Introduction

Cooking a turkey is not an exact science. There are so many variables to consider: the weight of the turkey, how well cooked you like your bird, whether or not you want to stuff it…the list goes on. But one thing is certain: there’s no one-size-fits-all cooking time for turkeys; every bird is different.

How long you cook your turkey is a matter of personal taste.

The amount of time it takes to cook a turkey depends on how much heat you put at what temperature. You can use a meat thermometer to tell when the turkey is done, but if you are cooking a whole turkey, you can also use the thigh as a guide for doneness:

• Rare – 145 degrees F (63 C)
• Medium Rare – 155 degrees F (68 C)
• Medium Well Done – 165 degrees F (73 C)

The most important thing to know about cooking is that you should never stuff your turkey before cooking it.

The most important thing to know about cooking a turkey is that you should never stuff your turkey before cooking it.

Stuffing is an excellent way to ruin a delicious Thanksgiving meal, and it can happen in one of two ways: either by stuffing the bird with something that will expand as it cooks, or by not stuffing at all. The first option is especially dangerous because if you put too much food in there (or if the food isn’t cooked), then your bird will burst open like an overfull balloon filled with chunky soup and gravy instead of helium. And while this may sound fun, trust me when I say that there’s nothing fun about cleaning up after such an accident–especially when all those splattered juices start burning holes through the floorboards! The second option–not stuffing at all–is also pretty risky because nobody wants to eat dry turkey breast meat (not even my dog). But don’t worry: there’s still hope for those who want their holiday feasts without any potential tragedies!

To avoid these potential problems altogether, just follow these easy steps: 1) buy yourself some plastic wrap; 2) wrap some foil around each piece of bread so they’re shaped like little balls; 3) place them all inside one large baggie; 4) tie off both ends tightly so nothing gets out during cooking time…

Stuffing a turkey before it’s cooked can cause the stuffing to get mushy and possibly even burn.

If you stuff your turkey, it will take longer to cook. The stuffing inside a stuffed turkey will get mushy and possibly even burn. If you choose to stuff your turkey with another dish such as rice or potatoes, these items could also dry out during cooking.

If you do want to add stuffing to your turkey, wait until the turkey is done, then remove the stuffing and serve it separately or mix with some gravy.

It’s important to note that you should only add stuffing after the turkey is fully cooked. If you want to serve it separately, remove the stuffing from inside of the turkey and then serve it on the side. If you want to mix some gravy with your stuffing, wait until after the turkey has been removed from its cooking vessel before mixing them together.

As soon as you take your turkey out of the oven, remove it from the roasting pan and let it sit so that all the juices redistribute throughout the meat and don’t run out onto your serving platter.

Once you have taken your turkey out of the oven, remove it from the roasting pan and let it sit so that all the juices redistribute throughout the meat and don’t run out onto your serving platter. If you don’t let it rest, those precious juices will be wasted on your cutting board instead of being enjoyed by guests at their holiday dinner table!

The best way to tell when a turkey is done? Use an instant read thermometer (or an internal oven thermometer). Insert this into one of the thighs–it should read 160 degrees F if you want rare; 170 degrees F if medium rare; 180 degrees F if well done.

Cooking time depends on how much heat you put at what temperature

You can cook a turkey in under two hours, but it depends on how much heat you put at what temperature. If you’re using an oven that can reach 500 degrees and have the right amount of space for your turkey to cook properly, then it should take about 45 minutes per pound to get done. For example: if your turkey weighs 22 pounds then it would take about 22 x 45 = 990 minutes or about 16 hours for this bird to be done!

Conclusion

We hope that this guide helps you to cook your turkey the right way. There are so many different ways to do it, but we think our method is the best! After all, cooking a 22 pound turkey takes some time and effort, so if anything goes wrong, at least you’ll have some tips on how not to panic.