Enter the weight of your turkey or roast to calculate the estimated cooking time and target internal temperature.
Estimated Roasting Time:
2 hr 36 min to 3 hr 0 min
Oven Temp325°F
Target Internal Temp165°F
Important: Time is only an estimate. You should always use a meat thermometer to verify that the thickest part of the meat has reached the target internal temperature before eating.
Last updated: August 2026
Planning Your Holiday Dinner Timeline
Cooking a large roast or a whole Thanksgiving turkey is stressful because everything else (the sides, the gravy, the guests' arrival) revolves around when the meat comes out of the oven. Our Meat Roasting Time Calculator gives you a highly accurate estimate so you can plan your day.
How We Calculate Roasting Times
Our calculator uses the standard culinary minutes-per-pound rules. For example, an unstuffed turkey typically takes 13 to 15 minutes per pound at 325°F. However, ovens vary wildly, and things like opening the oven door to baste can slow down the cooking process significantly.
Why the Thermometer is King
While time-per-pound is a great way to estimate when dinner will be ready, it should never be used to decide if the meat is safe to eat. You must always use a meat thermometer.
Poultry (Turkey & Chicken): USDA safe minimum is 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh.
Pork: USDA safe minimum is 145°F with a 3-minute rest.
Beef: USDA safe minimum is 145°F with a 3-minute rest. Many people prefer beef roasts cooked to a lower, more pink medium-rare doneness (commonly around 135°F) - this is a personal preference and food-safety trade-off, not an official safe minimum. Note that internal temperature will continue to rise by 5 to 10 degrees while resting (carry-over cooking), so pull the roast slightly before your final target temperature.
This tool provides cooking time and doneness estimates for informational purposes. Always use a food thermometer to verify safe temperatures, and consult USDA/FoodSafety.gov guidance for official food-safety recommendations.
Frequently Asked Questions
An unstuffed 15-pound turkey will take approximately 3 hours and 15 minutes to 3 hours and 45 minutes to roast at 325°F. You should start checking the internal temperature after 3 hours.
The USDA recommends cooking all poultry (including turkey and chicken) to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Always measure the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone.
Yes! You should rest large roasts and turkeys for at least 20 to 30 minutes before carving. Resting allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. If you carve it immediately, all the juices will run out onto your cutting board.
135°F is a personal-preference doneness target for medium-rare, not the USDA's official safety minimum. The USDA's safe minimum internal temperature for whole beef roasts (steaks, chops, roasts) is 145°F with at least a 3-minute rest. Many people choose to cook beef roasts to lower temperatures for taste and texture, which is a personal choice involving a higher degree of individual risk tolerance - this differs from ground beef and poultry, which have stricter minimums (160°F and 165°F respectively) because grinding or the higher surface-to-volume ratio increases contamination risk.
Ground beef must reach 160°F because grinding mixes any surface bacteria throughout the meat. Whole-muscle cuts like roasts and steaks only have bacteria on the exterior surface, which searing addresses, so their official safe minimum (145°F) is lower than ground beef's.
Time and weight estimates alone cannot reliably confirm meat is safe to eat - ovens vary, and starting temperature (fridge-cold vs. room temperature) changes cooking time significantly. A basic instant-read meat thermometer is inexpensive and is the only reliable way to confirm your roast has reached a safe temperature.
Yes. Each time you open the oven to baste or check on the meat, the oven loses heat and needs time to recover, which can meaningfully extend your total cooking time - especially for longer roasts like turkey. Use the oven light and a thermometer probe you can read without opening the door when possible.
Yes - start checking about 30-45 minutes before your estimated minimum time, especially for turkeys and large roasts. Ovens and individual cuts of meat vary enough that relying solely on the time estimate risks overcooking.
