How Long to Cook Turkey by Weight
The general rule for cooking a whole turkey in the oven is that you should allow for around 15 to 20 minutes of cook time per pound. This assumes that you're roasting the turkey at 325 degrees; if you set your oven temperature higher, you can shave off a few minutes per pound.
Average Turkey Cook Times by Weight
- 8 pounds: 2 hours 45 minutes
- 9 pounds: 3 hours
- 10 pounds: 3 hours 15 minutes
- 11 pounds: 3 hours 30 minutes
- 12 pounds: 3 hours 45 minutes
- 13 pounds: 4 hours
- 14 pounds: 4 hours
- 15 pounds: 4 hours 15 minutes
- 16 pounds: 4 hours 30 minutes
- 17 pounds: 4 hours 45 minutes
- 18 pounds: 4 hours 45 minutes
- 19 pounds: 5 hours
- 20 pounds: 5 hours 15 minutes
If you aren't sure whether or not your turkey is done cooking, you can use a meat thermometer to check it. If the thickest part of the meat has reached 165 degrees, it's ready to eat.