Turkey · oven
Whole Turkey (Unstuffed)
Whole Turkey (Unstuffed)
cooking times
4 hr – 4 hr 25 min At the most common temperature, 325°F, a whole unstuffed turkey runs about 4 hr – 4 hr 25 min at 16 lb. Pick your temperature below for the full chart. Done is always 165°F internal.
Pick your temperature
When is it actually done?
165°F internal The USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperature for this cut is 165°F, followed by a rest of about 20 minutes. The clock estimates; the thermometer decides. Every time on this page is a planning range, not a doneness test.
Source note: The 325°F bracket times are the USDA FSIS published timetable for a fresh or fully thawed unstuffed turkey. 350°F times are derived from that anchor (roughly 8–10% shorter) — FSIS itself only publishes 325°F.
Worth knowing before you start
- A stuffed bird adds 30–60 minutes AND the centre of the stuffing must independently reach 165°F — the bird being done does not make the stuffing safe.
- Thaw in the fridge: 24 hours per 4–5 lb. A 20 lb turkey needs 4–5 days — this is the step people run out of time on.
- Take the temperature in three places: the thickest thigh, the wing joint and the thickest breast. The lowest reading is your number.
- The 20-minute rest is not optional at this scale — carving straight from the oven pours the juices onto the board instead of keeping them in the slices.