How long to cook a turkey: times by weight

Turkey cooking times by weight

The table below works through two published formulas. The first column is the FSA’s, for an oven preheated to 180°C (160°C fan, gas 4) (FSA: Christmas food hygiene). The second is the British Turkey formula quoted by BBC Good Food, for a hotter oven at 190°C (170°C fan, gas 5): 20 minutes per kg plus 70 minutes under 4kg, or plus 90 minutes over 4kg (BBC Good Food: how to cook a turkey). I’ve done the arithmetic; the formulas are theirs.

Times exclude resting. The British Turkey formula gives different figures under and over 4kg and doesn’t say which applies at exactly 4kg, so that cell is blank.

Two things stand out. First, the two methods don’t agree, because they use different oven temperatures; pick one and stick to it rather than mixing them. Second, the FSA bands don’t join up neatly. A 4kg bird comes out at 3 hours 20 minutes but a 4.5kg bird at 3 hours, and a 6.5kg bird at 4 hours 20 minutes but a 7kg bird at 4 hours 5 minutes. Nobody’s turkey shrinks in the oven; it’s just what happens when you put a formula in bands. Don’t read that as a heavier bird being done sooner. Food Standards Scotland says cooking times are only estimates and you should always check the bird is properly cooked before serving (FSS). If your bird is just over 4.5kg or 6.5kg, plan on the longer time of the slightly lighter bird above it, start checking at the table time, and only take it out once it passes the checks below.

For a sense check, BBC Good Food’s roast timer says a standard turkey of around 6kg will take around 4 hours (BBC Good Food: roast timer), which matches the FSA figure.

Fan ovens

Both sources give a fan temperature 20°C lower than the conventional setting: 160°C fan for the FSA method and 170°C fan for the British Turkey one. Food Standards Scotland also notes that some ovens, such as fan-assisted ones, might cook the bird more quickly, so check your oven’s handbook if you can. A full oven, or opening the door a lot, can mean you need extra time (FSS: turkey cooking guide).

Turkey crowns

For a crown, follow the pack. BBC Good Food uses the same British Turkey formula at 190°C (170°C fan) and gives worked examples: 1.5kg takes 1 hour 40 minutes, 2kg takes 1 hour 50 minutes and 2.5kg takes 2 hours, each plus resting, and the same checks apply: steaming hot throughout, no pink meat and juices running clear (BBC Good Food: how to cook a turkey crown). Its crown recipe rests the meat for 20 minutes.

Is it cooked? Temperatures from the FSA

The FSA says your turkey must be steaming hot and cooked all the way through, with no pink meat and clear juices when you cut into the thickest part, which in a whole bird is the area between the leg and the breast. With a temperature probe in the thickest part (the FSA says avoid the bone), it needs to reach one of these combinations (FSA):

• 60°C for 45 minutes
• 65°C for 10 minutes
• 70°C for 2 minutes
• 75°C for 30 seconds
• 80°C for 6 seconds

Food Standards Scotland puts it more simply: check the thickest part, between the breast and the thigh, reaches 75°C or above (FSS). BBC Good Food advises probing several spots in the thigh or breast and going by the lowest reading, and if it needs longer, giving it another 10 to 15 minutes before testing again (BBC Good Food: roast timer). Clean the probe after each use. If it hasn’t got there, it isn’t ready: back in the oven.

Resting time

BBC Good Food says to rest a large joint or turkey for 30 to 45 minutes in a warm place, tented with foil, and that it becomes juicier and easier to carve while it rests (BBC Good Food). Its basic turkey recipe says the same: 30 to 45 minutes, and don’t cover it too tightly if you want crisp skin (BBC Good Food). Only rest it once it has passed the cooked-through checks above; don’t take it out early and count on the rest to finish it. Resting time is not wasted time: it’s when the potatoes get the oven.

Before it goes in

• Defrost it properly. The FSA says never defrost a turkey at room temperature: defrost it in the fridge, on the bottom shelf, ideally in a covered container big enough to catch the drips, allowing around 10 to 12 hours per kg if there are no instructions. A whole bird can take 3 to 5 days depending on size. A partly frozen turkey may cook unevenly, so harmful bacteria can survive (FSA). Food Standards Scotland bases the same 10 to 12 hours per kg on a fridge at 4°C, and says to check there are no ice crystals in the cavity before cooking (FSS).
• Don’t wash it. The FSA says washing raw meat spreads germs onto your hands, clothes, utensils and worktops. Wash your hands with soap and warm water after touching raw turkey, and clean every surface, board and utensil it touched.
• Cook the stuffing separately. The FSA says a stuffed turkey takes longer and may not cook thoroughly, and cooking guidelines assume an unstuffed bird.
• Weigh what goes in. BBC Good Food says to weigh the turkey with any stuffing under the skin, bacon or other additions.

Knowing the cooking time is half the job; the other half is fitting the potatoes, veg and gravy around it. Big Dinner Timer does that bit: it plans a whole turkey from 2 to 12kg or a crown from 1 to 6kg, works backwards from when you want to eat, and reminds you of each job. It’s on the App Store. For a worked example by hand, see our Christmas dinner timings plan.

Read next

• Christmas dinner timings: a working-backwards plan for eating at 2pm
• Sunday roast timing plan