You’ll hear lots of ways to check the doneness of your turkey. But there’s only one way to be sure: the temperature.
It just takes a simple reading with a meat thermometer to test if your turkey is ready to eat, and Nicole will show you exactly how to do it.
Always make sure you measure the following temperatures in your turkey:
- 180°F in thigh
- 170°F in breast
- 165°F in stuffing

Leg wiggling, juice color, even the aroma – you’ll hear lots of ways to check the doneness of your turkey at Thanksgiving. But there’s only one way to be sure: the temperature.
How? You'll need a meat thermometer to make sure you cook your turkey to the right temperature. Insert it close to, but not touching, the thigh bone. If it reads 180 degrees F in the thigh and 170 degrees F in the breast, it's done and ready to serve. (If it’s stuffed, check the center of the stuffing to make sure it’s 165 degrees F as well.)
Need help using your meat thermometer? Read our How to Place a Meat Thermometer guide or watch our video on where to insert a meat thermometer on a turkey.