Christmas Dinner Timings: What Time to Put the Turkey In (UK)
Work back from the time you want to carve. Take off 45 minutes for the turkey to rest, then the cooking time at 180°C (160°C fan). For 10 people, a 7.0 kg turkey cooks for 3 h 50 min, so to carve at 2 pm it goes in at 9:25 am. The chart below covers other sizes and times, and the Christmas turkey calculator works out the size for your guests.
What time to put the turkey in
Find your turkey's weight on the left and the time you want to carve along the top. The times allow 45 minutes to rest but not the time for the oven to heat up, so switch it on early enough to be hot when the turkey goes in.
| Turkey | Cooking time | Carve at 12:00 pm | Carve at 1:00 pm | Carve at 2:00 pm | Carve at 3:00 pm | Carve at 4:00 pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 kg | 2 h 10 min | 9:05 am | 10:05 am | 11:05 am | 12:05 pm | 1:05 pm |
| 4 kg | 2 h 50 min | 8:25 am | 9:25 am | 10:25 am | 11:25 am | 12:25 pm |
| 5 kg | 3 h 10 min | 8:05 am | 9:05 am | 10:05 am | 11:05 am | 12:05 pm |
| 6 kg | 3 h 30 min | 7:45 am | 8:45 am | 9:45 am | 10:45 am | 11:45 am |
| 7 kg | 3 h 50 min | 7:25 am | 8:25 am | 9:25 am | 10:25 am | 11:25 am |
| 8 kg | 4 h 10 min | 7:05 am | 8:05 am | 9:05 am | 10:05 am | 11:05 am |
| 9 kg | 4 h 30 min | 6:45 am | 7:45 am | 8:45 am | 9:45 am | 10:45 am |
| 10 kg | 4 h 50 min | 6:25 am | 7:25 am | 8:25 am | 9:25 am | 10:25 am |
Cooking time is 20 minutes a kilo plus 70 minutes for a bird under 4 kg, and plus 90 minutes from 4 kg, so from 4 kg up each extra kilo adds 20 minutes. A 10 kg turkey needs 4 h 50 min and goes in before 6:25 am for a midday lunch, so a later lunch is easier with a big bird.
By number of guests, carving at 2 pm
At 675 g of whole turkey a person, which leaves some over for Boxing Day:
| Guests | Turkey | Cooking time | In the oven at |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3.0 kg | 2 h 10 min | 11:05 am |
| 6 | 4.5 kg | 3 h | 10:15 am |
| 8 | 5.5 kg | 3 h 20 min | 9:55 am |
| 10 | 7.0 kg | 3 h 50 min | 9:25 am |
| 12 | 8.5 kg | 4 h 20 min | 8:55 am |
| 14 | 9.5 kg | 4 h 40 min | 8:35 am |
A Christmas Day plan for 10
For 10 adults and a 2 pm carve, with a frozen 7.0 kg turkey. Christmas Day 2026 is a Friday.
| When | What | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday 20 December | Frozen turkey into the fridge | 4 days to thaw at 10 to 12 hours a kilo, plus a spare day |
| Thursday 24 December | Check it has thawed | No ice crystals inside the cavity. If there are, give it longer in the fridge |
| Christmas Day, 9:25 am | Turkey into the oven at 180°C (160°C fan) | 3 h 50 min for 7.0 kg |
| Christmas Day, 1:15 pm | Check it is cooked, then out to rest | 70°C in the thickest part of the thigh, and the juices run clear |
| Christmas Day, 1:15 pm | Potatoes into the hot oven | The turkey rests for 45 minutes under foil, which frees the oven |
| Christmas Day, 2:00 pm | Carve and serve |
The oven is the bottleneck on the day. While the turkey cooks there is little room for anything else, so the resting time is when the roast potatoes and anything else that needs a hot oven go in. Plan the hob for the vegetables and gravy, and make the gravy with the juices from the roasting tin while the bird rests.
If the timing slips
- Running late: the turkey will sit happily under foil and a clean tea towel for up to an hour, so a longer rest is better than undercooking it.
- Running early: turn the oven down a little rather than taking the bird out before it reaches temperature.
- Not sure it is done: check the thickest part of the thigh with a probe thermometer, not the time on the clock. Ovens vary, so the thermometer is the real test.
- Small oven: a turkey that fills the oven leaves no room for potatoes, so a smaller bird or a crown and a separate joint can make the day easier.
For thawing dates for every size and how many it feeds, see what size turkey for Christmas and the cooking time pages, from a 3 kg to a 10 kg turkey.
Frequently asked questions
What time should I put the turkey in for 2 pm?
For a 7.0 kg turkey, which serves 10, at 9:25 am: 3 h 50 min at 180°C (160°C fan), then 45 minutes to rest. A 5 kg bird goes in at 10:05 am.
How long does a turkey need to rest?
30 to 60 minutes, covered with foil and a clean tea towel. These timings use 45 minutes, which frees the hot oven for the roast potatoes.
How long does a 6 kg turkey take to cook?
3 h 30 min at 180°C (160°C fan), so for a 1 pm lunch it goes in at 8:45 am. Check it reaches 70°C in the thickest part of the thigh.
When should I take the turkey out of the freezer?
A 7.0 kg turkey needs about 4 days in the fridge, so move it from the freezer to the fridge by Sunday 20 December to have a spare day.
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