How Long Do You Cook a Turkey Per Pound March 2023 El Reno Ok

Table of Contents

Introduction

You don’t want to cook your turkey for too long or it will dry out, but you also don’t want to cook it for too little time because that might make it undercooked. So how do you know how long to cook your turkey? Well, that depends on how much meat is in it! We’ll talk about that below, but first let’s get into why cooking times are different for different weights of turkeys…

Cooking time varies by weight, but not by much.

The cooking time for a turkey is about 20 minutes per pound. So if you have a 12-pound turkey, it will take about 240 minutes (3 hours) to cook it. If your bird weighs 18 pounds, then its total cooking time would be 360 minutes (5 hours).

A 15-pound turkey should take 3 hours longer to fully cook than a 12-pound turkey.

A 15-pound turkey should take 3 hours longer to fully cook than a 12-pound turkey. If you’re not sure how long to cook your turkey, use this chart:

Standard Butterball: 1 hour per pound (plus 20 minutes)
Large Butterball: 1 hour and 10 minutes per pound (plus 20 minutes)

A 20-pound turkey should take 5 hours longer to fully cook than a 12-pound turkey.

If you’re wondering how long to cook a turkey, here’s the answer: it depends on its size. A bigger turkey will take longer to cook than a smaller one, but not by much. For example, if your 12-pound bird is ready in 2 1/2 hours and you want it done perfectly (and who doesn’t?), then all you need is another 3 hours and 15 minutes before serving time. That’s only an extra hour and 45 minutes of cooking time!

A 15-pound turkey should take 3 hours longer than a 12-pound bird.*
A 20-pound turkey should take 5 hours longer than a 12-pound bird.*

A 25-pound turkey should take 6 hours longer to fully cook than a 12-pound turkey.

If you’re not sure how long your bird has been in the oven, use this simple test: Stick an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, keeping it away from any bones or fat (the USDA recommends using a digital probe thermometer). The turkey is done when it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit–but if you don’t have one of those handy gadgets lying around, there’s another way to tell if your bird is ready: The leg should wiggle when shaken slightly; if it doesn’t move at all and feels firm when pressed lightly with your finger (or thumb), then congratulations! Your Thanksgiving dinner is ready!

There is no way around it – cooking time will depend on how much meat there is in your turkey, but not by very much.

There is no way around it – cooking time will depend on how much meat there is in your turkey, but not by very much. That said, there are a few things that can affect how long you need to cook your bird:

The weight of the bird (duh). A heavier turkey will take longer than a lighter one. If you’re cooking two birds of different sizes at once and want them both done at the same time, use this calculator from Cook’s Illustrated to find out how long each should be cooked separately before putting them together in an oven or on top of each other in a pot.
The temperature of your oven (sorta). With some exceptions (like roasting coffee), most foods cook better when they’re heated slowly rather than quickly–and turkeys are no exception! If possible, don’t put your turkey straight into an extremely hot oven; instead start with 450°F heat for 15 minutes before reducing it to 350°F for 20 minutes per pound thereafter until done (see below).

Conclusion

I hope this information has been helpful for you. If you are new to cooking a turkey, it can be daunting! But don’t worry – we have some tips that will make it easier. First off, get yourself a good thermometer (I recommend one that has an alarm). This way when your turkey is done roasting at 325 degrees F (163 C), then you know exactly how long it took and can plan accordingly next time around. Secondly, remember that every pound counts!