How long does my turkey need to cook?
Why you should know this: Too little time in the oven yields a raw turkey. Too long and it dries out. Know the sweet spot of timing for roasting your turkey.
Anyone who's cooked a turkey knows that timing the bird is tricky.
Pro-tip: Start the turkey breast-side down and flip the turkey about halfway through roasting (this helps shield the breast and evenly cook the turkey).
If cooking a big bird—18 to 22 pounds—you may decide it's too heavy to rotate; in that case, roast it breast side up for the entire cooking time.
For absolute precision, gauge doneness according to the internal temperature—the thickest part of the thigh should register 170 to 175 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.
Small: 12-15 Pound Turkey
Servings: 10-12
Ideal Oven Temperature: 400 degrees
Roasting Time: 45 minutes breast side down, 50-60 minutes breast side up
Resting Time: 30 minutes
Medium: 15-18 Pound Turkey
Servings: 14-16
Ideal Oven Temperature: 400 degrees
Roasting Time: 45 minutes breast side down, 1 hour, 15 minutes breast side up
Resting Time: 30 minutes
Large: 18-22 Pound Turkey
Servings: 20-22
Oven Temperature: 425 degrees, reduced to 325 degrees after 1 hour
Roasting Time: 1 hour breast side down, 2 hours breast side up
Resting Time: 35-40 minutes
