How long to Cook a Turkey per Pound
I will be the first one to admit, some of my kitchen skills are “lacking”. It’s not that I can’t cook, because I can, but my tendency to overcook, or even worse under-cook seems to get the best of me. ESPECIALLY when I am in a rush, or cooking for boatloads of people. Thanksgiving is my busiest day of the year. I took it upon myself to be the holiday destination spot, and almost immediately began regret it.
The last thing I want to be doing is serving my guests overcooked, dry turkey on this big day. Or, under-cooked, almost raw, still gobbling turkey. My chronic paranoia of Salmonella or E-Coli is real, and that’s why I go out of my way every year to make sure that not only is my food edible, but safe for human consumption.
I’m a crock-pot girl, I throw my meat in at 7am and know that my food will be fully cooked by dinner time. Some may call it lazy. I call it “smart” and save myself a trip to the emergency room.
So to help YOU not make the same mistakes as ME, and keep all your guests happy, and safe, I have put together a list of suggested Temp & Times to cook your Turkey according to pound courtesy of Butterball.
Please Note **According to the FDA & CDC all poultry should be cooked to a MINIMUM of 165 degrees in the “deepest area” to reduce the risk of Food Borne Illnesses
Based on a 325 Degree Oven, Un-stuffed, Thawed Turkey
6-7 Pounds – 2- 2.5 Hours
7-10 Pounds – 2.5 – 3 Hours
10 – 18 Pounds – 3 – 3.5 Hours
18 – 22 Pounds – 3.5 – 4 Hours
22 – 24 Pounds – 4 – 4.5 Hours
24 – 30 Pounds – 4.5 – 5 Hours
**add and extra 45 -60 minutes to total time if your Turkey is Stuffed**
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