Cooking a turkey doesn’t need to feel like a once-a-year stress test. The truth is, turkey is one of the easiest centrepieces to cook well—if you understand what controls the outcome.
Most turkey problems don’t come from seasoning, stuffing, or expensive ingredients. They come from timing. Cook it too long and the breast dries out. Cook it too short and you risk undercooked meat. The good news? Once you know what to look for, it becomes predictable.
This guide breaks down the timing, the logic behind it, and the small steps that make a big difference—without turning it into a complicated recipe.
What Actually Determines Turkey Cooking Time?
Turkey cooking time depends mainly on:
- The weight of the bird
- The oven temperature (and whether it’s fan-assisted)
- Whether you’re cooking a whole turkey, crown, or breast
That’s it. Everything else is secondary.
People often get misled by old habits like basting, flipping, or constantly checking the oven. Those steps don’t improve the turkey—most of the time, they make it worse by interrupting cooking and drying out the surface.
The Best Rule to Follow (No Guesswork)
A reliable rule that works for most home ovens is:
- Roast at 180°C (160°C fan / Gas 4)
- Allow around 20 minutes per kilogram
So if you’re trying to figure out how long to cook your turkey, start with the bird’s weight and work from there.
Turkey Cooking Time Chart (Whole Turkey or Crown)
Here’s a quick timing table at 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4:
- 2kg – 44 minutes
- 3kg – 66 minutes
- 4kg – 80 minutes
- 5kg – 110 minutes
- 6kg – 132 minutes
- 7kg – 154 minutes
- 8kg – 176 minutes
- 9kg – 180 minutes
- 10kg – 200 minutes
This gives you a clear baseline. But to get the best results, it helps to understand one more important detail.
Why Internal Temperature Matters More Than Minutes
Cooking time is useful, but it’s not the final answer.
Two turkeys of the same weight can cook differently depending on:
- how cold the bird is when it goes into the oven
- the shape of the roasting tray
- the accuracy of the oven thermostat
- airflow inside the oven
That’s why the best cooks use time as a guide—but temperature as the finish line.
A key target is:
- 68°C in the thickest part of the breast (when you remove it from the oven)
That might sound low to some people, but it’s correct—because resting completes the cooking.
The Resting Stage Is Part of Cooking
One of the biggest reasons turkey dries out is that it gets carved too quickly.
Resting is not optional. It’s what turns “cooked turkey” into “good turkey.”
Recommended resting time:
- Minimum: 30 minutes
- Ideal: up to 1 hour
Resting allows the juices to redistribute so they stay inside the meat when sliced. It also lets the internal temperature rise slightly from carryover heat, meaning the turkey reaches safe serving temperature without overcooking.
If you want crisp skin, rest it uncovered.
Should You Cover Turkey With Foil?
Many people automatically cover turkey with foil, but it’s not always helpful.
Foil traps steam. Steam softens the skin.
If crispy skin matters to you, leaving the turkey uncovered while resting is often the better choice.
Turkey Breast Cooking Time (If You’re Not Cooking a Whole Bird)
Turkey breast cooks differently from a whole bird because it’s denser and has less fat protecting it.
At 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4, typical timings are:
- 1kg breast – 50 minutes
- 2kg breast – 80 minutes
- 3kg breast – 110 minutes
- 4kg breast – 140+ minutes
Just like a whole turkey, remove it once the internal temperature hits 68°C, then rest for at least 30 minutes.
A Simple Gravy Trick That Also Makes Cleanup Easier
A smart technique used by experienced cooks is adding water to the roasting tray near the end of cooking.
About 20–30 minutes before the turkey is done, add:
- 600ml to 1000ml water (depending on tray size)
This loosens the caramelised roasting juices and turns them into a rich base for gravy. It also prevents the tray from drying out and burning, which makes cleanup easier later.
Common Turkey Timing Mistakes to Avoid1. Putting a fridge-cold turkey straight into the oven
A very cold bird takes longer and cooks unevenly.
Let it sit out (in its roasting tray) for a while before cooking, as long as you’re comfortable doing so.
2. Opening the oven door too often
Each time the door opens, heat escapes. Cooking slows down and the skin softens.
3. Overcooking “just to be safe”
This is the most common mistake. Overcooking doesn’t make turkey safer—it makes it drier.
Use time to estimate, but internal temperature to confirm.
Final Takeaway: Timing Made Easy
If you want consistently good turkey, stick to this process:
- Roast at 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4
- Allow around 20 minutes per kg
- Remove when breast reaches 68°C
- Rest for 30–60 minutes
- Carve and serve
That’s how you get turkey that stays moist, slices beautifully, and tastes like it was cooked with confidence—not luck.