temperature turkey is done
Rachel Hernandez
Updated on May 14, 2026
While some recipes state that turkey should be cooked to 180 degrees Fahrenheit, the meat is safe to consume once it reaches the 165-degree mark. Cooking the breasts past 165 can result in dry meat, but the dark meat can be cooked to 180.
Is turkey done at 160 degrees?
According to the Department of Agriculture, a turkey must reach 165 degrees F to be safe, but you can take it out of the oven as low as 160 degrees F because the temperature will rise at it rests.
Is 150 degrees OK for turkey?
According to the USDA’s own data, as long as your turkey spends at least 3.7 minutes at or above,150°F (66°C), it is safe to eat. In other words, by the time it’s done resting (you do let your turkey rest before carving, right?), you should be good to go.
What temperature should turkey be cooked to Celsius?
Supermarket high-welfare turkey should be cooked to an internal temperature of 70ºC. If you have a dry-plucked, dry-aged, excellent quality bird, you can cook it to 65ºC, as it should be a safer product to eat. Once cooked, carefully lift the turkey out of the tray and rest on a board.
Is turkey done at 145?
The range of doneness for all proteins–from eggs to fish to meat and Thanksgiving turkey–begins at 125 degrees, where rare starts; at 145 degrees the medium range begins, and at 165 degrees well-done starts; 185 degrees is the very top of the range.
Is it better to cook a turkey at 325 or 350?
If you are cooking a small turkey, it should be cooked at 325 degrees for between 11/2 to 2 hours. If you are cooking a larger Turkey, use 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 4-5 pounds of bird per hour and increase about 20 minutes per pound for larger birds up to 18 pounds.
How long should a 15lb turkey cook?
The simplest way to figure out turkey roasting times is to calculate 13 minutes per pound at 350°F for an unstuffed turkey (that’s about 3 hours for a 12- to 14-lb.
If your turkey weighs 15 to 16 pounds, roast it at:
425°F for 3 to 3¼ hours.400°F for 3¼ to 3½ hours.350°F for 3½ to 3¾ hours.325°F for 3¾ to 4 hours.
How long should a turkey rest?
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Pull it out as soon as the temperature hits 165, or even a little lower. The amount of resting time depends on the size of the bird, but at least 20 minutes is needed. A large bird can wait up to 40 minutes or longer, depending on the temperature of the room.
How long do you cook a 20 lb turkey?
If you’re baking it at 325°F (the lowest temperature the USDA recommends), you’ll need to bake a 20-lb turkey in the oven for 4 to 5 hours if it’s unstuffed, and 4 ¼ to 5 ¼ hours if it’s stuffed.
Is pink turkey OK to eat?
The best way to be sure a turkey — or any meat — is cooked safely and done is to use a meat thermometer. If the temperature of the turkey, as measured in the thigh, has reached 180°F. and is done to family preference, all the meat — including any that remains pink — is safe to eat.
Is turkey breast done at 155?
Cook your turkey until your thermometer reads 155 -160 degrees. (Yes, we know that new safe cooking guidelines say to cook your bird to 165 degrees (they used to say 180!), but remember that your turkey will continue to cook after removed from the oven and it’s temperature will increase by 10 degrees while resting.
How long does turkey need to be at 165?
First, the safety side of the issue. The USDA chose 165°F for turkey because, held at that temperature, salmonella is killed in less than ten seconds. If the turkey gets to 165, there is no chance that salmonella will survive; ten seconds of carry over heat will take care of it.
How do you know if a turkey is cooked?
Stick the thermometer into the thickest parts of the breast and leg. If it reads 70°C or over for 2 minutes, the turkey is done (the official line is 72°C but the bird continues to cook for a while out of the oven).
How long do I cook a 3.7 kg turkey?
Put in a roasting tin, breast-side up, and roast for 40 mins per 1kg for the first 4kg, then 45 mins for every 1kg over that weight, or until the internal temperature reaches 65-70C. For a turkey of this weight, the cooking time should be 3½-4 hrs.
How long do I cook a turkey?
Unstuffed
4 to 8 pounds (breast only): 1 1/2 to 3 1/4 hours.8 to 12 pounds: 2 3/4 to 3 hours.12 to 14 pounds: 3 to 3 3/4 hours.14 to 18 pounds: 3 3/4 to 4 1/4 hours.18 to 20 pounds: 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 hours.20 to 24 pounds: 4 1/2 to 5 hours.
Can you pull turkey at 155?
If you’ve been removing your turkey at a higher temperature and lamenting its dryness year after year, consider making a change. For turkey that’s 165 degrees, you’ll want to remove the bird from the oven when the temperature reaches 155 to 160 degrees because it will continue to cook outside the oven.
Is turkey done at 130?
One hour before you estimate that the turkey should be done, insert a digital instant thermometer straight down to where the leg meets the breast. Don’t let it touch the bone. If it reads 130 or above, check again in 20 minutes.
Does turkey need to be 165 everywhere?
When an instant-thermometer reads 165 degrees, your turkey is ready. If using an oven-proof thermometer, once the thigh has reached 165 degrees, 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.