Not on its own. If your turkey has a pop-up temperature indicator, it is recommended that you also check the internal temperature of the turkey in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast with a food thermometer. The minimum internal temperature should reach 165 F for safety.
Pop-up timers are disposable thermometers used to measure a turkey’s temperature. These timers are a great tool. However, don’t forget to check in the three recommended places as well. It reads one spot in the bird, and the rest can lag behind that spot.
A meat thermometer: 165 F in the thickest part of the breast, the innermost thigh, and the innermost wing. Color is not a reliable signal. Turkey is safe to eat once it reaches an internal temperature of 165 F. If any one of the three reads under 165 F, the bird goes back in. When all three read 165 F, it rests 20 minutes before carving.
The timer question arrives at the end of the roast, in these USDA 325 F unstuffed bands:
| Weight | Roast time at 325 F, unstuffed |
|---|---|
| Up to 12 lb | 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours |
| 13 to 14 lb | 3 hours to 3 hours 45 minutes |
| 15 to 18 lb | 3 hours 45 minutes to 4 hours 15 minutes |
| 19 to 20 lb | 4 hours 15 minutes to 4 hours 30 minutes |
| 21 to 24 lb | 4 hours 30 minutes to 5 hours |
Full roast times and oven-in times: how long to cook a turkey.
USDA's third safe way is the microwave: follow your oven manual for size and timing, and cook the turkey right after it thaws. Never thaw a turkey on the counter. The outside warms up hours before the inside thaws. Bacteria grow in that warm layer.
Tell the calculator your weight and dinner time. It stamps the thaw, the oven time, and the rest. Or ask in your own words: "16 lb turkey, dinner Thursday at 5."
Not on its own. If your turkey has a pop-up temperature indicator, it is recommended that you also check the internal temperature of the turkey in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast with a food thermometer.
Use a food thermometer in addition to a pop-up timer to check the turkey’s internal temperature.
Turkey is safe to eat once it reaches an internal temperature of 165 F. A meat thermometer: 165 F in the thickest part of the breast, the innermost thigh, and the innermost wing.