Introduction

There’s nothing quite like the smell of turkey roasting on Thanksgiving morning. While it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of the holiday, it’s important to remember that cooking a turkey takes time and patience. Knowing how long to cook your bird will help ensure that it comes out perfectly!

1 hour per pound

The turkey is done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

To check the temperature, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh and breast. If you don’t have a thermometer, press on both sides with your fingers; if they feel firm, it’s done!

Rinse the turkey inside and out, removing any giblets or other packages.

Rinse the turkey inside and out, removing any giblets or other packages. Use a paper towel to dry the turkey.

Cover the turkey with a damp paper towel.

Cover the turkey with a damp paper towel. This will keep it moist and prevent the skin from burning while it’s in the oven. If you don’t have any paper towels on hand, you can use a clean cloth or cut up onion instead–just make sure to pat off any excess moisture before covering your bird!

Cook at 325 degrees F for 30 minutes per pound, about 4 hours total for a 15-pound turkey.

For a 15-pound turkey, cook at 325 degrees F for 30 minutes per pound, about 4 hours total. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the turkey; it should be 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the thigh. Let your turkey rest for 20 minutes before carving and serving.

Cook at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes per pound, about 3 hours total for a 12-pound turkey.

Cooking a turkey is a process that takes time, but you can make it easier by following some simple guidelines. The first thing to do is determine how long to cook your 20-pound turkey at 350 degrees F. The general rule of thumb is 20 minutes per pound, so if you have a 12-pound bird (and not an 18-pounder), then it should take about three hours total in the oven before it’s done.

The temperature of your oven matters just as much as how long it cooks for: if your oven isn’t hot enough or if the bird isn’t being basted regularly during cooking time with melted butter or oil–both things that help keep meat moist–then chances are good that even if all other factors are perfect (i..e., size/weight), there will still be dryness issues when it comes time for carving up this delicious holiday meal staple!

Cooking time varies so use this as a general guide

The cooking time for a 20-lb turkey will vary depending on several factors. First, the size of your turkey will affect how long it takes to cook in your oven. Second, how hot or cool your oven is will also affect how quickly (or slowly) your bird cooks. And finally, if you are using an electric or gas range instead of an electric wall oven–or even if you’re using a convection setting on either kind–then this too can have an effect on how fast or slow things go down in there.

So what does all this mean for us? It means that there really isn’t one exact answer when it comes to knowing exactly when our turkeys should come out looking like they’re ready for carving! All we can do is provide general guidelines based on our experience and research into these matters… which brings us back around full circle:

Conclusion

So, there you have it. A simple and easy way to cook your turkey! Cooking times will vary depending on the size of your turkey and how hot your oven is so use this as a general guide. You can also use our handy dandy chart below for quick reference.