How long to cook 18 lb turkey in oven

Q: Should I cover my turkey with aluminum foil?

Weve found that covering a turkey in foil yields much moister results than roasting it without foil, and we favor simply covering up the breast to even out cooking time. Some people swear that roasting a turkey breast-side down and flipping it halfway through achieves the same results as a foil covered breast.

Table of Contents Show

Approximate Timetable for Roasting a Turkey at 350°F (177°C)*
Convection Oven
Approximate Timetable for Roasting a Turkey in a Convection Oven 300°F (149°C)
Using a Meat Thermometer
Is it better to cook a turkey at 325 or 350?
How long does it take to cook an 18 lb unstuffed turkey?
How long do you cook a 18 lb Butterball turkey?
Should I cover my turkey with aluminum foil?

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
If stuffing the turkey, do so while the oven is preheating. Spoon stuffing lightly into turkey instead of packing firmly because stuffing expands while cooking. (Allow ½ cup (125 ml) of stuffing per pound (500 g) of turkey.)
Place turkey breast-up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.
Roast uncovered, or loosely covered with foil. If you choose to baste your turkey, limit the number of times you open and close your oven (once per hour is sufficient).
Turkey is cooked when the meat thermometer reads 170°F (77°C) for an unstuffed turkey, or 180°F (82°C) for a stuffed turkey and the juices run clear. Insert meat thermometer in the thickest part of the inner thigh, but not touching the bone.
When roasting, any stuffing placed in the cavity of the bird should read and internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C).
Remove the turkey from the oven when cooking is completed and let stand 20 minutes to allow the juices to set.

Approximate Timetable for Roasting a Turkey at 350°F (177°C)*

Weight	Stuffed	Unstuffed
8 – 10 lbs (3.6 – 4.5 kg)	2 h 40 min – 3 h 30 min	2 h – 2 h 30 min
11 – 13 lbs (5.0 – 5.9 kg)	3 h 40 min – 4 h 20 min	2 h 45 min – 3 h 15 min
14 – 16 lbs (6.4 – 7.3 kg)	4 h 40 min – 5 h 20 min	3 h 30 min – 4 h
17 – 19 lbs (7.7 – 8.6 kg)	5 h 40 min – 6 h 20 min	4 h 15 min – 4 h 45 min
20 – 22 lbs (9.1 – 10.0 kg)	6 h 40 min – 7 h 20 min	5 h – 5 h 30 min
23 – 24 lbs (10.4 – 10.9 kg)	7 h 40 min – 8 h	5 h 45 min to 6 h

*cooking times approximate at 350°F (177°C).

Cooking times may vary depending on: the temperature of the bird going into the oven, the accuracy of the oven’s thermostat, how many times the oven door is opened during roasting, the type and size of roasting pan used and the size of the turkey in relation to the size of the oven.

Download our Cooking Times quick fact sheet.

Convection Oven

The Turkey Farmers of Canada recommend that consumers check with their manufacturer as to how much faster and hotter their oven might be compared to a conventional oven. Generally speaking, convection oven cooking temperatures should be 25-50°F (3.9-10°C) lower than conventional oven temperatures to prevent overbrowning due to surface drying. Convection cooking does typically cause greater moisture loss in turkey.
The result of roasting a turkey is the same in conventional or convection ovens in that the turkey is done when the endpoint temperature is reached. Your turkey is done when a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh reads 180°F (82°C) for a stuffed turkey or 170°F (77°C) for an unstuffed turkey. The drumsticks should also move easily in the joints at this point.
Avoid overcrowding in the oven when roasting in a convection oven as crowding may inhibit air circulation and slow cooking.

Approximate Timetable for Roasting a Turkey in a Convection Oven 300°F (149°C)

Cooking Temperature	Weight Unstuffed	Estimated Cooking Time	Weight Stuffed	Estimated Cooking Time
300ºF	14-18 lbs.	2¼ – 2½ hours	14-18 lbs.	2½ – 3 hours
300ºF	18-22 lbs.	2½ – 3 hours	18-22 lbs.	3 – 3½ hours

Using a Meat Thermometer

Prior to cooking, insert stem of oven-proof thermometer (stem will need to be at least 4 1/2″ (11 cm) long) into the thickest part of the inner thigh meat, not touching thigh bone. OR near end of cooking, remove from heat and insert instant-read thermometer stem or fork thermometer tines into inner thigh meat (as above). If stuffed, check stuffing temperature by inserting thermometer stem into centre of stuffing.

Always wash the tongs, plate and thermometer stem used in checking partially cooked meats/poultry before using again.

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

Roast the turkey uncovered at a temperature ranging from 325°F to 350°F. Higher temperatures may cause the meat to dry out, but this is preferable to temperatures that are too low which may not allow the interior of the turkey to cook to a safe temperature.

How long does it take to cook an 18 lb unstuffed turkey?

Traditional Roast Turkey (unstuffed).

How long do you cook a 18 lb Butterball turkey?

Convection Oven 325° 1¾-2½ hrs. 10-18 lbs. 2-2½ hrs. 2½-3¼ hrs.

Should I cover my turkey with aluminum foil?

We've found that covering a turkey in foil yields much moister results than roasting it without foil, and we favor simply covering up the breast to even out cooking time. Some people swear that roasting a turkey breast-side down and flipping it halfway through achieves the same results as a foil covered breast.