No Thanksgiving guest is more important than the turkey. But you might have a late arrival on your hands if you don't get it in the oven on time. Planning a 3 p.m. meal? You'll need to have a 20-pound bird (sans stuffing) cooking by around 10:30 a.m. Don't stress about the math—just follow our easy chart, with recommendations from the USDA. Note: For safety reasons, the USDA recommends cooking stuffing outside of the turkey to guarantee uniform doneness. If you do choose to stuff it, check the temp of the center of the stuffing to make sure it, too, reaches the safe 165 degrees F (otherwise bacteria could contaminate your cooked turkey). Keep wet stuffing ingredients refrigerated ahead of time, and separate from dry ingredients until just before mixing, stuffing loosely and cooking. Sticking with a casserole dish? You should still cook the stuffing to 165 degrees F. Fresh or Frozen? Fresh Turkeys •Allow 1 pound of turkey per person. •Buy your turkey only 1 to 2 days before you plan to cook it. •Keep it stored in the refrigerator until you're ready to cook it. Place it on a tray or in a pan to catch any juices that may leak. •Do not buy fresh pre-stuffed turkeys. If not handled properly, any harmful bacteria that may be in the stuffing can multiply very quickly. Frozen Turkeys •Allow 1 pound of turkey per person. •Keep frozen until you're ready to thaw it. •Turkeys can be kept frozen in the freezer indefinitely; however, cook within 1 year for best quality. •See "Thawing Your Turkey" for thawing instructions. Frozen Pre-Stuffed Turkeys USDA recommends only buying frozen pre-stuffed turkeys that display the USDA or State mark of inspection on the packaging. These turkeys are safe because they have been processed under controlled conditions. Image of seal of inspection for poultry DO NOT THAW before cooking. Cook from the frozen state. Follow package directions for proper handling and cooking. Allow 1¼ pounds of turkey per person. Thawing Your Turkey There are three ways to thaw your turkey safely — in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave oven. For more turkey and stuffing safety and cooking tips, check out the USDA's site. Read the full blog post at Real Simple.