United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service www.fsis.usda.gov Food Safety Information

Turkey Basics: Safe Cooking

A food thermometer should be 2. Be sure the turkey is The temperature of the turkey and used to ensure a safe minimum completely thawed. Times are the center of the stuffing must reach internal temperature of 165 °F based on fresh or thawed birds at a safe minimum internal temperature has been reached to destroy a refrigerator temperature of 40 °F of 165 °F. Check the temperature in bacteria and prevent foodborne or below. the innermost part of the thigh and illness. wing and the thickest part of the 3. Place turkey breast-side up breast. Many variables can affect the on a flat wire rack in a shallow roasting time of a whole turkey: roasting pan 2 to 2 1/2 inches 6. Let the bird stand 20 minutes deep. before removing stuffing and • A partially frozen turkey Optional steps: carving. requires longer cooking. • Tuck wing tips back under • A stuffed turkey takes longer shoulders of bird (called APPROXIMATE COOKING TIMES to cook. “akimbo”). (325 °F oven temperature) • The oven may heat food • Add one-half cup water to the unevenly. bottom of the pan. UNSTUFFED (time in hours) • Temperature of the oven In the beginning, a tent of • 4 to 6 lb breast...... 1 1/2 to 2 1/4 may be inaccurate. aluminum foil may be placed 6 to 8 lb breast...... 2 1/4 to 3 1/4 • Dark roasting pans cook loosely over the breast of the 8 to 12 lbs...... 2 3/4 to 3 faster than shiny metals. turkey for the first 1 to 1 1/2 12 to 14 lbs...... 3 to 3 3/4 • The depth and size of the pan hours, then removed for brown- 14 to 18 lbs...... 3 3/4 to 4 1/4 can reduce heat circulation to ing. Or, a tent of foil may be 18 to 20 lbs...... 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 all areas of the turkey. placed over the turkey after the • The use of a foil tent for the turkey has reached the desired 20 to 24 lbs...... 4 1/2 to 5 entire time can slow cooking. golden brown color. • Use of the roasting pan’s lid STUFFED (time in hours) speeds cooking. 4. For optimum safety, cook 8 to 12 lbs...... 3 to 3 1/2 • An oven cooking bag can stuffing in a casserole. If stuffing 12 to 14 lbs...... 3 1/2 to 4 accelerate cooking time. your turkey, mix ingredients just 14 to 18 lbs...... 4 to 4 1/4 • The rack position can have an before stuffing it; stuff loosely. 18 to 20 lbs...... 4 1/4 to 4 3/4 affect on even cooking and Additional time is required for the 20 to 24 lbs...... 4 3/4 to 5 1/4 heat circulation. turkey and stuffing to reach a safe • A turkey or its pan may be too minimum internal temperature (see More Ways to Cook a Turkey large for the oven, thus chart). blocking heat circulation. For other cooking methods, read the 5. For safety and doneness, publication “Turkey: Alternate Routes ROASTING the internal temperature to the Table” at www.fsis.usda.gov/ INSTRUCTIONS should be checked with a food Fact_Sheets/Turkey_Alt_Routes/ thermometer. index.asp. 1. Set the oven temperature no lower than 325 °F. Preheating is not necessary.

Call the USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline AskKaren.gov 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) For automated Year-round Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. responses via the to 4 p.m. ET (English or Spanish). Recorded food Internet 24 hours safety messages are available 24 hours a day. a day and a live chat during Send E-mail questions to [email protected]. Hotline hours.

FSIS encourages the reprint and distribution of this publication for food safety The USDA is an equal opportunity education purposes. However, USDA symbols or logos may not be used separately to provider and employer. imply endorsement of a commercial product or service. Reviewed September 2011