstuffed: 4 1/2 to 5 hours. Stuffed: 4 3/4 to 5 1/4 hours. How to know when a turkey is done: While the time estimates above offer a general idea of how long a turkey will take to cook, the absolute safest way to know if your turkey is done is to use meat thermometer. If you are cooking a stuffed turkey, you must cook it until the internal temperature of the stuffing reaches a minimum of 165°F. If the stuffing in your turkey has reached a temperature of 165°F, the temperature of the innermost part of the turkey’s thigh is likely between 165°F to 185°F, at which point it is done. How long you should roast a turkey depends largely on how much it weighs, as well as whether you plan to stuff it. For an oven set to 325°F, FoodSafety.gov recommends the following roasting times based on the weight of a fully thawed turkey: 4 to 6 pounds (breast). 1 1/2 to 2 1/4 hours. 6 to 8 pounds (breast). If you are cooking a stuffed turkey, you must cook it until the internal temperature of the stuffing reaches a minimum of 165°F. If the stuffing in your turkey has reached a temperature of 165°F, the temperature of the innermost part of the turkey’s thigh is likely between 165°F to 185°F, at which point it is done. From prepping and basting to roasting and carving, get all the tips you need to cook your bird. 1  Heat oven to 350 degrees F. 2  Roast turkey uncovered for 20 minutes per pound. 3  Cook to an internal temperature of 165 degrees measured at the thigh. 1 Next, rinse the bird inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. 2  If you are brining your turkey to keep it nice and moist, do this 8 to 24 hours before you cook it. 3  If you are stuffing the bird, stuff it loosely, allowing about 1/2 to 3/4 cup stuffing per pound of turkey. Instead, we prefer to simply shield the breast meat with foil toward the end of cooking if it starts getting too browned. Roast the turkey: The rule of thumb for cooking a turkey is 13 minutes per pound. So our 16-pound turkey was estimated to cook in about 3 1/2 hours. However, some factors like brining the bird, cooking with an empty (un-stuffed) cavity, and leaving the legs un-trussed will contribute to much faster cooking. Be sure to let your turkey completely thaw before cooking. If it was frozen through when you bought it, the turkey will thaw within a few days in the fridge, approximately 24 hours for every five pounds of turkey. 7 Roast the Turkey. Before you put the turkey in the oven, do a rough calculation of how much overall time it should take to cook the turkey. Usually they say to assume 15 minutes for every pound of meat, but I have found in practice that it's usually less than that, more like 13-14 minutes per pound. Which means that if you have a 15 pound turkey, it should take 75 hours, or a little over 3 days, to defrost. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator 2 to 3 hours (depending on the size of the bird) before cooking to allow it to come closer to room temperature. The turkey will cook more quickly and more evenly that way. This table from the USDA is based on 325 °F oven, and a fully defrosted or fresh bird. (For an unstuffed bird, we're talking roughly 15 minutes per pound.) If you want to cook a frozen turkey, it will take at least 50 percent longer than the recommended times. Your turkey will cook faster in a 325 °F convection oven. 8lbs: 1.25 hours 12 lbs: 1.75 hours 14 lbs: 2 hours 18 lbs: 3 hours 20 lbs: 4 hours 24 lbs: 4.25 hours Photo via Flickr user eagleapex. Timing on a grilled turkey is tricky since every grill is vastly different, but here's a rough guide based on weight. Note: For safety reasons, the USDA recommends cooking stuffing outside of the turkey to guarantee uniform doneness. If you do choose to stuff it, check the temp of the center of the stuffing to make sure it, too, reaches the safe 165 degrees F (otherwise bacteria could contaminate your cooked turkey).  1 If you are stuffing the bird, stuff it loosely, allowing about 1/2 to 3/4 cup stuffing per pound of turkey. 2  Tie drumsticks together with string, and brush the skin with melted butter or oil. 3  Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. 1 Next, rinse the bird inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. 2  If you are brining your turkey to keep it nice and moist, do this 8 to 24 hours before you cook it. 3 
http://dish.allrecipes.com/turkey-cooking-time-guide/ http://communitytable.parade.com/236361/smccook/how-long-to-cook-the-perfect-turkey-and-how-to-know-when-a-turkey-is-done/ http://communitytable.parade.com/236361/smccook/how-long-to-cook-the-perfect-turkey-and-how-to-know-when-a-turkey-is-done/ http://dish.allrecipes.com/how-to-cook-a-turkey/ http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-a-turkey-the-simplest-easiest-method-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-160905 http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/moms_roast_turkey/ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/21/how-long-to-cook-a-turkey_n_2158955.html http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/recipe-collections-favorites/seasonal/how-long-to-cook-a-turkey http://dish.allrecipes.com/how-to-cook-a-turkey/
how long to cook a turkey