A whole roasted turkey will typically rise about 5–10°F (about 3–6°C) during the resting period, depending on its size and cooking temp.
Typical temperature rise
- Many cooking guides suggest pulling a turkey from the oven around 155–160°F in the breast, expecting carryover heat to bring it close to the USDA doneness guideline of 165°F as it rests.
- Some butchers and cooking instructions explicitly note that a turkey’s internal temperature can climb roughly 10°F while resting.
Factors that change the rise
- Larger birds and higher oven temperatures usually create more carryover (closer to the 10°F end), while smaller birds or lower/slow cooks may only climb about 5°F.
- Resting the turkey at room temperature, loosely tented with foil for 20–30 minutes (or up to an hour for big birds), allows the temperature to even out and finish rising without overcooking the outer meat.
