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There are four basic ingredients needed for roasting a perfect
turkey: an oven, a roasting pan, a turkey, and most importantly, a thermometer. While you may have a ballpark idea
of how long your Thanksgiving bird needs to be baked to perfection, only a meat thermometer can be an accurate
judge of doneness.
According to the food safety experts at the USDA, the internal temperature of your turkey has to reach 180 degrees
F in the thigh of a whole turkey, whereas the stuffing should reach 165 degrees F before it's ready to leave the
hot spot of your oven. These temperatures are necessary to destroy those uninvited, nasty bacteria that cause foodborne
illness and can wreak havoc at your Thanksgiving table.
While the following is a chart of the approximate turkey roasting times, always go by your meat thermometer:
UNSTUFFED FRESH OR THAWED TURKEY
x8
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
STUFFED FRESH OR THAWED TURKEY*
x8
to 12 pounds - 3 to 3-1/2 hours
12 to 14 pounds - 3-1/2 to 4 hours
14 to 18 pounds - 4 to 4-1/4 hours
18 to 20 pounds - 4-1/4 to 4-3/4 hours
20 to 24 pounds - 4-3/4 to 5-1/4 hours
*The turkey should stand for 20 minutes before scooping out the stuffing.
SOURCE: USDA
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