Turkey Thawing & Roasting Time Calculator
Enter turkey weight to get USDA fridge or cold-water thaw time, the day to start thawing, and 325°F roasting time, stuffed or unstuffed.
Tool inputs stay in your browser · optional AI search sends your query
Good to know: Scope: whole turkeys and turkey breasts of 4 to 24 lb roasted in a conventional oven at 325°F, using the USDA FSIS thawing and roasting timetables. From 24 to 40 lb it gives thawing estimates from the USDA per-pound rules only, with no roasting time. Excludes smoking, deep-frying, grilling, brining, spatchcocking, convection or roaster ovens, and microwave times (follow your microwave manual). Times are approximate; your oven, the bird’s shape and how cold it starts all change them. A food thermometer reading of 165°F, not the clock, tells you it is safe. Independent ToolsKo planner. Sources reviewed November 11, 2026.
How to use it (step by step)
- 1Type the weight printed on the turkey’s label in pounds.
- 2Choose how you will thaw it and whether it will be stuffed, then pick the day you will roast it and the time you want to eat.
- 3Read the thaw time, the day to move it to the fridge and the oven time. Always check it with a food thermometer: 165°F in the thigh, wing and thickest part of the breast.
Words to know
- Food thermometer
- A probe you push into the thickest meat. It is the only reliable way to know the turkey reached a safe 165°F.
- Cold-water thawing
- Thawing the sealed turkey under cold tap water, changing the water every 30 minutes. Faster than the fridge, but you must cook it right away.
- Resting time
- The 20 minutes you leave the cooked turkey out of the oven before carving, so the juices settle.
- Unstuffed
- Cooked with nothing inside the cavity. USDA calls this the safer choice; bake the stuffing in a dish.
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Sources & methods
References checked November 11, 2026. Read each tool’s scope and assumptions before relying on its result.