Few things throw a holiday dinner into chaos quite like an underdone—or worse, an overcooked—turkey. The good news: nailing the timing comes down to one number you already have: your bird’s weight. Whether you’re working in kilograms or pounds, the math is straightforward once you know the formula. Here’s everything you need to cook your turkey with confidence.

4 related posts

5kg turkey total time: 3 hours · Per kg first 4kg: 40 minutes · Per kg over 4kg: 45 minutes · Per pound unstuffed: 10–12 minutes · 3.5–5kg turkey: 1¾–2¼ hours

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
  • Weight determines total time (Butterball)
  • Meat thermometer is essential for safety (Well Plated)
  • Oven temperatures: 325°F US / 180°C metric (Butterball)
2What’s unclear
  • Exact time without knowing bird weight
  • Electric vs gas oven variance
  • Organic or heritage turkey specifics
3Timeline signal
  • Thaw 2–5 days before in fridge (Well Plated)
  • Room temp 1 hour before roasting (Well Plated)
  • Rest 20–60 minutes after cooking (Well Plated)
4What’s next
  • Calculate time for your bird’s exact weight
  • Set oven to correct temperature
  • Check doneness with thermometer
Parameter Value Source
Safe internal temp 75°C / 165°F Meat at Billy’s AU
Typical oven temp 325°F (163°C) Butterball
Calculator tool safefood.net Safefood
Mary Berry range 1¾–2½ hours BBC Good Food
US unstuffed per lb 10–12 min/lb at 325°F Well Plated
AU per kg 20 min/kg + 20 min extra Weber AU
Deep fry per lb 3–4 min/lb at 375°F Heather Likes Food
High altitude add 5–10 min/lb over 5,000 ft Foster Farms
Rest time minimum 20 minutes post-cook Well Plated
Thaw rate 24 hrs per 5 lb in fridge Well Plated

How long do you cook a turkey per kg?

Calculating cooking time for a whole turkey starts with weight—and the math differs depending on whether you’re using the metric or imperial system. For metric kitchens, the BBC Good Food-recommended formula is 40 minutes per kilogram for the first 4 kilograms, then 45 minutes per kilogram above that weight. So a 5kg turkey works out to roughly 3 hours total (160 minutes plus an additional 45 minutes for the extra kilogram).

How long to cook turkey per pound?

In the US, Butterball recommends roasting at 325°F with unstuffed turkeys requiring 10–12 minutes per pound. A stuffed bird takes longer—about 15 minutes per pound. For a 10-pound unstuffed turkey, that translates to approximately 2 to 2.5 hours. Well Plated notes that stuffing the cavity adds roughly 25–50% more cooking time, so you should plan accordingly.

Turkey cooking time calculator

Rather than crunching numbers manually, use a dedicated calculator. Butterball offers an official oven calculator based on a 325°F conventional oven. Safefood provides a UK-focused tool that handles turkey crowns and boned or rolled joints. These tools account for stuffed versus unstuffed status and give you a range rather than an exact minute—which is smart, because oven variances are real.

The takeaway

Ovens vary. A meat thermometer is the only reliable way to confirm doneness, no matter what the calculator says.

Is 3 hours long enough for a turkey?

For a 5kg turkey, 3 hours is generally sufficient under the UK formula—Mary Berry suggests a 3.5–5kg bird needs 1¾–2¼ hours total, though her guidance is for unstuffed birds at standard temperatures. Larger birds require more time: a 5.4–6.3kg turkey needs roughly 2½ hours, while anything over 7kg approaches 3 hours or more.

How long to cook a 5 kg turkey and what temperature?

At 180°C (approximately 350°F), a 5kg turkey should reach safe internal temperature in about 3 hours when following the per-kilogram formula. Start with the bird at room temperature for about an hour before roasting—this ensures more even cooking throughout the breast and thighs. Weber AU recommends 20 minutes per kilogram plus an additional 20 minutes for Australian ovens and BBQs.

4.5 kg turkey cooking time

At the 40 minutes per kilogram rate, a 4.5kg turkey needs approximately 2¾–3 hours at 180°C. Meat at Billy’s AU suggests 35 minutes per kilogram at 170–180°C when foil-covered, removing the foil for the last 30 minutes to allow browning. That works out to around 2.6 hours, though resting time adds to your total kitchen commitment.

Bottom line: A 5kg turkey needs roughly 3 hours in a conventional oven at 180°C. Smaller birds (3.5–5kg) typically fall in the 1¾–2¼ hour range. Always verify with a thermometer—the clock is just a guide.

Should I cover turkey with foil when cooking?

Covering turkey with foil is a common technique to prevent the breast from drying out before the thighs are cooked through. Butterball recommends foil-tenting at about two-thirds through the cooking time. The foil traps steam and moisture, keeping the white meat tender while the dark meat catches up.

Should you cover turkey with foil when roasting?

Yes, with a caveat: cover loosely for most of the cook, then remove the foil in the final 30–45 minutes to allow the skin to brown and crisp. Meat at Billy’s AU specifies this approach for Australian ovens, while Well Plated emphasizes that the foil tent should come off early enough to achieve that golden-brown finish everyone wants at the table.

Do I cover my turkey when I put it in the oven?

Start uncovered. Putting foil on immediately traps too much steam and prevents browning from the start. The general practice is to tent the bird once the breast looks like it’s browning too quickly or when you hit the two-thirds mark in cooking time. This balance between moisture and browning is what separates a tender bird from a soggy-skinned one.

The catch

Foil works against you if applied too early: the skin stays pale, and the bird steams instead of roasting. Remove it in the last stretch—that’s when you get both moist meat and crispy skin.

Do I cook turkey at 180 degrees?

In most metric kitchens, 180°C is the standard roasting temperature for turkey. This roughly equals 350°F in US terms. Some sources push slightly lower—Meat at Billy’s AU recommends 170–180°C with foil coverage for most of the cook. Higher-start methods exist too: Simple Bites advocates starting at 400°F for 20 minutes, then dropping to 350°F for the remainder, which helps with initial browning.

Cooking Your Turkey – ALDI UK

UK retailers typically align with the 180°C standard. ALDI UK recommends following the weight-based timing (40 mins per kg for first 4kg, then 45 mins per kg over) at this temperature. The key across UK guidance is consistency: don’t swing between temperatures mid-cook, and always confirm with a thermometer rather than trusting time alone.

Food safety note

Turkey must reach 75°C (165°F) throughout—breast, thigh, wing, and any stuffing. Taking it out early because it “looks done” is how foodborne illness happens. A probe thermometer isn’t optional; it’s essential.

What are common mistakes when cooking turkey?

Even confident cooks stumble on turkey timing. The most frequent errors stem from ignoring weight, skipping the thermometer, and misjudging stuffing’s impact on cook time. Foster Farms notes that high-altitude cooks often forget to add 5–10 minutes per pound when above 5,000 feet—a detail that throws off the whole timeline.

How long to cook turkey crown?

A turkey crown—the breast only, boned or on the bone—cooks faster than a whole bird. Without the thighs and drumsticks, you’re looking at roughly 20 minutes per kilogram at 180°C, compared to 35–40 minutes per kilogram for a whole bird. Safefood’s calculator handles crowns specifically, and for good reason: the math differs enough to matter.

How long to cook turkey breast?

Bone-in turkey breast follows similar per-kilogram logic but skews toward the faster end. A 2–3kg breast joint might need only 1–1.5 hours at 180°C. Spatchcocked (butterflied) breasts cook even faster: Well Plated reports a 10–12 pound spatchcocked turkey needs just 60–75 minutes at 425–450°F, making this a valuable technique when you’re short on time.

Upsides

  • Per-kilogram formula is simple and reliable
  • Thermometer eliminates guesswork
  • Multiple methods work (oven, bag, convection, BBQ)
  • Foil tent prevents breast drying

Downsides

  • Stuffed birds need significantly more time
  • High altitude requires adjustments
  • Oven variances make exact timing tricky
  • Crown and breast have different formulas

How to cook turkey: step-by-step

  1. Thaw in the fridge — Allow 24 hours per 5 pounds. A 10-pound bird needs about 2 days minimum.
  2. Bring to room temperature — Place the turkey on the counter 1 hour before roasting. Max 2 hours.
  3. Preheat and prep — Heat oven to 180°C (350°F). Preheat for at least 30 minutes.
  4. Calculate time — Apply the per-kilogram or per-pound formula for your bird’s weight.
  5. Roast with foil option — Tent with foil at two-thirds cook time if breast browns too fast.
  6. Verify doneness — Check internal temp at the thickest part of thigh and breast. Must hit 75°C (165°F).
  7. Rest before carving — Let rest 20–60 minutes. Temperature will rise another 5–10°F during rest.

What the experts say

Plan for a window, not an exact minute. Ovens vary, turkey shape and starting temperature matter. For more information on how to cook a turkey, click here. 63 kg a lliures

— Well Plated (Cooking Blog)

We recommend that you cook the turkey for 20 minutes per kilo, plus an additional 20 minutes.

— Weber (BBQ Brand AU)

At altitudes of 5,000+ feet, add approximately 5 – 10 minutes per pound.

— Foster Farms (Poultry Producer)

The pattern across all authoritative sources is consistent: weight drives the calculation, but the thermometer is the final word. Time formulas are starting points, not guarantees—your oven, your bird’s shape, and whether it’s stuffed all shift the numbers.

Why this matters

Undercooking risks foodborne illness; overcooking produces dry, tough meat. The thermometer bridges that gap better than any timer.

Regional variations

Three main regions approach turkey timing differently. In the USA, the standard is 325°F with 10–15 minutes per pound depending on stuffing. Australia favors kilograms at 170–180°C with 20–35 minutes per kilogram plus extras. The UK leans on calculators (Safefood) and often references Mary Berry-style ranges of 1¾–2½ hours for typical 3.5–5kg birds.

Region Temperature Time Formula Authority
USA 325°F (163°C) 10–12 min/lb unstuffed Butterball
Australia 170–180°C 20–35 min/kg + extras Meat at Billy’s AU
UK/Ireland 180°C (350°F) 40 min/kg first 4kg Safefood
High Altitude USA 325°F (add 5–10 min/lb) 15+ min/lb over 5,000 ft Foster Farms

Related reading: 172 lbs to kg conversion · 38.5 Celsius to Fahrenheit

Sources like BBC Good Food recommend calculating oven time by weight, much as this per kg turkey cooking guide details for foolproof results.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the safest way to check if turkey is cooked?

Use an instant-read probe thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone. The internal temperature must reach 75°C (165°F) in the breast, thigh, wing, and any stuffing center. Visual cues are unreliable—only the thermometer tells the truth.

Can I cook a stuffed turkey?

Yes, but stuffed birds need roughly 25–50% more time. The stuffing must also reach 75°C, which often takes longer than the meat around it. Many guides recommend cooking stuffing separately to avoid undercooking risks and simplify timing.

What oven temperature for turkey crown?

A turkey crown roasts at the same temperature as a whole bird: 180°C (350°F) in metric ovens or 325°F in US conventional ovens. The difference is total time—a crown needs about 20 minutes per kilogram versus 35–40 minutes per kilogram for a whole bird.

How to rest turkey after cooking?

Allow at least 20 minutes of rest before carving—longer is better if time permits. During rest, the internal temperature rises another 5–10°F due to residual heat. Tent loosely with foil to retain warmth without steaming the skin back to softness.

Differences in cooking frozen vs fresh turkey?

Frozen turkeys require thawing before roasting—plan 24 hours per 5 pounds in the refrigerator. Once thawed, cook using the same weight-based formulas as fresh. Cooking from frozen adds significant time and creates uneven doneness risk, so thawing is strongly recommended.

Best thermometer for turkey?

A digital instant-read probe thermometer offers the fastest, most accurate reading. Leave-in oven thermometers let you monitor progress without opening the oven. Either type should be calibrated and tested periodically for accuracy.

The short version

For UK and Australian kitchens, the 40 minutes per kilogram formula (first 4kg) then 45 minutes per kilogram over that is the baseline—expect 3 hours for a 5kg bird at 180°C. In US kitchens, 10–12 minutes per pound at 325°F covers unstuffed birds, with stuffed birds pushing toward 15 minutes per pound. No matter which formula you use, the thermometer is your final check: 75°C (165°F) throughout means safe to eat. Plan for resting time too—it isn’t optional, and skipping it means losing juices the moment you cut.