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Turkey cooking times by weight
For a whole, unstuffed turkey in an oven at 180°C (gas mark 4). Times are rounded up to the nearest 5 minutes.
| Turkey weight | Cooking time |
|---|---|
| 3 kg | 2 hrs 35 min |
| 3.5 kg | 3 hrs |
| 4 kg | 3 hrs 20 min |
| 4.5 kg | 3 hrs 45 min |
| 5 kg | 3 hrs 45 min |
| 5.5 kg | 3 hrs 45 min |
| 6 kg | 4 hrs |
| 6.5 kg | 4 hrs 20 min |
| 7 kg | 4 hrs 20 min |
| 7.5 kg | 4 hrs 25 min |
| 8 kg | 4 hrs 40 min |
| 8.5 kg | 5 hrs |
| 9 kg | 5 hrs 15 min |
| 9.5 kg | 5 hrs 35 min |
| 10 kg | 5 hrs 50 min |
Not sure what size to buy? See our turkey size guide.
How the times are worked out
Food Standards Scotland's guide for an unstuffed turkey at 180°C:
- Under 4.5 kg: 45 minutes per kg, plus 20 minutes
- 4.5 kg to 6.5 kg: 40 minutes per kg
- Over 6.5 kg: 35 minutes per kg
Where those bands meet, a slightly bigger bird can work out shorter than a smaller one. Our times never go down as the turkey gets bigger, so a few sizes get a little extra time. That's why 4.5 kg to 5.5 kg all show 3 hrs 45 min.
Fan ovens and full ovens
Fan ovens can cook faster, and an oven packed with trays can be slower. Times are a guide: the checks below are what tell you it's done.
How to tell it's cooked
- The thickest part, between the breast and thigh, reaches 75°C on a food thermometer
- It's steaming hot all the way through, with no pink meat
- The juices run clear when you pierce the thigh
It's better to cook stuffing in a separate tin. If you do stuff the bird, allow extra time, because it cooks more slowly, and still check it reaches 75°C.
Foil and resting
Cover the turkey loosely with foil, baste it every hour, and take the foil off for the last 30 minutes so the skin browns. Once it's cooked, rest it under foil before carving. Our planner allows 45 minutes, which frees the oven for roast potatoes and trimmings.
Leftovers
- Cool leftovers as quickly as possible, within one to two hours, then cover them and put them in the fridge or freezer. Smaller portions cool faster.
- On a buffet, don't leave cold turkey out all day. Put it back in the fridge as soon as you can, ideally within an hour.
- Use leftovers within 1 to 2 days. You can freeze cooked turkey: defrost it in the fridge when you need it.
- Reheat until steaming hot all the way through, and only reheat once.
Turkey crowns and breast joints
Crowns and boneless joints cook differently from a whole bird, so follow the cooking instructions on the pack, and still check it reaches 75°C in the thickest part.
Source: Food Standards Scotland turkey cooking guide. More guides: defrosting a turkey · Christmas dinner timings