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Size, roast time, and thaw plan for your turkey
Set the guests, the appetite, and the serving day — the whole week plans itself.
FREE CALCULATOR · EVERYDAY
Turkey cook time calculator
Ten guests on Thanksgiving and a bird in the freezer — how big, how long, and when do you start thawing? Enter the headcount and get the turkey size, the roast time at 325°F, the exact day to move it to the fridge, and a four-step week plan — stuffed or unstuffed.
How turkey timing works
Three numbers decide your Thanksgiving: how big a bird to buy, how long it roasts, and when the thaw starts. The sizing rule is 1 to 1.5 pounds per guest — a 10-person table wants a 10 to 15-pound bird, and small birds run bonier so they sit at the high end. The roasting rule is 13 minutes per pound unstuffed, 15 stuffed, in an oven at 325°F. And the thawing rule is one fridge day per 4 to 5 pounds. Everything else — the timeline above, the receipt, the plan — is arithmetic on those three rules.
The formula
Bird size = guests × lb per guest (rounded up) · Roast minutes = size × 13 (unstuffed) or × 15 (stuffed) at 325°F · Thaw days = ⌈size ÷ 4.5⌉.
Worked example: 10 guests, unstuffed
Ten guests at the generous setting: 10 × 1.5 = 15 lb. Unstuffed at 13 minutes per pound: 15 × 13 = 195 minutes = 3 h 15 min in a 325°F oven. Thaw days: ⌈15 ÷ 4.5⌉ = 4 days, so the bird moves from freezer to fridge on Sunday, November 22 for a Thursday Thanksgiving. Rest 20 minutes under foil, then carve. If the same bird were stuffed, it would roast 15 × 15 = 225 minutes = 3 h 45 min.
A 20-guest crowd at the leftovers setting: 20 × 2 = 40 lb is past what one bird does well — two 18–20 lb birds roast faster and more evenly than one 40-pounder. The math works; the oven is the limit.
Where this comes in handy
- Thanksgiving headcounts: the guest list changes — the bird size, roast time, and thaw date all follow.
- Christmas and holiday dinners: same math, any serving day — the thaw date recalculates.
- Frozen-bird rescue: the cold-water fallback (30 min/lb) tells you whether you still have time.
- Stuffing decisions: see exactly how many extra minutes stuffing costs before you commit.
- Scaling the sides: once the bird is sized, the recipe scaling calculator sizes everything else for the same headcount.
For the full walkthrough — thawing methods, the thermometer test, brining, and carving — see the guide How to cook a turkey.
Turkey timing — frequently asked questions
How long do you cook a turkey per pound?
13 minutes per pound for an unstuffed turkey and 15 minutes per pound for a stuffed one, in an oven at 325°F. Those are planning numbers — the thermometer is the judge. Start checking about 30 minutes before the math says the bird is done, because ovens and bird shapes vary.
What size turkey do I need for 10 people?
A 10 to 15-pound bird: 1 to 1.5 pounds per guest. Go with 1.5 if your table eats big, if the bird is under 12 pounds (small birds have more bone per pound), or if you want leftovers. For a big crowd, two medium birds beat one giant one — they thaw faster, roast more evenly, and fit the oven better.
How long does it take to thaw a turkey in the fridge?
About one day per 4 to 5 pounds. A 15-pound bird needs 4 days; a 20-pounder needs 5. The calculator above turns your serving day into the exact date the bird should move from freezer to fridge. A partially frozen bird on roast day is the classic Thanksgiving emergency — the thaw date is the part of the plan that matters most.
Can I thaw a turkey faster than the fridge method?
Yes — submerge the wrapped bird in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes, at about 30 minutes per pound. A 15-pound turkey takes roughly 7.5 hours this way. Never thaw a turkey at room temperature: the outside sits in the bacterial danger zone while the inside is still frozen. A microwave works for small pieces, not a whole bird.
Should I stuff the turkey?
Know the trade first: stuffing adds about 2 minutes per pound to the roast, because the stuffing itself must reach 165°F — and a dense cavity is the part of the bird most likely to undercook. Cooking the stuffing separately is faster, safer, and crisps the top better. If you stuff, fill the cavity loosely just before roasting and check the stuffing's temperature with the thermometer.
What temperature should a turkey be when it is done?
165°F in the thickest part of the thigh, without touching bone. Check the wing joint and the thickest part of the breast too — dark and white meat cook at different rates, and the thigh is the slowest. Pull the bird at 165°F, not above: carryover heat nudges it a little higher while it rests.
How long should a turkey rest before carving?
About 20 minutes, tented loosely with foil. Resting lets the juices redistribute through the meat instead of running onto the cutting board — slice too early and the breast dries out in front of you. Use the rest window to finish the gravy and warm the plates.