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Turkey cooking time calculator (and roasts by weight)

Oven temperature Estimated cooking time Resting time Internal temperature to reach

Trust the thermometer, not the clock. The time is only an estimate: it depends on your oven, the shape of the joint and how cold it was going in. Only the internal temperature, taken at the thickest part, tells you it is done.

When to put it in the oven

  1. Turn the oven on (preheat)
  2. Put it in the oven
  3. First thermometer check
  4. Take it out and let it rest
  5. Dinner is served

Timer

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The timer stays accurate if you switch tabs; keep this page open to hear the alarm.

Thawing

Never thaw meat or poultry at room temperature on the counter: the outside warms up while the middle is still frozen. Leave it in its wrapping on a tray at the bottom of the fridge, then cook it within 1 to 2 days.

Times are a guide, based on commonly published cooking charts; every oven is different.

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How long to cook a turkey or a roast

This calculator gives the roasting time for a turkey, chicken, goose, roast, leg of lamb, ham or salmon from its weight. You get the oven temperature in °F and °C (gas mark optional), the estimated time, the resting time, the internal temperature to reach and when to put it in the oven. A timer and a fridge thawing estimate are included.

How to use it

  1. Pick what you are cooking under "What are you cooking?" and enter the "Weight" in lb or kg (lb is the default).
  2. Tick "Stuffed bird" if needed; for beef and lamb, choose the "Doneness": rare, medium or well done.
  3. Set the "Oven", the "Dinner time" and the "Preheating" minutes; tick "Show gas mark" for a UK dial.
  4. Read "When to put it in the oven", then start the "Cooking timer" and the "Resting timer". "Copy link" shares your settings.

Roasting times by weight

Time = minutes per kilo × weight + a fixed amount. Rough guides from commonly published charts, for a preheated conventional oven and a joint straight from the fridge.

JointOvenTimeRest
Turkey350 °F, 180 °C, gas 4about 13.6 min/lb (30 min/kg) + 30 min30 min
Chicken400 °F, 200 °C35 min/kg + 20 min10 min
Capon / duck350 °F, 180 °C40 min/kg + 15 / 20 min20 / 15 min
Goose350 °F, 170 °C45 min/kg + 15 min20 min
Beef roast400 °F, 210 °C20 / 30 / 40 min/kg + 10 min10 min
Leg of lamb400 °F, 200 °C25 / 30 / 40 min/kg + 15 min15 min
Pork / veal roast350 °F, 180 °C50 / 45 min/kg + 15 min10 min
Raw ham, gammon350 °F, 170 °C45 min/kg + 20 min15 min
Whole salmon / side350 / 400 °F20 / 10 min/kg + 10 min5 / 3 min

Beef and lamb: rare, medium, well done. A 3 lb beef roast (1.36 kg) cooked medium takes about 51 minutes at 400 °F. For a fan or convection oven, the tool lowers the heat by 25 °F (20 °C), so 350 °F becomes 325 °F, and keeps the same time.

Why a meat thermometer is the only reliable test

Two birds of the same weight cook differently depending on shape, oven and starting temperature. Only a thermometer pushed into the thickest part, away from the bone, tells you it is done, hence the "First thermometer check" three quarters of the way through.

Safe internal temperatures

Commonly cited food safety guidance asks for at least 165 °F (74 °C) for all poultry. For pork, advice ranges from 145 to 160 °F depending on the country; 160 °F is the cautious choice. For beef: 125 °F rare, 140 °F medium, 160 °F well done. For vulnerable people, choose well done.

Resting

Out of the oven, meat climbs a few more degrees and the juices settle. Tent it loosely with foil: 10 minutes for a roast, 30 for a turkey.

Stuffing

A stuffed bird gets 5 extra minutes per kilo: a 12 lb turkey (5.44 kg) needs about 3 hr 41 min stuffed instead of 3 hr 13 min. The centre of the stuffing must also reach 165 °F.

Thawing a turkey safely

Allow at least 1 day in the fridge for every 2 kg (about 4.4 lb), rounded up. A 14 lb turkey needs 4 days: for Thanksgiving on Thursday, move it to the fridge on Sunday. Never thaw it on the counter.

Planning the big dinner

The tool counts backwards from "Dinner time". For a 14 lb unstuffed turkey and dinner at 4:00 PM: preheat at 11:34 AM, in the oven at 11:49 AM, first check at 2:35 PM, out at 3:30 PM, then 30 minutes of rest.

Frequently asked questions

How long to cook an 11 lb turkey?

About 3 hours at 350 °F unstuffed (11 lb is 4.99 kg: 30 × 4.99 + 30 = 180 minutes), plus 30 minutes of rest. Check for 165 °F in the thickest part of the thigh.

How long per pound for a chicken?

About 16 minutes per pound (35 min/kg) plus 20 minutes at 400 °F: a 3.5 lb chicken (1.59 kg) takes about 1 hr 16 min.

Can I use it in kilos?

Yes. Switch the unit to kg: 11 lb becomes 4.99 kg and °C shows first.

Does the timer work if I switch tabs?

Yes, while the page stays open; "Notification when done" alerts you outside the tab.