---
title: How Long to Cook a Turkey
description: You have your bird (and a recipe), but how long, exactly, are you supposed to cook it? Here's a handy guide
canonical: https://time.com/3605330/how-cook-turkey/
author: Real Simple
article:opinion: false
article:content_tier: free
article:published_time: 2014-11-25T17:57:33.000Z
article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:44:26.719Z
og:title: How Long to Cook a Turkey, in One Easy Chart
og:description: You have your bird (and a recipe), but how long, exactly, are you supposed to cook it? Here's a handy guide
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twitter:title: How Long to Cook a Turkey, in One Easy Chart
twitter:description: You have your bird (and a recipe), but how long, exactly, are you supposed to cook it? Here's a handy guide
twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production
---
# How Long to Cook a Turkey, in One Easy Chart
> Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material.
> Last updated: September 2026.
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## Video: 5 Things You Didn't Know About the History of Thanksgiving
[Watch (HLS stream): 5 Things You Didn't Know About the History of Thanksgiving](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/1nM4dSof.m3u8) (1:44)
_Published 2014-11-26. If not for some fortunate circumstances, Thanksgiving could've been a holiday of fasting — rather than feasting — every fourth Thursday of November._
by
[Real Simple](https://time.com/author/real-simple/)
## Real Simple
Nov 25, 2014 5:57 PM UTC
by
[Real Simple](https://time.com/author/real-simple/)
## Real Simple
Nov 25, 2014 5:57 PM UTC
No Holiday guest is more important than the turkey. But you might have a late arrival on your hands if you don’t get it in the oven on time. Planning a 3 p.m. meal? You’ll need to have a 20-pound bird (sans stuffing) cooking by around 10:30 a.m. Don’t stress about the math—just follow our easy chart, with recommendations from the [USDA](http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/poultry-preparation/lets-talk-turkey/CT%5FIndex).
Graphic by Katie Field
Note: For safety reasons, [the USDA recommends](http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/poultry-preparation/turkey-basics-stuffing/CT%5FIndex) cooking stuffing outside of the turkey to guarantee uniform doneness. If you do choose to stuff it, check the temp of the center of the stuffing to make sure it, too, reaches the safe 165 degrees F (otherwise bacteria could contaminate your cooked turkey). Keep wet stuffing ingredients refrigerated ahead of time, and separate from dry ingredients until just before mixing, stuffing loosely and cooking. Sticking with a casserole dish? You should still cook the stuffing to 165 degrees F.
### QUIZ: Should You Eat This or That?
Which is better for you: Half cup of ice cream or 3 scoops of sorbet? Getty Images (4)
Answer: A half cup of ice cream If you eat what you’re craving, you’re more likely to feel satisfied and eat less. And scoop for scoop sorbet contains twice the sugar with none of the filling dairy protein and fat. Getty Images (5); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: Real butter or spray on fake butter? Getty Images; Tara Johnson for TIME
Answer: Butter Serving size for spray butters (even low-calorie ones) are around a 1/3 second spray. What on earth does that mean? You're better off using a small amount of real butter as opposed to guessing how much you're using of the mystery melange of up to 20 ingredients. Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: A turkey burger or a sirloin burger? Getty Images (2)
Answer: Sirloin burger Restaurant turkey burgers are often made with dark meat and the skin, so they’re not necessarily better for you (and for the record, they aren't low-fat). You can get a sirloin burger that’s 95% lean meat and gives you 20 g of protein. Just be careful with the toppings. Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: Almonds or pretzels? Getty Images (2)
Answer: Almonds Almonds are high in protein, fiber and fat and will keep you feeling fuller longer. Give high-sodium pretzels about an hour and you'll feel hungry again thanks to the high-carb no-fat or protein content. Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: Special K or eggs? AP; Getty Images
Answer: Eggs In the morning, you want a meal that will fill you up. Eggs offer protein and fat for satiety, but Special K cereal really only offers carbs and, well, air. If you want carbs to kick off the day, you're better off pairing eggs with a slice of 100% whole grain toast. Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: Fat free salad dressing or regular salad dressing? Tara Johnson for TIME
Answer: Regular salad dressingTo absorb fat soluble vitamins like Vitamins E and K in vegetables you need to consume them with a fat to aid nutrient absorption. Fat-free dressing, meanwhile, is low-calorie but gets its flavor from added sugar and salt. Tara Johnson for TIME (5); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: A low fat cookie or dark chocolate? Getty Images (2)
Answer: Dark chocolate “People believe fat free is calorie free,” says Keri Gans, a registered dietitian in New York City. “Go for the real thing.” Fat free cookies tend to be high in carbs, sugar and fake sugar. Try a nice piece of antioxidant-rich dark chocolate instead. Getty Images (2); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: Low fat Greek yogurt or 100 calorie Yoplait yogurt? Tara Johnson for TIME
Answer: 2% Greek YogurtA little fat is good in the morning to keep you full—plus it has upwards of 17g of protein per container. Fat-free "fruit" yogurt is high in sugar—7 to 10 g per serving—and lower in protein. Tara Johnson for TIME (2); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
For more turkey and stuffing safety and cooking tips, check out the [USDA’s site](http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/poultry-preparation/lets-talk-turkey/CT%5FIndex), and find a complete [Thanksgiving dinner menu here](http://www.realsimple.com/holidays-entertaining/holidays/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-dinner-menu).
This [article](http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/recipe-collections-favorites/seasonal/how-long-to-cook-a-turkey) originally appeared on [RealSimple.com](http://www.realsimple.com/).
## Transcript
If the Pilgrim's had their way, we'd be fasting rather than feasting every year on the fourth Thursday of November. Luckily for us, some changes happened over the past few centuries to make Thanksgiving the holiday we know today. The devout settlers at Plymouth rock initially planned on giving thanks for their first fall harvest through prayer and abstaining from food. But the Wampanoag Indians had a different idea of celebration, which included dancing, games, and feasting. While the first Thanksgiving was held in 1621, it would take more than 150 years before all 13 colonies celebrated Thanksgiving at once.
Still, some presidents weren't fans. Thomas Jefferson called Thanksgiving the most ridiculous idea ever conceived. And it took a 17 year letter writing campaign from a magazine editor to finally convince Abraham Lincoln to issue a decree recognizing the historic tradition. Finally in 1941 Thanksgiving became the leading holiday that consistently followed the fourth Thursday of November. Thanksgiving's date returns to the traditional fourth Thursday in November. And as for the presidential turkey pardon. There is some dispute over who really started it. Abraham Lincoln is said to have saved a turkey at the request of his son while Harry Truman is shown with one here.
There's actually no proof he ever pardoned one. That leaves George H. W. Bush who appears to be the first President to have officially pardoned a turkey in ceremony. Although Thanksgiving's traditions have changed, one thing's for sure. The holiday will always be a good reminder for us to be thankful.
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