Thanksgiving and Christmas are big days for feasting on turkeys, but you can enjoy them any time of the year. Here are the basics for oven-roasting fresh and frozen turkeys. If you'd rather grill your turkey, see How to Grill a Turkey.
When to Buy Turkey
You need about 1 pound of fresh or frozen turkey per person.
Frozen: You can buy a frozen turkey up to a year before you plan to cook it without a loss in quality. Keep it frozen until you're ready to thaw it (see instruction below).
Fresh: Buy a fresh turkey only a day or two before you plan to cook it. Until you're ready to cook, refrigerate it on a pan or tray to catch any drips.
Pre-stuffed: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends only buying frozen pre-stuffed turkeys that display the USDA or a state mark of inspection on the packaging. These turkeys are safe because they have been processed under controlled conditions. Don't buy fresh pre-stuffed turkey; which can contain harmful bacteria if not handled properly.
For pre-stuffed frozen turkey, figure on 1-1/4 pounds per person. Cook them frozen—don't thaw before cooking. Follow package directions for proper handling and cooking.
Thawing a Frozen Turkey
You can thaw a turkey in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave. Whichever method you use, use tongs to carefully remove the giblets from the turkey cavities after thawing and cook them separately.
Warning: Always wash hands, utensils, the sink and anything else that comes in contact with raw turkey and its juices with soap and water.
In the refrigerator: Thaw at 40 degrees F or below. Allow 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds. Because you can keep a refrigerator-thawed turkey in the refrigerator for a day or two, it doesn't hurt to allow a little extra thawing time.
Keep the turkey in its original wrapper. Place it on a tray or in a pan to catch juices.
If necessary, you can refreeze a turkey that has been properly thawed in the refrigerator (but not turkey thawed using any other method.)
In cold water: Allow about 30 minutes per pound. Wrap the turkey securely so water can't leak through the wrapping. Submerge the wrapped turkey in cold tap water and change the water every 30 minutes. Cook the turkey immediately after it thaw. Don't refreeze it.
In the microwave: Check your owner's manual for the size turkey that fits in your microwave, the minutes per pound, and power level to use for thawing.
Remove all outside wrapping and place on a microwave-safe dish to catch leaking juices. Cook the turkey immediately after thawing. Don't refrigerate or refreeze it.
Planning for Roasting Time
Use the times below to estimate how much time to allow for roasting the turkey. Ovens vary, so don't go just by the time—check the turkey's internal temperature with a food thermometer, even if the turkey comes with a pop-up indicator. The minimum safe internal temperature is 165° F.
The following cooking time estimates are based on an oven temperature of 325°F. If you're roasting a frozen turkey, add 50 percent to the cooking time (for example, instead of 4 hours, figure on 6 hours).
Unstuffed:
| Weight in pounds | Cooking Time |
| 4–8 (breast) | 1 hr 30 min to 3 hr 15 min |
| 8–12 | 2 hr 45 min to 3 hr |
| 12–14 | 3 hr to 3 hr 45 min |
| 14–18 | 3 hr 45 min to 4 hr 15 min |
| 18–20 | 4 hr 15 min to 4 hr 30 min |
| 20–24 | 4 hr 30 min to 5 hr |
Stuffed:
For safety, stuffing a turkey isn't recommended. Instead, cook stuffing outside the bird in a casserole (check out our recipe for perfect stuffing).
If you choose to stuff your turkey, keep wet ingredients—such as butter, vegetables and broth—chilled and separate from dry ingredients until you're ready to cook the turkey. Mix wet and dry ingredients just before filling the turkey cavities, filling the cavities loosely. Cook the turkey immediately.
| Weight in pounds | Cooking Time |
| 6–8 (breast) | 2 hr 30 min to 3 hr 30 min |
| 8–12 | 3 hr to 3 hr 30 min |
| 12–14 | 3 hr 30 min to 4 hr |
| 14–18 | 4 hr to 4 hr 15 min |
| 18–20 | 4 hr 15 min to 4 hr 45 min |
| 20–24 | 4 hr 45 min to 5 hr 15 min |
Roasting a Turkey
If using a cooking bag, follow the manufacturer's guidelines on the package. Otherwise, follow these steps.
• Clean the turkey.
• Set your oven temperature no lower than 325° F. You can use a higher temperature if you prefer.
• Place the turkey or turkey breast on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.
• Cook until the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast reaches at least 165 degrees F. If the turkey is stuffed, the stuffing must also be at least 165° F.
• Let the turkey stand for 20 minutes before carving to allow juices to set so the turkey is easier to carve.
• Remove all stuffing from inside the turkey.
Cooking Tips
• For more even cooking, tuck the tips of the wings under the turkey's shoulders.
• Add 1/2 cup of water to the bottom of the pan.
• If your roasting pan doesn't have a lid, place a tent of heavy-duty aluminum foil over the turkey for the first 1 to 1-1/2 hours so it cooks evenly and stays moist. You can put the tent back on when the outside of the turkey reaches the color you want, so it stops browning as it continues cooking.
Storing Leftover Turkey
Discard any turkey, stuffing and gravy left out at room temperature longer than 2 hours (1 hour in temperatures above 90 degrees F). Divide leftovers into small portions and refrigerate or freeze in covered shallow containers for quicker cooling.
Use refrigerated turkey and stuffing within 3 to 4 days. Use gravy within 1 to 2 days. If freezing leftovers, use within 2 to 6 months for best quality.
This information is taken from the USDA's turkey safety fact sheet.