The best way to know when your turkey is done is to temp it. Make sure your Thanksgiving turkey is perfectly cooked by resting the turkey before carving.
Many supermarket turkeys come with a pre-inserted timer set to pop when the turkey temperature reaches 178 degrees Fahrenheit. But if you wait that long your breast meat will be dry and overcooked. We recommend that you remove the bird from the oven when the breast temperature reaches 165 degrees and the thickest part of the thighs reaches between 170 and 175 degrees.
How to Take the Turkey Temperature
Turkey Breast Temperature
To take the temperature of the breast, insert the
thermometer into the deepest part of the breast, holding it parallel to the bird at the neck end. Confirm the temperature by inserting the thermometer in both sides of the breast, being careful to not go so deep as to hit the bone (which can compromise the reading).
Turkey Thigh Temperature
To take the temperature of the thigh, insert the thermometer into the thickest portion of the thigh away from the bone. Confirm the temperature by inserting the thermometer in both thighs.
Here are 3 more tips to know when your turkey is done:
1. Don't be afraid of a little pink meat. Just because a slice of turkey has a pinkish tint doesn't necessarily mean it’s underdone. In general, the red or pink color in meat comes from the red protein pigment called myoglobin in the muscle cells that store oxygen.
2. As long as the meat has registered the prescribed temperature on your thermometer, it's perfectly safe to eat. Dark meat does take longer to cook than white meat because it stores and uses oxygen differently. Turkey legs are composed of active muscles that are fattier, denser, and require more time to come up to the perfect turkey temperature.
3. The turkey needs to rest before carving. About 45 minutes or so gives it time to reabsorb the juices; otherwise they’ll dribble out when you slice, and the meat will be dry. Don’t tent the turkey with foil to keep it warm while it’s resting; it’s unnecessary and will make the skin soggy. As long as the turkey is intact, it will cool quite slowly.
More from Cook's Illustrated
Get a perfectly cooked bird with this guide to taking a turkey’s internal temperature.
Updated on October 29, 2022
The best way to guarantee guests a perfectly roasted, juicy turkey―one that's not over- or undercooked―is to get a clear internal temperature read on your bird. But beyond taste, finding the right turkey temperature will also ensure your Thanksgiving meal is safe to eat.
The Top Tools for Turkey
While guidelines for how long to cook a turkey are great for timing out your Thanksgiving meal prep, you can't assume standard cooking times will result in a safe internal turkey temperature. For that, you'll need the right tools, and unfortunately, the "pop-up" temperature indicator that comes on top of your turkey is not it. While cute, "pop-up" timers aren't always accurate, so the USDA always recommends using a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of a turkey.
Our go-to pick? An instant-read meat thermometer which you can get for around $10. You can also use an oven-proof food thermometer if you prefer. Once you have the thermometer of your choice, here's how to take your turkey out of the oven at just the right temperature.
The Safe Temperature for Turkey
Your turkey is done when it reaches 165 F, according to the USDA. It doesn't recommend stuffing your turkey before roasting, but if you do, stuffing must also reach 165 F when measured with a food thermometer. Use these approximate timelines to determine how long it'll take your turkey to reach a safe minimum internal temperature:
Estimated Turkey Cooking Times
| Weight | Unstuffed Cook Time | Stuffed Cook Time |
| 4 to 8 pounds (breast) | 1½ to 3¼ hours | Not usually applicable |
| 8 to 12 pounds | 2¾ to 3 hours | 3 to 3½ hours |
| 12 to 14 pounds | 3 to 3¾ hours | 3½ to 4 hours |
| 14 to 18 pounds | 3¾ to 4¼ hours | 4 to 4¼ hours |
| 18 to 20 pounds | 4¼ to 4½ hours | 4¼ to 4¾ hours |
| 20 to 24 pounds | 4½ to 5 hours | 4¾ to 5¼ hours |
Where to Put a Thermometer in a Turkey
When taking your turkey's temp with an instant-read meat thermometer, place it in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. If you're using an oven-proof food thermometer, insert it in the thickest part of the inner thigh before placing your turkey in the oven.
Getty ImagesHow to Check a Turkey's Temperature
- When you're ready to check the temperature of your turkey, remove it from the oven completely and close the oven door to retain heat.
- Slip an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey thigh, pricking the bird just above the crease between the thigh and the place where the turkey breast begins.
- Drive your thermometer into the meat and make sure it doesn't touch a bone, or you'll get an inaccurate reading.
- When an instant-thermometer reads 165 F, your turkey is ready. If using an oven-proof thermometer, once the thigh has reached 165 F, check the temperature of the wing and the thickest part of the breast, according to the USDA. If you get a read of 165 everywhere, you're good to go.
- When your turkey has reached 165 F or higher, cover it loosely with aluminum foil and let it sit for 30 minutes before carving. This will allow the cooking juices to be reabsorbed by the turkey, which will ensure moist, tender meat.