Giblets Giblets are packaged in a plastic bag and are found either in the neck cavity or the body cavity. Remove and rinse in cold water before cooking. Stuffing Preparation Stuffing can be prepared separately and placed in a covered casserole dish to cook during the last hour of the turkey roasting time. For those who prefer to stuff their turkey: Prepare stuffing and spoon loosely into body
cavity just before roasting, do not pack stuffing. Never stuff your turkey the day before. Remove stuffing prior to carving the turkey. Seasoning and Roasting Your Turkey Place turkey breast side up on a rack in roasting pan. Season the skin and inside the cavity with salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, cayenne, thyme, rosemary or your favourite herbs and spices. Insert an oven-safe thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, being careful to not touch the bone. Roasting Your Turkey
Place in roaster and cover loosely with foil or roaster lid. Roast in a preheated oven 325° to 350° F (160° – 180° C) oven. If you choose to baste your turkey, limit the number of times you open and close your oven (once an hour is sufficient). To brown skin further, remove foil or roaster lid approximately 1 hour before done.General rule of thumb for oven cooking a stuffed turkey at 325° F is 15 minutes per pound (30 minutes per kilogram).
Many variables affect the roasting time. An accurate meat thermometer is recommended. Time will vary based on the temperature of the preheated oven, temperature of the bird going into the oven, the accuracy of the oven’s thermostat, how many times the oven door is opened during roasting and the type of roasting pan. We find stainless steel roasters cook more slowly than the darker speckled enamelware.
Begin checking for doneness about one hour before the end of the recommended roasting time.
Fresh turkeys cook faster.
Your turkey is done when:
- meat thermometer in the inner thigh reads 180° F (82° C) for a stuffed turkey
- meat thermometer in the inner thigh reads 170° F (77° C) for an unstuffed turkey
- when cooked to perfection the turkey meat and juices may have a slight pink tinge. The temperature of the meat is the most important sign of doneness.
When the turkey is done, remove it from the oven or barbecue. Cover it with foil
and let it stand for 20-25 minutes before carving. Letting your turkey stand for at least 15 minutes will help lock in the natural juices, keeping the meat tender and easier to carve.
.
Approximate Times for Cooking
Weight
Stuffed Turkey
Unstuffed Turkey
13 – 16 lbs / 6.0 – 7.25 kg
3 ½ - 3 ¾ hours
3 ¼ - 3 ½ hours
16 – 19 lbs / 7.25 – 8.5 kg
4 – 4 ½ hours
3 ½ - 4 hours
10 – 22 lbs / 8.5 – 10 kg
4 ½ - 5 ¼ hours
4 – 4 ½ hours
Smaller birds require more minutes cooking time per pound.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- If stuffing the turkey, do so while the oven is preheating. Spoon stuffing lightly into turkey instead of packing firmly because stuffing expands while cooking. (Allow ½ cup (125 ml) of stuffing per pound (500 g) of turkey.)
- Place turkey breast-up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.
- Roast uncovered, or loosely covered with foil. If you choose to baste your turkey, limit the number of times you open and close your oven (once per hour is sufficient).
- Turkey is cooked when the meat thermometer reads 170°F (77°C) for an unstuffed turkey, or 180°F (82°C) for a stuffed turkey and the juices run clear. Insert meat thermometer in the thickest part of the inner thigh, but not touching the bone.
- When roasting, any stuffing placed in the cavity of the bird should read and internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C).
- Remove the turkey from the oven when cooking is completed and let stand 20 minutes to allow the juices to set.
Approximate Timetable for Roasting a Turkey at 350°F (177°C)*
| 8 – 10 lbs (3.6 – 4.5 kg) | 2 h 40 min – 3 h 30 min | 2 h – 2 h 30 min |
| 11 – 13 lbs (5.0 – 5.9 kg) | 3 h 40 min – 4 h 20 min | 2 h 45 min – 3 h 15 min |
| 14 – 16 lbs (6.4 – 7.3 kg) | 4 h 40 min – 5 h 20 min | 3 h 30 min – 4 h |
| 17 – 19 lbs (7.7 – 8.6 kg) | 5 h 40 min – 6 h 20 min | 4 h 15 min – 4 h 45 min |
| 20 – 22 lbs (9.1 – 10.0 kg) | 6 h 40 min – 7 h 20 min | 5 h – 5 h 30 min |
| 23 – 24 lbs (10.4 – 10.9 kg) | 7 h 40 min – 8 h | 5 h 45 min to 6 h |
*cooking times approximate at 350°F (177°C).
Cooking times may vary depending on: the temperature of the bird going into the oven, the accuracy of the oven’s thermostat, how many times the oven door is opened during roasting, the type and size of roasting pan used and the size of the turkey in relation to the size of the oven.
Download our Cooking Times quick fact sheet.
Convection Oven
- The Turkey Farmers of Canada recommend that consumers check with their manufacturer as to how much faster and hotter their oven might be compared to a conventional oven. Generally speaking, convection oven cooking temperatures should be 25-50°F (3.9-10°C) lower than conventional oven temperatures to prevent overbrowning due to surface drying. Convection cooking does typically cause greater moisture loss in turkey.
- The result of roasting a turkey is the same in conventional or convection ovens in that the turkey is done when the endpoint temperature is reached. Your turkey is done when a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh reads 180°F (82°C) for a stuffed turkey or 170°F (77°C) for an unstuffed turkey. The drumsticks should also move easily in the joints at this point.
- Avoid overcrowding in the oven when roasting in a convection oven as crowding may inhibit air circulation and slow cooking.
Approximate Timetable for Roasting a Turkey in a Convection Oven 300°F (149°C)
| 300ºF | 14-18 lbs. | 2¼ – 2½ hours | 14-18 lbs. | 2½ – 3 hours |
| 300ºF | 18-22 lbs. | 2½ – 3 hours | 18-22 lbs. | 3 – 3½ hours |
Using a Meat Thermometer
Prior to cooking, insert stem of oven-proof thermometer (stem will need to be at least 4 1/2″ (11 cm) long) into the thickest part of the inner thigh meat, not touching thigh bone. OR near end of cooking, remove from heat and insert instant-read thermometer stem or fork thermometer tines into inner thigh meat (as above). If stuffed, check stuffing temperature by inserting thermometer stem into centre of stuffing.
Always wash the tongs, plate and thermometer stem used in checking partially cooked meats/poultry before using again.