You're staring at a bird the size of a toddler. It’s sitting there in your sink or on the counter, a cold, heavy mass of poultry that represents the entire success or failure of your holiday gathering. Honestly, it’s intimidating. When people ask how long do i cook a 22 pound turkey, they aren't looking for a math equation. They’re looking for a guarantee that the breast won't be dry as sawdust while the thighs are still bleeding.
Here is the truth: there is no single "perfect" number.
If you go by the old-school rule of thumb—about 13 to 15 minutes per pound—you’re looking at roughly 4.5 to 5.5 hours in a 325°F oven. But that’s a massive window. An hour of difference is the gap between a juicy masterpiece and a bird that requires a gallon of gravy just to swallow. We need to talk about why that range exists and how you actually narrow it down so you aren't eating dinner at midnight.
The Variables That Mess With Your Timeline
Your oven is a liar. Almost every home oven is off by at least 10 or 25 degrees, and when you’re dealing with a 22-pound monster, that discrepancy compounds over several hours. Then there’s the "stuffing factor." If you cram that cavity full of bread cubes and sausage, you’ve just turned your turkey into a thick-walled heat insulator. The heat has to penetrate the meat and then cook the dense core of stuffing. According to the USDA, a stuffed 22-pounder can take upwards of 6 hours.
Don’t do it.
Seriously, cook the stuffing in a separate dish. It’s safer, and it keeps your cook time predictable. Another thing to consider is the shape of the bird. A broad-breasted white turkey, which is what you’ll find at 90% of grocery stores like Kroger or Publix, cooks differently than a heritage breed or a "long and lean" bird. The more surface area exposed to the heat, the faster those proteins tighten up.
How Long Do I Cook a 22 Pound Turkey? The Breakdown
Let’s get into the nitty-gritty of the clock. If you’ve preheated to 325°F (163°C), which is the standard recommendation for a bird this size to ensure the outside doesn’t char before the inside hits the mark, here is your roadmap.
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For an unstuffed 22-pound turkey, expect it to take between 4 hours and 15 minutes to 4 hours and 45 minutes.
If you ignored my advice and stuffed it, you’re looking at 5 to 6 hours.
Now, if you’re a fan of the "high heat" method—starting at 425°F for thirty minutes to crisp the skin and then dropping to 325°F—you might shave 30 minutes off that total. But big birds are risky with high heat. The sugar in the skin can scorch. You’ve got to be vigilant. You’ve got to be the boss of that oven.
Keep in mind that every time you open the oven door to "check" or "baste," you’re losing about 25 degrees of ambient heat. Do that ten times over the course of the afternoon and you’ve just added 45 minutes to your cook time. Stop peeking. Use a probe thermometer that stays in the meat and sends a signal to a unit on your counter. It’s the only way to live.
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The Myth of Basting and Why It Slows You Down
We’ve all seen the movies where the chef bastes the turkey every twenty minutes. It looks therapeutic. It feels like you’re doing something. But in reality? You’re just cooling down the oven and making the skin rubbery.
Water evaporates. Fat doesn't. When you pour juices over the skin, you’re mostly just putting moisture on a surface you want to be crispy. If you want a fast, efficient cook for a 22-pounder, rub it with a mix of herb butter and oil before it goes in. That fat conducts heat. It helps the skin brown. Then, leave it alone. The only reason to open that door is to tent the breast with foil if it’s getting too dark too fast.
Altitude and Your Kitchen Environment
If you’re cooking this bird in Denver or Salt Lake City, the rules change. High altitude means moisture evaporates faster and the air is thinner. You might find that your turkey takes a bit longer to reach that magic internal temperature because the heat transfer isn't as efficient.
Also, consider the "fridge-to-oven" pipeline. If that 22-pound turkey is still slightly icy in the center—which happens a lot because big birds take forever to thaw—your cook time will skyrocket. It can take four full days in the fridge for a bird this size to defrost completely. If it’s still 34°F in the deep tissue when it hits the roasting pan, add at least an hour to your estimates.
Temperature Is the Only Truth
Forget the clock. The clock is a suggestion. The meat thermometer is the law.
You are looking for 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh, making sure you don't hit the bone. The bone conducts heat differently and will give you a false reading. Most pros actually pull the turkey at 160°F. Why? Carryover cooking.
A 22-pound mass of meat holds a staggering amount of thermal energy. Once you take it out, the internal temperature will continue to rise by 5 to 10 degrees while it rests on the counter. If you wait until the thermometer says 165°F in the oven, you’ll likely be eating 175°F turkey. That is the definition of dry.
The Mandatory Rest Period
You cannot carve a turkey the second it comes out. I know the family is hovering. I know the house smells like heaven. But if you cut into that 22-pound bird immediately, all the juice you worked five hours to preserve will run out onto the cutting board.
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Give it 45 minutes.
Yes, really. A bird this size needs that much time for the muscle fibers to relax and reabsorb the liquid. Don't worry about it getting cold. If you tent it loosely with foil, it will stay piping hot for over an hour. This also gives you the perfect window to crank the oven up and bake your rolls or finish the roasted sprouts.
Actionable Steps for Success
- Verify the Thaw: Press deep into the cavity. If you feel ice crystals, you need a cold-water bath fast to finish the job before roasting.
- Dry the Skin: Use paper towels. Seriously. Bone-dry skin browns; wet skin steams.
- Target 160°F: Pull the bird when the thigh hits 160°F and the breast is around 155°F.
- Use a Heavy Roasting Pan: Cheap foil pans can buckle under 22 pounds of weight and a gallon of hot fat. It’s a safety hazard. Put the foil pan on a sturdy baking sheet if you must use one.
- Carve in the Kitchen: Don't try to be a hero and carve at the table. Take the legs and wings off first, then slice the breast meat against the grain. It’s easier and looks better.
By focusing on the internal temperature rather than just the ticking clock, you take the guesswork out of the equation. That 22-pound turkey is a project, but it’s a manageable one if you trust the thermometer and give the meat the rest it deserves.