Introduction

Cooking a turkey is not something that should be left to chance. It’s one of those things that needs to be done right the first time. If you don’t know how long to cook a 20 lb turkey, or even how long it takes to cook other sizes of turkeys, then you might end up having some dry meat on your hands! Fortunately, we’ve got you covered. Keep reading below as we explain everything from cooking times for different ovens and types of turkey meat:

How Long to Cook a 20-lb Turkey

How long does it take to cook a 20-lb turkey?

It takes about 18 hours for a 20-lb turkey to cook in an electric oven, and 11 hours for the same bird in a gas oven.

How Long to Cook a 20-lb Turkey in an Electric Oven

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Place the turkey in a roasting pan with a rack, if you have one.
• Cook for 1 hour per pound (20 minutes per kilogram). Turn the turkey over at least once during cooking, like when you turn on your computer and see that it’s already done something! (If it’s not done yet, don’t worry!) Check internal temperature with a meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast and thigh; look for 165 degrees F (74 C) for whole bird; 165 degrees F (74 C) for stuffing removed before cooking.* If using convection mode: reduce cooking time by about 15 percent.* If using self-baste feature: increase oven temperature by 25 degrees F (14 C) for each 10 pounds above 20 pounds.* When done roasting, allow 3-4 hours resting time before carving so juices can redistribute evenly through meat

How Long to Cook a 20-lb Turkey in a Gas Oven

A 20-lb turkey should be cooked for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours in a gas oven. This is an approximate cooking time and can vary depending on the size of your bird and what kind of heat source you use.

To check if your turkey is done, use a meat thermometer to measure its internal temperature: 165 degrees F for breasts, 175 degrees F for thighs and drumsticks (if you’re using one) and 180 degrees F for wings. If using an instant-read thermometer, insert it into breast meat near thigh joint but not touching bone; if using an oven-ready digital probe thermometer insert into thickest part of breast or thigh away from bone

Cooking times depend on the size of the bird, how it’s cooked and the oven being used.

The cooking time for a 20-pound turkey is dependent on the size of the bird, how it’s cooked and your oven.

• An electric oven should be preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit before placing the turkey inside, which is then cooked at 325 F for about 3 hours.
• A gas oven should be preheated to 350 F, then turned down to 325 F halfway through cooking time (around 1 hour).

Conclusion

Now that you know how long it takes to cook a 20-pound turkey, you can plan accordingly. You might want to start cooking early on Thanksgiving Day so that you have plenty of time for other dishes or just relax while the turkey cooks itself!