Butterball Cooking Time for Turkey Per Pound

12 to 13 minutes per pound is a useful planning estimate for an unstuffed whole turkey roasted at 350°F; allow about 15 minutes per pound when the turkey is stuffed. Those are scheduling estimates, not a substitute for a thermometer, and Butterball’s own calculator uses a different conventional-oven assumption: 325°F.

Use this chart to choose a starting roast-time estimate before you prepare the turkey.

Oven Plan	Whole Turkey Type	Planning Estimate
Conventional oven at 350°F	Unstuffed	12 to 13 minutes per pound
Same oven plan	Stuffed	About 15 minutes per pound

Why Butterball Turkey Cooking Time Varies

A per-pound estimate gets you close, but turkey size, whether the cavity is stuffed, oven temperature, pan setup, and how fully the bird has thawed all change the actual finish time. A stuffed turkey takes longer because the center of the stuffing must heat through along with the meat.

The 12-to-13-minute and 15-minute planning estimates belong with a 350°F roasting plan. If you use the Butterball cooking calculator, use its result instead: Butterball states that its recommendation assumes a conventional oven at 325°F.

Most importantly, cook to internal temperature rather than pulling the turkey solely because a timer ends.

How to Roast a Butterball Whole Turkey

Roast a completely thawed whole turkey breast-side up on a rack, cook until 165°F throughout, then rest it for 15 minutes before carving.

Step 1: Thaw the Turkey Completely

1. Thaw a frozen whole turkey in the refrigerator, allowing 24 hours for every 4 pounds of turkey.
2. Keep the turkey in its original wrapper on a rimmed tray so any juices cannot drip onto other foods.
3. Once thawed, remove the wrapper, neck, and giblet package from the body and neck cavities.

Do not base roasting time on a partly frozen turkey. Ice in the cavity and near the joints can leave the breast overcooked while the thigh is still underdone.

Step 2: Choose the Right Cooking Schedule

1. Decide whether the turkey will be roasted unstuffed or stuffed before setting your dinner time.
2. If you are using Butterball’s calculator, set the turkey’s weight and stuffing status in the calculator.
3. Preheat the oven after the turkey is prepped, rather than leaving a raw turkey sitting at room temperature while the oven heats.

For the safest and most predictable result, cook stuffing separately. If you do stuff the turkey, pack it loosely so heat can move through the center.

Step 3: Set Up the Roasting Pan

1. Put a flat rack in a shallow roasting pan that is 2 to 2½ inches deep.
2. Set the turkey breast-side up on the rack. The rack keeps the bird above the drippings and promotes more even heat around the bottom.
3. Tuck the wing tips behind the turkey’s back if possible, then season or oil the skin as desired.
4. Put the pan in the oven uncovered.

Do not add water to the bottom of the pan for a standard rack-roasted turkey. Water is not needed to keep the turkey moist, and it dilutes the drippings. The pan’s purpose is to catch drippings while the rack supports the bird.

Step 4: Check Internal Temperature Before the Time Is Up

1. Begin checking the turkey about 30 minutes before the recommended cook time ends.
2. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the deepest part of the thigh without touching bone.
3. Check the thickest part of the breast as well. If the turkey is stuffed, check the center of the stuffing.

A whole turkey is safe when cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F throughout the bird.

Step 5: Rest, Carve, and Serve

1. Remove the turkey from the oven once it reaches its target internal temperature.
2. Transfer it to a platter or carving board.
3. Let it stand for 15 minutes before carving.

Resting gives the hot juices time to settle back into the meat, so more of them stay in the slices instead of running onto the cutting board.

Butterball Cook From Frozen Turkey Uses a Different Schedule

A thawed-turkey per-pound roasting schedule is intended for a completely thawed bird. Butterball generally recommends roasting turkey at 325°F (163°C); use a food thermometer to ensure it reaches the USDA safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

The important checkpoints are different from an ordinary thawed-turkey roast:

• After 4 hours of roasting, tent the turkey breast with foil.
• The turkey must reach 140°F within 4 hours of beginning cooking.
• Continue cooking until the thermometer reads 170°F in the thigh and 170°F in the breast or stuffing.
• Let the finished turkey rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Do not serve a Cook from Frozen turkey if it misses the required checkpoint.

Turkey Breast and Boneless Roast Timing

A whole-turkey per-pound estimate does not reliably apply to a turkey breast, boneless breast roast, or turkey roast in a cooking bag. Their shape, bone structure, seasoning, packaging, and cooking method can be very different from a whole bird.

For Cook from Frozen turkey breast directions, the breast must reach 140°F within 4 hours of beginning cooking. The minimum internal temperature for serving turkey breast is 165°F.

Use a thermometer in the center of the thickest portion of a boneless roast or breast. Timing can help you plan, but check the center before serving.

Wild Turkey Needs Its Own Cooking Plan

Butterball roasting times are intended for commercial Butterball products, not a field-harvested wild turkey. Wild birds can vary widely in age, size, fat level, and tenderness, so a whole-turkey clock is especially unreliable for them.

Use a thermometer in the thickest parts to judge doneness.

Store Leftovers Safely

Carve the turkey after it rests, then refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. Divide meat and stuffing into smaller containers so they cool quickly.

Use refrigerated leftover turkey and stuffing within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for later. Refrigerate gravy separately as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does an 8.8 kg Butterball turkey take to cook?

At 350°F, plan 12 to 13 minutes per pound for an unstuffed whole turkey and about 15 minutes per pound for a stuffed whole turkey. Check that the turkey reaches 165°F throughout before serving. Use the calculator result for a stuffed turkey. If you use the calculator, use its result; its cook-time recommendation assumes a conventional oven at 325°F.

Is it better to cook a Butterball turkey at 325 or 350?

Use 325°F when using Butterball’s conventional-oven calculator, because that is the temperature assumption built into the calculator. Use the oven temperature specified by the recipe or product directions. The important thing is to keep the oven temperature and timing method matched.

Should I cover a Butterball turkey while cooking?

No, roast a standard whole turkey uncovered so the skin can brown and the heat can circulate around the bird. If the breast skin becomes deeply brown before the turkey reaches its thermometer target, loosely tent the breast with foil rather than sealing the whole roasting pan.

Do I put water in the bottom of the pan when roasting a turkey?

No, water is not necessary for a turkey roasted breast-side up on a rack. The rack lifts the turkey above the drippings, while the shallow pan catches them for gravy. Adding water makes the drippings thinner and does not replace proper temperature monitoring.

How long do I cook a 3-pound Butterball boneless turkey breast?

A 3-pound Butterball boneless turkey breast does not have a reliable whole-turkey per-pound cook time. Its shape, bone structure, seasoning, packaging, and cooking method can differ from a whole bird. Cook it until the center reaches 165°F, using the cooking schedule intended for that exact product. If it is a Cook from Frozen turkey breast product, it must also reach 140°F within 4 hours of beginning cooking.