Before you get your heart set on cooking that bird in an electric roaster....be sure it will fit!!
If it will fit, my guess would be to allow 4 1/2 hours...it well may be done before that....in which case, remove the turkey and tent with foil, while you mash the potatoes and make gravy.
Linda c

"---How long for a 23 pounder?--"

There is no way you can tell, without knowing the inside starting temperature of the turkey and the heating characteristics of the electric roaster.

First thing you do is to throw out that silly plastic pop up thermometer.

Second thing is to get a probe thermometer to read the inside cooking temperature of the turkey.

Thirtd is to enjoy your well cooked turkey.

dcarch

And whether your turkey is stuffed or not. I no longer stuff the turkey but rather cook the dressing on the side.

Stuffed or not, it's not going to take more than 4 1/2 hours.
I think she should allow 4 1/2 hours to cook the turkey. Her instant read or her experience will tell her when it's done.

I usually cook my turkey in the electric roaster. The skin is not so crispy as it is in the oven, but the bird is always nicely moist and it saves my oven room.

An electric roaster is an oven. As long as your turkey is thawed, figure about the same amount of time as it would take in your oven at the same temperature. I cook mine at 350F for whatever amount of time it takes.

I agree with LindaC that it's going to take about 4 1/2 hours, thawed and unstuffed. However, I think if it's stuffed it's going to take closer to 5 1/2 hours.

Enjoy your turkey, and Happy "Thanksgiving.

Annie

I agree with dcarch, get a thermometer! But as far as gauging the approximate time, isn't it about 25 minutes per lb as a rule? Since I got my instant read thermometer, I just can't cook without it!

USDA (yeah I know, but it's a guideline) says 20-24#, figure 4.5-5 hours. Homecooking says 6-6.5 hours for stuffed, 5.5-6 hrs for unstuffed. Foodconsumer says 4.5-5 hrs.

There's so many variables (bird temp, oven temp, and I suspect moon phase and mood of the neighbor's dog) that you can't cook by time, you have to cook by temperature. And it's worth the $20 to get a probe thermometer with the alarm on it. Even one that's remote so you can carry the alarm with you and monitor the temp while you do other things, or nothing else. I set the temp to 150ð for a turkey breast and pop it in the Nesco and go have a couple beers. I set a couple alarm clocks in case I doze off, which has happened a time or two when cooking alone.

A 23 pounder will most likely be a tight fit (what used to be known as an "oven stuffer" or as Carla Tortelli called Norm's contribution to the dinner, "Birdzilla") but should fit most large electric roasters. As suggested, check that it'll fit. Some have a different shape and some have different capacities. Worst case scenario? Cut it into parts and cook it that way. America's Test Kitchen recommends this anyway and I think it's a slick way of cooking a bird.

I grew up on electric roaster turkey and am sold on it.

I can't remember the exact weight (I think it was a 22 pounder), but I cooked last year's turkey in my roaster oven. It was a tight fit, but it worked.

One thing I discovered was my turkey was finished WAY before the expected cooking time; I think the roasters cook them faster. My turkey was done an hour earlier than I had expected, so I thought I'd just turn down the temp to warm and keep it there, but I found that it even kept cooking at that point. The turkey was good, but not as good as I had expected. I haven't cooked another turkey since then, so I haven't had the chance to experiment with the cooking time/temp.

So, if your're worried about it fitting, you can always cut off the legs & wings and roast those separately. Just "put" them back on afterwards.

To clarify, I'm referring to the temp probe alarm being set at 150ð, not the oven. I agree that roasters cook quicker and I suspect that with the wraparound heat and just being closer to the food that it has something to do with it.

Yes, a hot bird will keep cooking, like any other food has residual cooking. That's why I set the alarm for 150ð, less if I have other things to get ready before the bird is done, so I can turn it down and let the residual bring it up to 160ð which is where I want mine to be most of the time.

I agree with gardengrl, my turkeys have always been done much faster than I expected when done in an electric roaster--in my case, a Nesco. They were always beautifully moist and tender, though, so I just adjusted for it. Also, I wholeheartedly agree with getting a good temperature probe and using it. Take your turkey out early and let it sit and 'coast' to done, it'll be the moister for it.

Best of luck,
Cj

Thanks to you all, it's been awhile since I've cooked one this big. Next year, I'm going to buy 2 smaller ones. This one was given to me so I'll have to cook it whether I want to or not.