For over 40 years I have cooked a turkey for our growing family. I used to wrestle that carcass into a paper bag and roast him. Then I got smart. It’s a lot easier to put the bird in a roasting pan, cover it tightly with foil, and bake it in a very hot oven at 450 degrees.

Here are prescribed times depending on the size of your chilled turkey. Add 30 to 45 minutes to the total cooking time if you stuff the bird.

Ready to cook weight Time
(before stuffing)

8-10 pound turkey 2 ¼ to 2 ½ hours
10 -12 pound turkey 2 ¾ to 3 hours
14-16 pound turkey 3 to 3 ¼ hours
18 to 20 pound turkey 3 ¼ to 3 ½ hours
22 to 24 pound turkey 3 ½ to 3 ¾ hours

When turkey has cooked to within 15 to 20 minutes of total cooking time, remove from oven. Uncover to brown for 10-15 minutes.