Christmas Dinner Timing Calculator
When to thaw. When to brine. When the turkey goes in. When to start the sides. When to rest the meat. A full backward-timed schedule built from your serve time, so dinner lands when you want it to. Free, no signup.
Your dinner
What you're cooking and when you want to eat.
Portion check
14 lb for 8 guests means about 4.0 lb of leftovers per person — enough for a few sandwich days.
Your timing schedule
Work backward from Friday, December 25 at 5:00 PM.
Sunday, December 20
- 1:18 PMMove frozen turkey to fridge to thaw (4 days)Thaw
USDA rule: 24 hours per 4-5 lbs. Your 14-lb bird needs ~4 days. Place on a tray to catch drips, lowest shelf so nothing else gets contaminated.
Thursday, December 24
- 1:18 PMApply dry brine, return to fridge uncoveredBrine / Season
Pat dry. Rub kosher salt (1 tsp per 4 lb of turkey) and any aromatics across the skin and inside the cavity. Refrigerate uncovered — the skin dries out, which is what makes it crisp later.
Friday, December 25
- 9:00 AMMorning prep: pies, sides, table settingPrep
Bake any morning-of pies. Peel potatoes (cover in water). Set the table. Chill wine. Take butter out to soften.
- 12:48 PMTake turkey out of fridgePrep
Let it come closer to room temperature for 30 min. Cooks more evenly.
- 1:18 PMTurkey into oven (~3 hr 2 min cook time at 325°F)Cook
14-lb turkey, unstuffed. 13 min/lb. Check internal temp at the 152-min mark.
- 3:00 PMStart sides prepSides
Mashed potatoes, stuffing, roasted vegetables, gravy base. Mashed potatoes can hold in a slow cooker; vegetables benefit from a final blast in the oven once the turkey is resting.
- 4:20 PMTurkey out of oven (rest 40 min)Rest
Internal temp should hit 165°F at thickest part of thigh. Tent loosely with foil. The rest is non-negotiable for juicy meat.
- 4:50 PMCarve the turkeyRest
Slice off legs and wings first, then breast meat. Arrange on a warm platter.
- 5:00 PMServeServe
Plate and serve. Carve at the table or in the kitchen.
How the math works
Thaw times (USDA standard): 24 hours per 4-5 lb of turkey in the fridge. A 14-lb turkey needs about 3 days. Cold- water thaw is a backup but takes constant attention (30 min per lb, change the water every 30 min).
Cook times: Turkey at 325°F, 13 min/lb unstuffed or 18 min/lb stuffed. Pre-cooked ham at 325°F, 11 min/lb to warm through. Prime rib reverse-sear: 20 min/lb at 200°F, then 15 min at 500°F to crust. Roast chicken at 425°F, 20 min/lb.
Rest times: 40 min for turkey, 25 for prime rib, 15 for ham and chicken. The rest is not optional. Skip it and you lose half the juice the moment you carve.
Room temp before cook: 30 min for turkey and chicken, 2.5 hours for prime rib. Cold-from-the-fridge meat cooks unevenly — you get a grey band around a raw center. The hardest step to convince yourself to actually do.
Dry brine (optional but recommended): 24 hours ahead. Heavy kosher salt rubbed over the bird, refrigerated uncovered. The uncovered part matters — the skin dries out, which is what makes it crisp later.
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