For a 20 lb turkey at 350°F, expect 4 to 4.5 hours, but verify with a thermometer. That’s the whole gospel. Everything else is noise and tradition.
Remember my frozen alien turkey from the intro? I eventually got it right after three thanksgivings of trial and error. One year I even left the giblet bag inside. The horror. The shame.
So here’s my final, slightly cynical advice: Start an hour earlier than you think you need. If the turkey finishes early, it rests longer. If it runs late, you have wiggle room. Either way, you look like a hero. And isn’t that the real goal of cooking? Looking competent while sweating behind the stove? You’ve got this. I believe in you—and your bird.
