How to use the online timer
Three hours is a rough guide for a whole turkey of a moderate size — around 5 to 6 kilograms — roasting in a moderate oven, but weight drives this figure far more than any fixed number can, and a bird bought for a bigger gathering will need meaningfully longer. The usual rule of thumb is around 20 minutes per 500 grams for an unstuffed bird, adjusted up if there's stuffing inside the cavity, since that stuffing needs to reach a safe temperature too.
Turkey's size makes it one of the trickiest things to time by the clock, because the outside can look perfectly roasted well before the thickest part of the thigh has actually reached a safe temperature. A meat thermometer is close to essential here — 74°C at the thickest part of the thigh, away from the bone, is the number to aim for, checked in more than one spot if the bird is large.
Tenting the breast with foil partway through the roast, once it's coloured the way you want, stops it drying out while the slower-cooking legs and thighs catch up. A rest of at least twenty to thirty minutes after it comes out, loosely covered, makes a real difference to how well it carves and how juicy the meat stays.
Common questions
Is three hours enough for a turkey?
Only for a bird of roughly 5 to 6 kilograms. Larger birds need proportionally more time — about 20 minutes per 500 grams is the standard guide.
Why is my turkey breast dry even though the legs are perfect?
The breast cooks faster than the legs and thighs. Tenting it with foil once it's coloured, while the rest continues roasting, helps prevent this.
Cookie policy