Turkey Cook Time 375? The 7 Latest Answer

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Learn how long to cook a turkey and get a perfectly cooked bird for your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner! The rule of thumb is 15 minutes per pound, but cooking time also depends on the oven temperature, whether the turkey is stuffed or unstuffed, and whether it’s fresh or frozen.

How long to cook a turkey?

Want to cook a whole turkey that’s tender and juicy, with lots of flavor and crispy skin? We’ll show you how to get the best results every time. No more dried out turkey!

How long a turkey is cooked depends primarily on its size and oven temperature. You must cook the bird to a safe internal temperature of 74°C (165°F), as measured with an instant-read thermometer. You also need to allow enough time to rest your turkey to allow the juices to disperse throughout the meat to keep it extra moist.

Tip: We recommend using an ovenproof food probe and leaving it in the turkey while roasting. This allows you to monitor the internal temperature without opening the oven.

What temperature to cook a turkey: 325°F or 350°F?

Bake at 350°F for each turkey weighing less than 12 lbs.

for each turkey weighing less than 5.9 kg. Bake at 325°F for larger turkeys over 14 pounds.

How long to cook a turkey per pound?

For an unstuffed turkey (fresh or thawed), the general USDA rule is about 15 minutes per pound in a regular 325°F oven. If you use a convection oven, your turkey will cook slightly faster.

Cooking time for different sizes

The cooking time of the turkey varies greatly depending on its size. You may be wondering how long to cook a 20-pound turkey, 25-pound, 12-pound, 15-pound turkey, or any other size for that matter? Here is a timing chart for cooking a plain turkey:

Weight Turkey Cook Time Unstuffed Turkey Oven Temperature 10 to 14 lb 2-1/4 to 3 hours 350°F 15 to 22 lb 3 to 4 hours 325°F 23 to 25 lb 4 to 4 1/2 hours 325°F 26 to 29 lb 4-1/2 to 5 hours 325°F

Note: When using a convection oven, bake 15-30% less time. As kitchen appliances vary, always check doneness with a thermometer rather than relying on time alone.

How long to cook a stuffed turkey?

It’s always best to stuff the neck end of the turkey, as stuffing the body cavity blocks the airflow needed to cook the bird evenly. Just before cooking, fill and fold in the skin to seal.

Follow the cooking time above and use the weight of the stuffed turkey. You can weigh the stuffed turkey if you have a scale, or estimate the new weight based on the stuffing added.

How long do you cook a frozen turkey?

Cooking your turkey from frozen will increase the cooking time by at least 50%, according to the USDA. That means you need to plan on baking your frozen turkey for 22 minutes per pound or more.

How can you tell when a turkey is done?

The most accurate way to check doneness is to insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey (breast, outer thigh, and inner thigh) and make sure the probe isn’t touching the bone. A temperature reading of 165°F to 170°F means it’s done.

Be vigilant during the final stages as the temperature can soar from 130°F to 170°F in as little as 30 minutes!

How to roast a turkey

Roasting a turkey is actually quite easy as long as you follow the cooking time guide and don’t overcook the bird.

Curing: This optional step results in a more tender and juicy turkey. The base ratio is 2 cups of kosher salt to 2 gallons of water. Chill in the refrigerator for 8-18 hours and rinse the turkey with water before cooking.

: This optional step makes for a more tender and juicy turkey. The base ratio is 2 cups of kosher salt to 2 gallons of water. Chill in the refrigerator for 8-18 hours and rinse the turkey with water before cooking. Seasoning: Rubbing with butter, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and oil before baking adds moisture and flavor to your turkey.

: Rubbing with butter, minced garlic, salt, pepper and oil before baking will add moisture and flavor to your turkey. Bake: Follow the above baking time and temperature instructions until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

: Follow the baking time and temperature instructions above until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Resting: Let the roast turkey rest, covered with aluminum foil, for 30 to 60 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute through the meat. It’s important not to cut into the meat right away or you will lose juice and the turkey will dry out. You can prepare gravy during this time instead.

Side dishes for Thanksgiving turkey

Traditional Thanksgiving dinner sides include green bean casserole, potato, sweet potato, gratin and roasted Brussels sprouts.

Print 5 out of 5 votes Leave a review » How to Cook a Turkey Learn how to cook a turkey perfect for your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner! Follow this step-by-step guide to enjoying tender and juicy turkey at its best! Ingredients 1x 2x 3x ▢ 1 whole turkey (15 lbs or 6.8 kg) fresh or thawed, see notes for other sizes*

, ▢ 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)

, ▢ 3 garlic cloves, chopped (1 tablespoon)

, ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil

▢ Salt , to taste

, ▢ Pepper , to taste Instructions Prepare the turkey: (Optional: (Optional: Soak the turkey in brine for 8-18 hours for added tenderness.) Remove the turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting. Remove the offal from the abdomen or neck remove Pat dry with paper towels It’s okay if your turkey is still cool to the touch after sitting at room temperature.

Seasoning: In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, garlic, salt, and pepper. Rub it all over the turkey. Then rub with olive oil. (If you have stuffing, spoon it through the neck end of the turkey.)

Preheat the oven to 425°F: Place a rack in the bottom third of the oven. Then preheat the oven to 218°C. Place a wire rack in a frying pan. Then place the turkey breast side up on the wire rack. If you have an ovenproof meat thermometer, insert it all the way into the leg and leave it in while it cooks.

Place turkey in oven and reduce heat to 325°F: When oven is hot, add turkey and immediately reduce heat to 325°F.

Roast the turkey: Cooking takes about 3 hours in a regular oven and 30 minutes less in a convection/convection oven. Halfway through, baste the turkey with the pan juices. After 2 hours, start checking the turkey’s internal temperature regularly.

Check doneness: Look at the meat thermometer or stick an instant-read thermometer inside the turkey thigh and breast. Your turkey is done when it reads 165°F (74°C). If it’s not done yet, put it back in the oven. (Note: Temperature can rise rapidly after 140°F).

Rest the turkey: When the turkey is done baking, remove it from the oven. Using an oven mitt, lift one end of the skillet lengthways to allow liquids to drain out of the cooking cavity. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board. Cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 30 to 60 minutes before carving. Notes *For other sizes: 2-1/4-3 hours for 10-14 lbs (at 350°F), 3-4 hours for 15-22 lbs, 4-4.5 hours for 23-25 ​​lbs and 4.5-5 hours for 26-29 pounds. Reduce by 15-30% for a convection oven.

If you stuff your turkey, add the weight of the stuffing to the total weight used to calculate the cooking time.

Leftover turkey can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 2 months. Nutrition Facts How to Cook a Turkey Amount Per Serving Calories 458 Calories from Fat 225% Daily Value* Fat 25g 38% Saturated Fat 10g 50% Cholesterol 210mg 70% Sodium 290mg 12% Potassium 581mg 17% Carbohydrate 1g 0% Sugar 1g 1% Protein 56g 112% Vitamin A 428 IU 9% Vitamin C 1mg 1% Calcium 33mg 3% Iron 2mg 11% *Percent Daily Values ​​are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Please read our nutritional advice. Author: Cindy Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below!

cooking utensils

How long does it take to cook a turkey? It’s one of the most frequently asked Thanksgiving cooking questions we get at Allrecipes, so let’s get to the answer right away!

How long you cook your turkey can vary, depending on the temperature of the oven and whether or not your turkey recipe calls for a stuffed or unstuffed bird. We recommend roasting the turkey at 350 degrees F for 13 minutes per pound for an unstuffed turkey. We’ve done the math for you – check the chart below to determine both turkey cook times and estimated servings (with leftovers!).

Carving a Roast Turkey Juicy Roast Turkey | Credit: Allrecipes

How long to cook a turkey

Follow this chart for turkey cook times based on your bird’s size. All cooking times are based on placing a whole, unstuffed turkey on a rack in a roasting pan and in an oven preheated to 175 degrees C (350 degrees F).

Turkey Weight Servings Cooking Time 10 to 12 lb 6 to 8 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hours 12 to 14 lb 8 to 10 2 3/4 to 3 hours 15 to 18 lb 10 to 12 3 1/4 to 4 hours 18 to 20 lb 12 to 14 4 to 4 1/4 hours 20 to 22 lb 14 to 16 4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours 23 to 24 lb 16 to 20 5 to 5 1/4 hours

Important Notes:

Turkey is prepared at an internal temperature of 165 degrees F

Let the turkey rest for at least 30 minutes before carving and serving

It’s recommended to use an oven thermometer ($7; Target) and a meat thermometer to get accurate temperature readings

How much turkey to buy

The general rule is 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of turkey per person, depending on how much you love leftovers! If you don’t want to make turkey soup or sandwiches, 1 pound per person is all you need. If you’re looking forward to leftovers almost as much as you are looking forward to the main event, by all means go for £1 1/2 per person. Check out our Turkey Buying Guide for more tips.

How to defrost turkey

Keep in mind that a whole turkey can take several days to thaw and the above cooking times are for a fully thawed bird. Generally, once you’ve refrigerated the turkey, you’ll need 24 hours of thawing time for every 5 pounds of turkey, but if it’s Thanksgiving morning and your turkey is still frozen solid – don’t worry, you have options! Our turkey thawing guide will walk you through three different methods for safely defrosting turkey.

unroasted stuffed turkey on a wire rack in a skillet with a meat thermometer in the thigh Credit: Meredith

How long to cook a stuffed turkey

A stuffed turkey will take longer to cook than a plain turkey. Roast a stuffed turkey at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes per pound. It’s important to check the temperature of the stuffing; it should be 165 degrees F (75 degrees C) when you insert the thermometer into the center of the filling.

whole roast turkey on a white platter with carrots Credit: Chef John

How to cook a turkey in five easy steps

preparation

Remove the packet of offal from the bird’s cavity and save for gravy or stuffing. Next, use paper towels to pat the bird dry inside and out. Truss & Brush

Tie the legs together with string and brush the skin with melted butter or oil. See how to tie a turkey. roast meat

Place the turkey on a wire rack in a roasting pan and in a preheated 175 degrees C (350 degrees F) oven, following the above cooking times based on your bird’s weight. Tent & Baste

Fry until skin is light golden in color, then cover breast loosely with foil tent to prevent further browning. During the last 45 minutes of roasting, remove the foil tent to brown the skin. Baking is not necessary, but will help ensure even browning. Rest, then carve

When the turkey is done, remove from the oven and let rest 30 minutes before carving. This allows the juice to spread throughout the meat and makes carving easier.

Get more tips and expert advice in our How to Cook a Turkey Guide.

How to know when Turkey is ready

The only true cooking test is the temperature of the meat, not the color of the skin. The turkey is ready when the leg meat has reached an internal temperature of 75°C. To get an accurate reading, make sure your thermometer isn’t touching the bone. Check out our guide on how to properly take a turkey’s temperature.

To prevent your turkey from drying out, consider over-cooking while the turkey is resting: the turkey’s internal temperature will continue to rise 5 to 10 degrees when it comes out of the oven. You can remove the turkey from the oven when the thigh meat has reached 150°F (68°C) and let the gratin do the rest. While the turkey is resting, check the temperature again after 10 minutes to make sure the turkey has reached 165 degrees F.

Make gravy while the turkey is resting

Use the 20 to 30 minutes your turkey is resting to prepare a delicious gravy. Check out our step-by-step guide to see how to make turkey gravy from gravy.

How to carve turkey

For some of us, carving the turkey is the most intimidating part. If you’ve been patient and let the turkey rest before carving, you’re already halfway there! Letting the turkey rest allows the juice to redistribute, ensuring your turkey isn’t dry but also avoiding a big juicy mess on your cutting board, making carving more difficult.

Watch our step-by-step turkey carving video and guide to learn everything you need to know to get turkey on the table!

Related recipe collections and advice

You’ve got a beautifully prepared turkey — it’s been carefully selected, properly marinated, and is now ready to go in the oven — making sure it’s baking beautifully for a stunning Thanksgiving spread. Not sure how long to leave the bird in the oven? If you bake it at 325°F (the lowest temperature the USDA recommends), you’ll need to bake a 20-pound turkey in the oven for 4 to 5 hours when not stuffed and 4 ¼ to 5 ¼ hours when it is not filled it is crammed. However, this isn’t a failsafe: you still need to check it regularly and make sure the internal temperature is at least 165°F, the USDA minimum safe temperature, by using a meat thermometer. Don’t have a clinical thermometer? You might want to buy one before the big day or borrow one from a guest who will be attending your party. Using a meat thermometer is pretty much the best way to ensure your bird is cooked to perfection; That’s why it’s one of the top three essentials we recommend for your Turkey Day cooking marathon.

Each editorial product is independently selected, although we may receive compensation or receive an affiliate commission if you purchase something through our links. Ratings and prices are correct and items are in stock at the time of publication.

Thanksgiving can be a multi-day cooking marathon. All of the planning often revolves around the main event—that giant, glittery turkey. We’ll tell you what size turkey to buy and how long to roast it so you can plan your vacation.

Learn how to cook a turkey with the help of our test kitchen.

How long does it take to cook a turkey?

Use this chart to find out how long to cook a turkey based on its size:

Turkey Weight Cook Time Cook Temperature 4-6 lb. Breast 1 hr 30 min – 2 hr 15 min 165°F 6-8 lb. Breast 2 hr 15 min – 3 hr 15 min 165°F 8-12 lbs. 2 hrs 45 mins – 3 hrs 170-175°F 12-14 lbs. 3 hrs – 3 hrs 45 mins 170-175°F 14-18 lbs. 3 hr 45 min – 4 hr 15 min 170-175°F 18-20 lbs. 4 hr 15 min – 4 hr 30 min 170-175°F 20-24 lbs. 4 hrs 30 mins – 5 hrs 170-175°F

Note: All times are accurate for a 325°F oven.

Download diagram

How to check a turkey’s temperature

To find out if your turkey is fully cooked, stick a meat thermometer into the meatiest, thickest part of the poultry (usually the thighs). You aim for between 170º and 175ºF for a whole bird and 165º for a turkey breast. When taking the temperature, make sure the thermometer isn’t touching a bone, as this can give a falsely high reading and leave you with undercooked (read: unsafe) meat. And if the meat isn’t up to temperature, make sure you wash the thermometer’s probe in hot, soapy water before retesting the turkey.

In the market for a meat thermometer? Our test kitchen recommends the Thermapen Mk4 top thermometer for its accuracy and easy-to-read display. We also like the colorful ThermoPop. Whatever you do, don’t rely on your turkey’s pop-up timer. They often pop too late—if they pop at all—resulting in a dry, overcooked bird.

What size turkey to buy

You need a pound of turkey per guest. If you can’t find the magic 12-pound turkey for 12 guests, just round up! It’s better to overeat than to skimp on the typical Thanksgiving meal.

If you’re serving a hungry bunch or really want to eat leftover turkey for the rest of the week, you can round up to a pound and a half of turkey per person. These are our top choices for eating leftover turkey.

What temperature to cook a turkey

Our test kitchen recommends roasting a turkey at a constant 325º throughout the cooking time. This temperature is low enough that you don’t have to worry about the moisture evaporating quickly and drying out the turkey, but it’s also warm enough to quickly cook the poultry through. Before the big day, check that your oven is working properly.

How long to cook a turkey per pound

The general rule is 15 to 20 minutes per pound of turkey when cooking an unstuffed turkey. Since roasting a stuffed turkey is no longer considered food safe (not to mention drying out the turkey meat as a result), it’s best to stick with this method and bake one of these tasty stuffing recipes in a separate dish.

Tips for cooking a turkey

Great – you know your roast time. But before you nail down your Thanksgiving game plan, don’t forget to consider these other time-consuming steps.

Thawing. Defrosting a turkey can take three to five days. So if you bought a frozen turkey, make sure it is placed in the fridge with enough time to thaw. Preheat the oven. Give your oven 15 to 20 minutes to preheat thoroughly. Since many domestic ovens heat unevenly, it’s a good idea to let your oven come up to temperature and then wait another 5 to 10 minutes before putting the turkey in. This allows the heat to spread evenly throughout the oven before you open the door. It’s also a good idea to rotate your turkey at least every hour so everything cooks evenly. Rest. Finally, let the turkey rest for at least 30 minutes before carving. Resting allows the meat to cool slightly and reabsorbs juices that bubble to the surface in the hot oven. This resorption ensures plump, tender meat. If you carve the turkey right away, you’ll lose all that tenderness in a puddle on your cutting board or plate! Do you want to make the best sauce? Learn how to make gravy from pan grease.

How do I get crispy, brown skin on my turkey?

The trick to crispy, golden brown skin begins before the turkey even goes into the oven. Plus, you already have this secret ingredient in your pantry! The day before Thanksgiving, remove the bird from its wrapper and remove the innards. Then massage kosher salt all over the turkey. Place the bird back in the fridge until ready to roast on the big day. This technique not only flavors the meat, but also helps draw excess moisture from the skin, which becomes nice and crispy after baking.

Should I baste my turkey?

No – and it has everything to do with temperature. Basting requires you to open the oven door, which allows the heat to escape and cool your bird’s surface. Each time you baste, you increase the overall cooking time of your turkey. And more time in the oven results in dry, chewy meat. Learn more about how to season a turkey.

Pair your turkey with these fantastic side dishes 1/60 1/60 Traditional Holiday Filling Sausage and sage add a gourmet flavor to this filling. It’s perfect for large family gatherings, but you can also save something for later. —Lorraine Brauckhoff, Zolfo Springs, Florida About the recipe Sausage and sage add a gourmet flavor to this filling. It’s perfect for large family gatherings, but you can also save something for later. —Lorraine Brauckhoff, Zolfo Springs, Fla. Rich and Creamy Mashed Potatoes It’s a cinch to whip up instant mashed potatoes with sour cream and cream cheese, then cook and serve in a slow cooker. For a special twist, sprinkle this creamy mashed potato recipe with chopped fresh chives, canned fried onions, or freshly grated Parmesan cheese. —Donna Bardocz, Howell, Michigan For the recipe It’s a cinch to instantly whip up mashed potatoes with sour cream and cream cheese, then cook and serve in a slow cooker. For a special twist, sprinkle this creamy mashed potato recipe with chopped fresh chives, canned fried onions, or freshly grated Parmesan cheese. – Donna Bardocz, Howell, Michigan Taste of Home Cranberry Sauce I use this recipe a lot because I can make it a day in advance—it’s so handy when company is coming. And with just a hint of fat, the fruity side dish is nutritious and delicious. – Nancy Zimmerman, Cape May Court House, NJ About the recipe I use this recipe often because I can make it a day in advance – it’s so handy when company comes over. And with just a hint of fat, the fruity side dish is nutritious and delicious. – Nancy Zimmerman, Cape May Court House, NJ Auntie Margaret’s Taste of Home Sweet Potato Casserole My great aunt made an incredible sweet potato casserole for our holiday dinner. I lightened it up a bit, but we still love it. —Beth Britton, Fairlawn, Ohio About the recipe My great aunt made an amazing sweet potato casserole for our Christmas dinner. I lightened it up a bit, but we still love it. —Beth Britton, Fairlawn, Ohio Candied Carrots with Jam My favorite way to make baby carrots is to steam them and then drizzle them with an orange glaze that makes them candy-sweet. —Heather Clemmons, Supply, North Carolina About the recipe My favorite way to prepare baby carrots is to steam them and then drizzle them with an orange glaze that makes them candy-sweet. —Heather Clemmons, Supply, North Carolina Taste of Home Crescent Dinner Rolls These light, golden rolls have a heavenly homemade flavor and aroma. Mom never hesitates to make a batch of these fresh rolls as they are a delicious way to round off a meal. —Debra Falkiner, St. Charles, Missouri About the recipe These light, golden buns have a heavenly homemade flavor and aroma. Mom never hesitates to make a batch of these fresh rolls as they are a delicious way to round off a meal. —Debra Falkiner, St. Charles, Missouri Sausage Bread Dressing My husband and dad LOVE this dressing. Leftovers are rare, but freeze quite well. To save time, chop the veggies and prepare the dressing (but don’t bake) up to two days ahead of time and refrigerate. Add a little baking time as it will be cold. —Bette Votral, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Go to Recipe My husband and dad LOVE this dressing. Leftovers are rare, but freeze quite well. To save time, chop the veggies and prepare the dressing (but don’t bake) up to two days ahead of time and refrigerate. Add a little baking time as it will be cold. —Bette Votral, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Holiday Green Bean Casserole Try this green bean casserole and you’ll never go back to the old stuff. — Laura Fall-Sutton, Buhl, Idaho For the recipe, try this green bean casserole and you’ll never go back to the old stuff. – Laura Fall-Sutton, Buhl, Idaho Best Mac & Cheese Ever To make this amazing mac, I make a sauce with three different cheeses that I toss with the noodles. When baked, it’s gooey goodness with a crunchy topping that… don’t get me started! —Beth Jacobson, Milwaukee, Wisconsin About the recipe To make this amazing mac, I make a three-cheese sauce that I toss with the pasta. When baked, it’s gooey goodness with a crunchy topping that… don’t get me started! – Beth Jacobson, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Brussels Sprouts in Rosemary Cream Sauce Brussels sprouts in a rosemary-infused cream sauce have the power to bring friends together — but watch out for fights over who gets the last sauce. —Liz Koschoreck, Berea, Kentucky Recipe Brussels sprouts in a rosemary-infused cream sauce have the power to bring friends together — but watch out for fights over who gets the last sauce. —Liz Koschoreck, Berea, Kentucky Cheesy Corn Spoon Bread Comforting and comforting, this pudding-like side dish is a much-requested recipe at potlucks and holiday dinners. The jalapeno pepper gives just the right bite. Second batches of this delicious casserole are common — leftovers are not. —Katherine Franklin, Carbondale, Illinois Go to recipe This pudding-like side dish is cozy and comforting, and a coveted recipe for potlucks and holiday dinners. The jalapeno pepper gives just the right bite. Second batches of this delicious casserole are common — leftovers are not. —Katherine Franklin, Carbondale, Illinois Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Honey Maple Vinaigrette This salad makes a beautiful presentation for the holidays with the bright colors of the sweet potatoes, cranberries, and spinach. —Susan Bickta, Kutztown, Pennsylvania About the recipe This salad makes a beautiful presentation for the holidays with the bright colors of sweet potatoes, cranberries, and spinach. – Susan Bickta, Kutztown, Pa. Taste of Home Cauliflower Gratin Rely on this dish for new vegetable conversions. Whenever I serve it, people ask for the recipe. I sometimes substitute broccoli for all or half of the cauliflower, and the green veggies taste just as good! —Jacki Ricci, Ely, Nevada Go to Recipe Count on this dish to make new vegetable conversions. Whenever I serve it, people ask for the recipe. I sometimes substitute broccoli for all or half of the cauliflower, and the green veggies taste just as good! —Jacki Ricci, Ely, Nevada Taste of Home Triple Stuffed Sweet Potatoes My kids love sweet potatoes stuffed with leftover turkey and dressing. We enjoy standing in the kitchen together, each of us building our own potato boats. —Ane Burke, Bella Vista, Arkansas Go to recipe My kids love sweet potatoes stuffed with leftover turkey and dressing. We enjoy standing in the kitchen together, each of us building our own potato boats. – Ane Burke, Bella Vista, Arkansas Taste of Home Thyme-Roasted Carrots This dish looks extra pretty if you slice the carrots lengthwise. Garnish with sprigs of fresh thyme or parsley for a little more elegance and color. —Deirdre Cox, Kansas City, Missouri About the recipe This dish looks especially pretty if you slice the carrots lengthwise. Garnish with sprigs of fresh thyme or parsley for a little more elegance and color. —Deirdre Cox, Kansas City, Missouri Honey-Squash Dinner Rolls These puffy dinner rolls take on a rich color when you add squash to the batter. Any type of pumpkin will work. I even used boiled carrots. —Marcia Whitney, Gainesville, Florida For the recipe These fluffy buns take on a rich color when you add pumpkin to the batter. Any type of pumpkin will work. I even used boiled carrots. —Marcia Whitney, Gainesville, Fla. Potato Pan Buns My family loves these buns and requests them often. It doesn’t take long to make because you’re using high-speed yeast. —Connie Storckman, Evanston, Wyoming Go to Recipe My family loves these buns and requests them often. It doesn’t take long to make because you’re using high-speed yeast. —Connie Storckman, Evanston, Wyoming Rum Vanilla Cranberry Sauce Cranberry sauce is one of my favorite things — this spiced up version combines vanilla with rum to create a rich flavorful sauce that’s far from ordinary! —Ashley Tasty, Green Bay, Wisconsin Go to recipe Cranberry sauce is one of my favorite things—this spiced-up version combines vanilla with rum to create a rich, flavorful sauce that’s far from ordinary! —Ashley Lecker, Green Bay, Wisconsin Perfect Dinner Rolls These rolls melt in your mouth. I loved them as a kid and am excited to make them for my kids because I know I’m creating the same wonderful memories my mom made for me! —Gayleen Grote, Battle View, North Dakota Skip to recipe These buns melt in your mouth. I loved them as a kid and am excited to make them for my kids because I know I’m creating the same wonderful memories my mom made for me! – Gayleen Grote, Battle View, North Dakota Spinach With Parmesan Cream This rich and creamy spinach dish takes minutes to make. If I’m expecting guests, I double or triple the recipe. —Leann Ross, San Tan Valley, Arizona Get the recipe This rich and creamy spinach dish takes minutes to make. If I’m expecting guests, I double or triple the recipe. —Leann Ross, San Tan Valley, Arizona Taste of Home Raisin Apple Filling This is the only filling my family allows on our holiday table. With Italian sausage and a mix of so many great flavors, it’s almost a meal in itself. No wonder it won first prize in a local recipe contest! —Teri Lindquist, Gurnee, Illinois Go to Recipe This is the only filling my family allows on our holiday table. With Italian sausage and a mix of so many great flavors, it’s almost a meal in itself. No wonder it won first prize in a local recipe contest! —Teri Lindquist, Gurnee, Illinois Taste of Home Molded Cranberry Nut Salad We try a lot of cranberry recipes, and this one always comes up when we have family gatherings at Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s also been a favorite at every church potluck I’ve taken it to! —Eleanor Arthur, Seattle, Washington About the recipe We try a lot of cranberry recipes, and this one always comes up when we have family gatherings at Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s also been a favorite at every church potluck I’ve taken it to! —Eleanor Arthur, Seattle, Washington Baked Squash with Parmesan Bread Baked yellow squash is deliciously crispy. You don’t have to flip the pieces, but keep an eye on them. — Debi Mitchell, Flower Mound, Texas Go to recipe Baked Yellow Squash is nice and crispy. You don’t have to flip the pieces, but keep an eye on them. – Debi Mitchell, Flower Mound, Texas Pumpkin Pan Rolls Serve these tangy-sweet pumpkin rolls for dinner — or any time of the day — and get ready to hear a chorus of goodies in your kitchen! —Linnea Rein, Topeka, Kansas Get the recipe Serve these tangy-sweet pumpkin rolls for dinner — or any time of the day — and get ready to hear a chorus of goodies in your kitchen! – Linnea Rein, Topeka, Kansas Taste of Home Slow Cooker Bacon and Mushroom Dressing My favorite filling uses a slow cooker, which helps when your oven is busy. It goes with everything from turkey to wild chickens. —Hope Wasylenki, Gahanna, Ohio About the recipe My favorite filling uses a slow cooker, which helps when your oven is busy. It goes with everything from turkey to wild chickens. – Hope Wasylenki, Gahanna, Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes from Ohio Cream Cheese is the secret ingredient in these comforting potatoes. Simply puree, mix and heat in the slow cooker. —Frieda Bliesner, McAllen, Texas About the recipe Cream cheese is the secret ingredient in these beneficial potatoes. Simply puree, mix and heat in the slow cooker. —Frieda Bliesner, McAllen, Texas Cornmeal Rolls Golden and buttery, these rolls have cornmeal flavor and a texture that pairs perfectly with a hearty bowl of chili. —Carol Forcum, Marion, Illinois Get the recipe These golden and buttery buns have a cornmeal flavor and texture that pairs perfectly with a hearty bowl of chili. —Carol Forcum, Marion, Illinois Taste of Home Green Bean Casserole This easy green bean casserole has always been one of my favorite dishes. You can prepare it before guests arrive and store it in the fridge until ready to bake. —Anna Baker, Blaine, Washington Get the recipe This easy green bean casserole has always been one of my favorite dishes. You can prepare it before guests arrive and store it in the fridge until ready to bake. —Anna Baker, Blaine, Washington Specialty Herb Dressing Here’s a fabulously filling dressing with all the great flavors people crave: meat, fish weed, earthy mushrooms, crisp apples and water chestnuts, and a zesty explosion of tart cranberries. —Trudy Williams, Shannonville, Ontario Get the recipe Here’s a fabulously filling dressing with all the great flavors people crave: meat, fish weed, earthy mushrooms, crisp apples and water chestnuts, and a zesty explosion of tart cranberries. – Trudy Williams, Shannonville, Ontario Taste of Home White Cheddar Mac & Cheese My Mac and Cheese is simple and has lots of flavor from cheese and ground chipotle chile. I use conchiglie pasta because its shape allows more melted cheese to collect inside. Delicious! —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia About the recipe My Mac and Cheese is easy and has lots of flavor of cheese and ground chipotle chile. I use conchiglie pasta because its shape allows more melted cheese to collect inside. Delicious! — Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Va. Taste of Home Apricot Apple Cranberry Sauce Although I prefer this as a side, my sister swears it’s the best topping in the world for a piece of Thanksgiving turkey. —Aysha Schurman, Ammon, Idaho About the recipe Although I prefer this as a side, my sister swears it’s the best topping in the world for a piece of Thanksgiving turkey. —Aysha Schurman, Ammon, Idaho Holiday Rice Salad It’s nice to make a cold salad like this because it can be made ahead of time and doesn’t take up valuable oven space. Going to the recipe It’s nice to make a cold salad like this because it can be made ahead of time and doesn’t take up valuable oven space. Grandma’s Southern Collards My grandmother made the best collards recipe in the world. Eating them with a slice of buttermilk cornbread is pure bliss. —Sherri Williams, Crestview, Florida Go to recipe My grandmother made the best collard greens recipe in the world. Eating them with a slice of buttermilk cornbread is pure bliss. —Sherri Williams, Crestview, Fla. Slow-Cooker Creamed Corn with Bacon Every time I take this super rich corn to a holiday potluck or work party, I leave with an empty slow cooker. It’s decadent, cozy and well worth the money. —Melissa Pelkey ​​​​Hass, Waleska, Georgia Go to recipe Every time I take this super rich corn to a holiday potluck or work party, I leave with an empty slow cooker. It’s decadent, cozy and well worth the money. – Melissa Pelkey ​​​​Hass, Waleska, Georgia Nanny’s Parmesan Mashed Potatoes My grandchildren are raving about these creamy potatoes with parmesan. That’s the validation I need. Sometimes I use golden or red potatoes in their skins. —Kallee Krong-McCreery, Escondido, California About the recipe My grandchildren rave about these creamy potatoes with parmesan. That’s the validation I need. Sometimes I use golden or red potatoes in their skins. —Kallee Krong-McCreery, Escondido, California Molded Cranberry Orange Salad Whenever I take this dish to a potluck over the holidays, people always hear ooh and aah. Feel free to garnish with whipped cream for added appeal. —Carol Mead, Los Alamos, New Mexico About the recipe When I take this dish to a potluck over the holidays, people always hear oohs and aahs. Feel free to garnish with whipped cream for added appeal. —Carol Mead, Los Alamos, New Mexico Cranberry Apple Red Cabbage Looking for something new, I started playing with flavors and came up with this very flavorful dish. My German grandmother would be impressed I think! The colorful side dish is just right with pork. —Ann Sheehy, Lawrence, Massachusetts About the recipe When I was looking for something new, I started playing with flavors and came up with this very tasty dish. My German grandmother would be impressed I think! The colorful side dish is just right with pork. —Ann Sheehy, Lawrence, Massachusetts Southern Cornbread Dressing One of my favorite holiday side dishes, this recipe makes a lot. It’s perfect for company, although it was originally designed to stretch the food we had for our large family. —Margaret E. Kendall, McConnelsville, Ohio About the recipe One of my favorite holiday side dishes, this recipe makes a lot. It’s perfect for company, although it was originally designed to stretch the food we had for our large family. —Margaret E. Kendall, McConnelsville, Ohio Taste of Home Spiced Green Bean Casserole This isn’t your mom’s green bean casserole, but she’ll rave about it nonetheless! After trying many variations, I decided to give this old standby an extra kick. The crunchy texture, cheesy goodness, and bacon make it a hit. —Scott Rugh, Portland, Oregon Go to recipe This isn’t your mom’s green bean casserole, but she’ll rave about it nonetheless! After trying many variations, I decided to give this old standby an extra kick. The crunchy texture, cheesy goodness, and bacon make it a hit. —Scott Rugh, Portland, Oregon Taste of Home Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries There’s nothing wrong with this recipe—the prep and cook times are so short. I sprinkle in some dried cranberries, but feel free to use your imagination. Add a handful of raisins or walnuts or even sliced ​​oranges at the end. If your Brussels sprouts are large, cut them in half. —Ellen Ruzinsky, Yorktown Heights, New York About the Recipe There’s nothing wrong with this recipe—the prep and cooking times are so short. I sprinkle in some dried cranberries, but feel free to use your imagination. Add a handful of raisins or walnuts or even sliced ​​oranges at the end. If your Brussels sprouts are large, cut them in half. —Ellen Ruzinsky, Yorktown Heights, New York Taste of Home Sweet Potato Filling Mom loves to make sure there is enough filling to keep our large family happy. For our holiday celebrations, she cooks up this flavorful sweet potato dressing in addition to the traditional stuffing that’s cooked inside the turkey. —Kelly Pollock, London, Ontario Go to Recipe Mom loves to make sure there’s enough filling to feed our large family. For our holiday celebrations, she cooks up this flavorful sweet potato dressing in addition to the traditional stuffing that’s cooked inside the turkey. —Kelly Pollock, London, Ontario Roasted Butternut Tossed Salad A simple and special side to Thanksgiving dinner, this salad features nutritious veggies, almonds, berries and squash. —Katie Wollgast, Florissant, Missouri Get the recipe An easy and special side dish for Thanksgiving dinner, this salad is packed with nutritious vegetables, almonds, berries and squash. – Katie Wollgast, Florissant, Missouri Porcini Mac & Cheese This recipe was inspired by a mushroom mac and cheese I had at a local restaurant. I incorporated the fall flavor of a pumpkin beer and it turned out to be better than the original. —Laura Davis, Chincoteague, Virginia About the recipe This recipe was inspired by a mushroom macaroni and cheese I had at a local restaurant. I incorporated the fall flavor of a pumpkin beer and it turned out to be better than the original. —Laura Davis, Chincoteague, Virginia Crispy Broccoli Salad Growing up I never liked broccoli, but I’m addicted to the light, sweet flavor of this salad. It gives broccoli a whole new look and personality. —Jessica Conrey, Cedar Rapids, Iowa About the recipe Growing up, I never liked broccoli, but I’m addicted to the light, sweet flavor of this salad. It gives broccoli a whole new look and personality. —Jessica Conrey, Cedar Rapids, Iowa Triple Cranberry Sauce Cranberry fans will keep asking about this sauce. It is filled with your favorite fruits – in fresh, dried and juice form. Orange and allspice make it awesome. —Arlene Smulski, Lyons, Illinois Go to recipe Cranberry fans will keep asking for this sauce. It is filled with your favorite fruits – in fresh, dried and juice form. Orange and allspice make it awesome. – Arlene Smulski, Lyons, Illinois Dijon Scalloped Potatoes My family loves this creamy and colorful cheesy potato recipe. It has both sweet and white potatoes, lots of rich buttery flavor and a pretty golden crumb topping. —Carolyn Putnam, Norwalk, Ohio About the recipe My family loves this creamy and colorful cheesy potato recipe. It has both sweet and white potatoes, lots of rich buttery flavor and a pretty golden crumb topping. – Carolyn Putnam, Norwalk, Ohio Grandma’s Rosemary Dinner Rolls My grandma (I called her Baba) made these in her coal oven. How she regulated the temperature is beyond me! She always made extra buns for the neighbors to bake in their own ovens. My mother and aunts delivered the shaped buns at lunchtime. —Charlotte Hendershot, Hudson, Pennsylvania Go to recipe My grandma (I called her Baba) made these in her coal oven. How she regulated the temperature is beyond me! She always made extra buns for the neighbors to bake in their own ovens. My mother and aunts delivered the shaped buns at lunchtime. —Charlotte Hendershot, Hudson, Pennsylvania „Everything“-Füllung Meine Familie ist verrückt nach dieser Füllung, die ich im Schongarer mache. Es lässt sich gut einfrieren, sodass wir es noch lange nach Thanksgiving genießen können. —Bette Votral, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Zum Rezept gehen Meine Familie ist verrückt nach dieser Füllung, die ich im Schongarer mache. Es lässt sich gut einfrieren, sodass wir es noch lange nach Thanksgiving genießen können. —Bette Votral, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Urlaub Rosenkohl Machen Sie Rosenkohl mit Erbsen, Sellerie und natürlich Speck zu etwas Besonderem. Das Rezept lässt sich bei Bedarf leicht verdoppeln. —Jodie Beckman, Council Bluffs, Iowa Zum Rezept Machen Sie Rosenkohl mit Erbsen, Sellerie und natürlich Speck zu etwas ganz Besonderem. Das Rezept lässt sich bei Bedarf leicht verdoppeln. —Jodie Beckman, Council Bluffs, Iowa Altmodisches Dressing Erinnerst du dich an Omas köstliches Truthahndressing? Probieren Sie es noch einmal in Kombination mit würzigen Kräutern und knackigem Gemüse in diesem bei Familien beliebten Dressing. Sie werden die Tatsache lieben, dass Sie es in Ihrem Slow Cooker zubereiten können. —Sherry Vink, Lacombe, Alberta, Kanada Zum Rezept Erinnerst du dich an Omas köstliches Truthahndressing? Probieren Sie es noch einmal in Kombination mit würzigen Kräutern und knackigem Gemüse in diesem bei Familien beliebten Dressing. Sie werden die Tatsache lieben, dass Sie es in Ihrem Slow Cooker zubereiten können. —Sherry Vink, Lacombe, Alberta, Kanada Italienische Drei-Käse-Makkaroni Mein Mann ist ein selbsternannter Mac-and-Cheese-Kenner und sagt, dass dies seine Lieblingsversion ist. Die italienischen Gewürze und Tomaten ergänzen wirklich die Pasta und den Käse. —Adriane Mummert, Lancaster, Pennsylvania Zum Rezept Mein Mann ist ein selbsternannter Mac-and-Cheese-Kenner und sagt, dass dies seine Lieblingsversion ist. Die italienischen Gewürze und Tomaten ergänzen wirklich die Pasta und den Käse. – Adriane Mummert, Lancaster, Pennsylvania Balsamico-Drei-Bohnen-Salat Hier ist der Lieblingssalat meines kleinen Mädchens. Sie verschlingt es so schnell, wie ich es machen kann. Ich schlage vor, es im Voraus zuzubereiten, damit sich die Aromen kennenlernen können. – Stacey Feather, Jay, Oklahoma Gehe zum Rezept Hier ist der Lieblingssalat meines kleinen Mädchens. Sie verschlingt es so schnell, wie ich es machen kann. Ich schlage vor, es im Voraus zuzubereiten, damit sich die Aromen kennenlernen können. – Stacey Feather, Jay, Oklahoma Taste of Home Ambers Sauerteigfüllung Alle meine Kinder und Enkel lieben diese Sauerteigfüllung, aber besonders meine Schwiegertochter Amber. Normalerweise mache ich zu Thanksgiving eine große Menge, damit ich Reste für meinen Mann habe. Aber dieses Rezept ist perfekt für zwei. —Kathy Katz, Ocala, Florida Zum Rezept Alle meine Kinder und Enkel lieben diese Sauerteigfüllung, aber besonders meine Schwiegertochter Amber. Normalerweise mache ich zu Thanksgiving eine große Menge, damit ich Reste für meinen Mann habe. Aber dieses Rezept ist perfekt für zwei. —Kathy Katz, Ocala, Florida Taste of Home Süßkartoffeln mit brauner Zuckerglasur Unsere Familie pflegt eine Tradition von Süßkartoffeln mit Äpfeln und Rosinen. Wenn ich etwas anderes vorschlage, sagen sie: „Oh nein, Beema, das ist Teil der Liebe.“ —Judy Batson, Tampa, Florida Zum Rezept Unsere Familie pflegt eine Tradition von Süßkartoffeln mit Äpfeln und Rosinen. Wenn ich etwas anderes vorschlage, sagen sie: „Oh nein, Beema, das ist Teil der Liebe.“ – Judy Batson, Tampa, Florida Reisdressing Diese leckere Reismischung ist eine köstliche Abwechslung zu unserem traditionellen Maisbrotdressing. Um es zu einer eigenständigen Mahlzeit zu machen, füge ich manchmal fein gehacktes gekochtes Hähnchen und etwas mehr Brühe hinzu. —Linda Emery, Bearden, Arkansas Zum Rezept Diese leckere Reismischung ist eine köstliche Abwechslung zu unserem traditionellen Maisbrot-Dressing. Um es zu einer eigenständigen Mahlzeit zu machen, füge ich manchmal fein gehacktes gekochtes Hähnchen und etwas mehr Brühe hinzu. – Linda Emery, Bearden, Arkansas Holiday Lettuce Salad Light mit einem Hauch von Süße, dieses Rezept für Salatsalat wird jeden dazu bringen, sein Obst und Gemüse zu essen. —Bryan Braack, Eldridge, Iowa Gehe zum Rezept Leicht mit einem Hauch von Süße, dieses Salatsalatrezept wird jeden dazu bringen, sein Obst und Gemüse zu essen. —Bryan Braack, Eldridge, Iowa Taste of Home Honey-Butter Erbsen und Karotten Diese klassische Kombination aus Erbsen und Karotten ist mit einer Handvoll Geschmacksverstärkern angereichert. Langsames Garen lässt die Zutaten für maximale Reichhaltigkeit verschmelzen. —Theresa Kreyche, Tustin, Kalifornien Zum Rezept Diese klassische Kombination aus Erbsen und Karotten ist mit einer Handvoll Geschmacksverstärkern angereichert. Langsames Garen lässt die Zutaten für maximale Reichhaltigkeit verschmelzen. —Theresa Kreyche, Tustin, California Sweet Onion Creamed Corn A friend from church gave me this easy and delicious recipe more than 40 years ago, and I still make it regularly. She was from the South, and whenever I cook it, I remember her fondly. —Nancy Heishman, Las Vegas, Nevada Go to Recipe A friend from church gave me this easy and delicious recipe more than 40 years ago, and I still make it regularly. She was from the South, and whenever I cook it, I remember her fondly. —Nancy Heishman, Las Vegas, Nevada Pomegranate Persimmon Salad To bring some sunshine to the table, I toss up a bright salad of persimmons and pomegranate seeds, dressed with a puckery vinaigrette. —Linda Tambunan, Dublin, California Go to Recipe To bring some sunshine to the table, I toss up a bright salad of persimmons and pomegranate seeds, dressed with a puckery vinaigrette. —Linda Tambunan, Dublin, California

Here’s the thing about turkey: everyone has an opinion on the best way to pull off a showstopper. Some people are devotees of fried or even grilled birds. But if you’re going the traditional route, you’ll want to roast your turkey. And if you’re roasting a whole bird in the oven, make sure it comes out moist and golden. To achieve this balance, the ideal is to have the bird both covered and uncovered: we recommend covering your bird for most of the cooking time to prevent it from drying out, and then leaving the cover on for the last 30 minutes remove to allow the skin to crisp.

A perfectly roasted turkey is every cook’s holy grail on Thanksgiving. To help you achieve that goal, we’ve rounded up some tips from some of our top writers.

For more tips, recipes, menus, and videos to help you celebrate the perfect Thanksgiving, check out our Guide to Thanksgiving Dinner.

We also have the answers to your burning turkey questions and the cure for your pie anxiety. If you’re dreading the menu right now, use our Thanksgiving Menu Maker to select recipes and get a grocery list and schedule to keep you on track.

1. Choose a fresh turkey over a frozen one.

Ice crystals that form during freezing damage a turkey’s muscle cells. As the bird thaws and roasts, damaged cells leak fluid more easily, drying out the meat.

2. Roast two small turkeys rather than one large one.

Smaller turkeys cook more evenly than large ones, so two small turkeys are a better option for feeding a crowd. They also cook faster.

3. Salt the turkey.

A turkey soaked in a brine solution absorbs both the salt and the water, so it’s wetter and flavorful on the inside to begin with. You can also flavor a brine. Read more about the science behind brining here.

4. Rub softened butter under the skin.

As it melts, it bastes the turkey and adds buttery flavor. You can add herbs and spices to the butter for even more flavor (see Roast Turkey with Smoked Paprika and Fennel Seeds with Onion Gravy, for example).

5. Traverses loose or not at all.

Legs tied tightly to the sides of the turkey will take longer to cook, putting the breast meat at risk of overcooking while the legs take their time. For more information on trussing, watch our video.

6. Roast the turkey upside down first.

Placing the turkey breast-side down on a V-Rack for the first hour of roasting essentially allows the turkey to baste itself. Any marks left by the rust will disappear once you flip the turkey and finish roasting.

7. Don’t overcook it.

Use a thermometer, either instant reading or with a probe, to monitor the temperature at the thickest part of the thigh (taking care not to hit the bone). You’re aiming for 170°F.

8. Let the turkey rest before carving.

The intense heat of the oven forces the juices into the center of the chicken, so let the turkey sit for about 20 minutes after roasting (enough time to make the gravy). The juices redistribute and you get wetter slices.

Learning how to roast a turkey in the oven is actually incredibly easy once you get the hang of it. This article will help you roast your bird to perfection and figure out how long to roast your special turkey. You will also learn how best to prepare it before you put it in the oven.

And don’t forget to download my free guide to roasting a perfect turkey!

It’s that time of year again. Recipe pages are full of people looking for stuffing recipes and other Thanksgiving side dishes, macaroni and cheese casseroles start dancing in our heads, and everyone starts asking how to roast a turkey.

I can’t tell you how many questions I get each year from people who are completely intimidated by the idea of ​​roasting turkeys in their ovens. Most of these people are great cooks and actually have no problem roasting a chicken; but give them a bird over three pounds and apparently their previous experience of roasting birds goes out the window. Perhaps the problem is that they present their roast turkey to between five and 20 picky people. Or maybe it’s the fact that your dinner investment suddenly went from $9 to $45.

Or maybe it’s the sheer size of the bird…which is quite a bit bigger than your everyday chicken.

Regardless, roasting a large turkey is just as easy as roasting a small chicken. It may take a little longer, but in the end there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have a tender, delicious dinner without drama.

How to Roast a Turkey – Which Bird?

First, let’s talk about turkey selection. You don’t have to start with the perfect bird to end up with a finished product to be proud of. That said, I will always advocate an organic, free-range option that I think will not only taste better in the end, but also support the kind of world we want to live in in the future. But if you can’t afford a $50 locally raised turkey, you can still pull the perfect Thanksgiving bird fairly easily.

If you don’t already have a turkey, I want you to buy one that hasn’t had salt added. Companies LOVE injecting commercial turkeys with all sorts of things like salt, sugar, flavorings, food coloring (yes, really) and more.

How do you know if a turkey has all of these things in it? Very simple: Look at the ingredients. If it says anything other than “turkey,” or the nutritional information includes salt and/or sugar, then you have an additive-laden bird.

IMPORTANT: If you already have a turkey with additives at home, don’t panic! It’s good! Read on for what to do with it.

Is your Thanksgiving turkey frozen?

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard of people pulling a golden brown turkey out of the oven only to find the center was still frozen. Here’s what you need to know: A 6 to 12 pound frozen turkey will take a few days to thaw. A fully thawed turkey will be tender through the middle.

Here’s the deal, though: you can’t leave it at room temperature for very long before salmonella and other beasts become a problem. As a general rule, turkey should not be left at room temperature for very long or it becomes a food safety nightmare. So! You always want to thaw your turkey in the fridge.

Usually three days is enough if the bird weighs less than 10 pounds, but if you have a gigantic frozen turkey over 13 pounds, consider refrigerating it four or five days before Thanksgiving. Yes, that means taking the turkey out of the freezer and popping it in the fridge on Saturday or Sunday morning.

Also, make sure you put your turkey in a large pot, pan, or bowl that includes everything and don’t let any juices drip out while it’s thawing. It’s best to place it at the bottom of your fridge so dripping juices don’t contaminate the rest of the food in your fridge. Also, a heavy turkey can stress (and break!) fridge shelves, so it’s good to put it on the bottom of the fridge where it’s safer.

Dry brine or wet brine a turkey?

FIRST!!! DO NOT salt a turkey that has been injected with salt or it will become too salty. This includes both the dry salting and the wet salting process. A little salt and pepper on the skin before cooking is all you need. If your turkey has any other “ingredients” on the label besides turkey, it’s likely already been salted by injection.

Now how to salt a turkey. Every year I witness a fight between Camp Wet Brine and Camp Dry Brine. Ultimately, they provide similar results. The big difference is that wet salting requires a huge pot big enough to hold the turkey PLUS enough water to cover it, while dry salting doesn’t take up any extra space.

That’s why I prefer dry salt. They literally coat the turkey in salt, sugar and spices. That’s it.

For wet salting, you need to bring a large pot of water to a boil, add all your ingredients, then COOL the water, and finally dip the bird. Oh, and you have to keep all sides of the turkey under water.

So you either have to use something heavy like a brick or use a salt bag and squeeze all the air out so there are no air bubbles. And at some point you’ll want to turn the turkey over to make sure it’s evenly salted.

Are you suddenly a fan of Dry Sole?

Ratio and method of dry salting:

Here is the ratio for dry salting. For every 8 pounds of turkey you will need:

¼ cup kosher salt

2 tablespoons brown sugar (white sugar works too)

1 tablespoon of black pepper

Flavorful extras to add (mix and match – choose three from this list):

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon ground star anise

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon onion powder

10 juniper berries, ground into powder

Dry salting instructions:

Mix everything in a bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes. Rub it all over your turkey (or chicken!) and let it sit in the fridge for 2-4 days.

Details on dry salting

Most importantly, you want to dry salt AT LEAST two days before Thanksgiving, ideally three days or four days for a large bird. Below is a salting schedule that also includes thawing time.

I like to use KOSHER SALT. There’s a reason for that. Kosher salt is just salty enough without being overly salty…while iodized salt can oversalt your bird by the same proportion. Kosher salt is cheap. You can get a large case from Trader Joe’s for around $2.

Feel free to use dried or fresh herbs to brine your turkey, but I prefer fresh as they are spicier. Just finely chop. You can also add dry spices that have been ground into a powder.

Then simply cover the entire bird inside and out with the pickle mixture. Get every little angle. Then put it in a bowl or roasting pan and put it in the fridge.

It’s also worth noting that you can also salt your individual turkey pieces if your bird has been cut into pieces. You can also just salt one turkey breast or leg of turkey. (Same goes for chicken, FYI!)

Cover your turkey in the fridge

I generally cover my turkey while it’s in the fridge to keep the turkey juice from spilling over, but I remove the plastic wrap the night before cooking. This dries out the skin and makes it extra crispy.

If you remove the turkey from the refrigerator an hour before roasting, rinse well to remove the salt and spices. Everything you need has already been incorporated into the turkey, and if you leave the surface salt on it it’ll be WAAAAAYYYY too salty.

FYI, your turkey needs to be at least half thawed before you dry it in brine. So if you start pickling on Monday night, it needs to come out of the freezer and into the fridge on Sunday morning.

If you’re salting a bird over 14 pounds, it will likely take four to five days for the salt to soak into the meat. That means you should take it out of the freezer three days before salting it. The good news is that brining also helps preserve the turkey, making bacterial growth in the fridge less of a problem.

Here’s a schedule for Thanksgiving week, with Thursday being the day you cook the turkey:

Frozen turkeys under 10 pounds:

Four days before Thanksgiving (Sunday morning): Remove from the freezer and place in the refrigerator. Three days before Thanksgiving (Monday): Dry turkey in brine

Frozen turkeys over 10 pounds:

Five days before Thanksgiving (Saturday morning): Remove from the freezer and place in the refrigerator. Four days before Thanksgiving (Sunday): Dry turkey in brine

Keep the breast moist and the thighs fully cooked

There’s a lot of dismay when it comes to dry turkey breast and undercooked red meat. The fact is that breasts dehydrate faster than thighs because dark meat is better at biologically retaining moisture. So how do you get those thighs done without drying out your chest?

You have a few options:

Cut the bird into pieces

Spatchcock or butterfly the turkey

Trim the breast when done and continue cooking the thighs

Start with the bird’s breast side down, flipping halfway through roasting

My personal preference for chicken is the last one, which I start breast down and then flip when it’s half done. Trouble is, it’s NOT A GOOD TIME to flip a searing 14-pound turkey covered in fat and salt.

So if you have a smaller turkey, say 8 pounds or less, I recommend starting the bird breast down. This allows the thighs to cook faster as they are exposed to more hot air while the breasts are protected by the pan. If you then turn the turkey over, the breast is exposed to the same hot air, and the mostly cooked thighs are protected by the pan. It usually works pretty well.

If you have a large bird, spatch-cocking is best, provided your oven is large enough to accommodate the sprawled bird…which will take up a lot more horizontal space. This will cook the bird in a flat layer so everything is exposed to the same amount of ambient heat.

In the end, the easiest way (read: less maintenance-intensive) is to cook the bird breast breast side up, and once the breasts have reached 66°C (150°F), remove them from the turkey and cover with foil. Then continue to cook the bird until the drumsticks and thighs have also reached 140°F.

Bring turkey to room temperature before roasting

It’s always good to start with a slightly reheated poultry before roasting, but as I mentioned above, poultry is a cluster F*** for food safety. It is not advisable to leave it at room temperature for hours.

I recommend taking the turkey out of the fridge for ONE HOUR before putting it in the oven. No more than that. An hour is enough to take the edge off the cold while also ensuring it doesn’t stay at room temperature long enough for bacterial baddies to breed.

Should You Stuff Your Turkey?

Short answer: NO.

If you’re stuffing your turkey with stuffing or dressing, it’s almost impossible to ensure the stuffing is a safe temperature to eat unless you remove it from the bird and finish cooking it yourself. Poultry is particularly dangerous when it comes to bacteria like salmonella, so anything that comes in contact with the raw poultry needs to be cooked to 71°C before it’s safe to eat.

To cook the stuffing or dressing to 160°F you would have to cook the turkey EXTRA long, which would certainly dry out the meat.

In the end, simply cooking the stuffing outside of the turkey is easier, safer, and results in a more desirable meat texture.

Oven tips for roasting turkey

You should preheat your oven for at least 30 minutes before placing the turkey in it. Ovens take longer than you think to get up to temperature and the thermostat will LIE and say it got to full temperature after 15 minutes when it didn’t.

I recommend getting a cheap oven thermometer, which is around $5 off Target or Amazon. Seriously, you might be surprised to find out that your oven is a lying liar, and exactly how much it lies. If you’re one of the few people who actually have an oven with an accurate thermostat, honestly give this unit a blue ribbon!

Cooking many things in the oven at the same time

Another oven tip for turkeys. Don’t stuff a bunch of stuff in the oven with your turkey. The more things you put in the oven, the longer it will take for them all to cook.

Aside from the fact that every cool thing you put in the oven lowers its ambient temperature, every pan, sheet pan, or pot you put in it basically acts like a wall against heat. So when you slide a sheet pan full of veggies into your oven, you’ve essentially sealed off the heat in one area. Your oven has to work harder to move heat around this wall, giving you hotter and cooler spots in your oven.

Which roaster to use?

Honestly, it doesn’t matter what pan you use. You can use a skillet, a baking sheet with higher sides, a giant cast iron skillet if your turkey will fit.

One thing you’ll want to do, regardless of the pan you use, is put down a rack before adding the turkey. This allows the bird to cook more evenly as the heat moves around it and prevents the skin from sticking to the bottom of the pan. It also allows the juices to drip into the pan, which you can then use to make a pan sauce.

How long do you roast your turkey?

FYI, not all Thanksgiving turkey recipes are created equal (if you can even call the technique of roasting a turkey a “recipe”). The roasting time will depend on the size of your bird, the size of your oven, the age and efficiency of your oven, and other items you may have in the oven at the same time.

I recommend roasting a turkey at 400°F (204°C) for perfect texture and crispy skin. If only the turkey is in the oven, it should take 2 to 6 hours. I also recommend rotating the turkey 180 degrees once an hour to ensure it cooks evenly. If your oven is big enough to turn it 90° every hour, do it!

Is the turkey done?

Your best friend here is a probe thermometer, the kind you stick in the oven and hook up to an alarm. These AMAZING gadgets cost about $15 at Walmart and will save your butt when it comes to roasting a turkey.

All you have to do is stick the probe into the thickest part of the turkey (the breast), making sure to keep it away from bones that could affect the temperature. Then set the temperature alarm to 63°C. You’ll know it’s done when it beeps.

You might be thinking, “145 is not a safe temperature for poultry!” But here’s the thing: It keeps cooking after you take it out of the oven. After removing the turkey from the oven, cover with foil and let rest for 20 minutes. The bird will continue to cook all this time, reaching a PERFECT 71°C (160°F) and NOT for too long. You are welcome!

Tips for roasting turkey from Cliffs Notes

Below are cliff notes’ tips for roasting your Thanksgiving turkey to perfection. These tips also apply to roasting a chicken to absolute perfection, since turkeys and chickens aren’t all that different. The biggest difference is the size, so a chicken will be cooked using exactly the same method and technique, only for a shorter time.

That’s all common sense advice when you really think about it, but for some reason people seem to lose their minds when it comes to preparing Thanksgiving dinner. If you have any advice of your own on roasting a turkey, please, PLEASE, please leave a comment at the bottom of the post. My goal is to create a pseudo-database of turkey tips (I have no idea why I find that phrase so funny) that people can refer to forever.

And if you have a small oven, be sure to check out what happens when you cook a turkey in a small oven.

Roast turkey video

If you prefer a video, I covered the best points about roasting a turkey in this video:

How to Oven Roast a Turkey – How Long and How to Cook It Learning how to oven roast a turkey is actually incredibly easy once you get the hang of it. These tips will help you roast your bird to perfection. Here’s how long to roast a turkey and how best to cook it. 5 of 2 votes Print Pin Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 3 hours Total time: 3 hours 30 minutes Servings: 8 servings Calories: 861 kcal Author: Stephanie Stiavetti Features Roasting pan

roast rack

probe thermometer

Chef’s Knife Ingredients 1 turkey! Instructions First things first, thaw your bird completely before placing it in the oven…but DO NOT thaw it at room temperature. Let it thaw in the fridge for a few days — up to four or five, depending on the size of your turkey.

400°F (204°C) is the perfect temperature to cook a whole bird. You get crispy skin without sacrificing tenderness.

Depending on the size of your bird, the roast should take around 2-6 hours at 450F. I highly recommend a meat thermometer, which is left in the turkey while it cooks and allows you to set an alarm when it reaches the right temperature. This prevents you from constantly opening the oven door, which significantly increases your cooking time.

Basting the bird doesn’t give you crispier skin. In fact, you’ll get sagging, clammy skin and it only slightly affects the taste.

Some argue that rubbing the fat all over the bird, inside and out, doesn’t affect the flavor, but I disagree. It depends on the fat, though – olive oil won’t give you a flavor boost, but butter mixed with a heaping dose of salt and herbs makes for a flavorful dish indeed.

Stuffing some butter (mixed with salt and herbs) under the skin will help flavor the meat, but don’t overdo it. Too much fat will only make the meat greasy.

They (whoever “they” are) say to cook a whole turkey to the internal temperature of 180°F (82°C), but I find that 160°F (77°C) makes a perfectly moist bird it’s still fully cooked. Be sure to measure around the fullest part of the chest.

Also keep in mind that the bird will continue to cook for 20 to 45 minutes after you remove it from the oven, so you should cook it to around 145°F (63°C) to 150°F (66°C). , then at rest, lightly covered with foil, allow to come up to temperature.

The thighs and other dark meats will take longer to cook, especially if you cook the bird breast-side up. You can add butterflies to your turkey or roast it in individual pieces to cook it more evenly. I’ve also had great luck removing the legs and thighs once the breasts are done and frying the thighs and thighs longer on their own. You’ll need to let them rest for about 20 minutes after you pull them out of the oven.

It doesn’t matter if you roast your turkey breast up, breast down, flipped halfway through, or on the rafters – no position will make the breast juicier IF YOU ARE NOT ATTENTION TO THE TEMPERATURE.

Do not put stuffing or dressing in your turkey. This can lead to all sorts of holiday misery – namely salmonella. If you insist on stuffing your bird, remove the stuffing as soon as the meat is done and cook the stuffing in a saucepan on the stovetop at 77°C.

Let your bird rest for a few minutes after removing it from the oven. A good 20 minute nap lets everything settle down and keeps the moisture where it belongs: in the flesh.

The easiest way to ensure the brisket pieces are moist is to soak them in the bird’s juices for a few minutes after cutting. This includes the greasy runoff from whatever you’ve rubbed over the surface or stuffed under the skin.

You want the whole bird to be evenly fried and have crispy skin all over, so consider lifting it off the top of the skillet. A large roasting rack is enough to allow air to circulate under the bird and crisp it all over.

Get two decent thermometers: one to measure the turkey and one to measure the temperature of your oven. ‘Nuff said.

Don’t waste the juice at the bottom of the pan! Reduce in a pot with some white wine and fresh sage, add some corn starch and a great sauce is ready.

And what do you do with the leftover turkey the next day? Make Turkey Minestrone Soup, of course! Video Notes The nutritional analysis is based on using a 12 lb turkey for 8 people. Nutrition Calories: 861 kcal | Protein: 110 g | Fat: 43 g | Saturated fat: 12 g | Polyunsaturated fat: 11 g | Monounsaturated fat: 16 g | Cholesterol: 366 mg | Sodium: 350 mg | Potassium: 1431 mg | Vitamin A: 50 IU | Calcium: 80 mg | Iron: 7.7 mg

This content was originally published on FearlessFresh.com.

Downright unsafe ways to cook your turkey – Part 1

Non-traditional methods can be unsafe, but with a few modifications, they can be safe.

There are literally hundreds of ways to cook a turkey. Based on trendy regional ingredients and creative cooking methods, new recipes and techniques are created every year. Some are good, some are bad, and some are downright insecure. Here are two “unique” methods that have become popular and how to do them safely.

Overnight slow cook method

This method is dangerous and involves cooking the turkey at 190 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit overnight for 12 to 13 hours. A low oven temperature means the turkey takes longer to heat, increasing the risk of harmful bacteria growing and the production of toxins that further cooking may not destroy.

Make it Safe – The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends temperatures no lower than 325 degrees Fahrenheit for cooking meat and poultry. Cook the turkey to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Turducken

There are two types of Turducken. One type of turducken is a boneless stuffed chicken, inside a boneless stuffed duck, inside a boneless stuffed turkey. Usually the tip end of the turkey leg bones and the first two wing joints are left on the turkey so that when assembled the finished product resembles a whole turkey. A turducken can also be a partially boned turkey, layered with a boned duck, then a boned chicken, and with layers of stuffing spread between each bird. The entire mass is rolled, tied, and roasted at 190 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 to 13 hours.

MAKE IT SAFE – USDA hotline representatives recommend keeping the birds refrigerated until assembly. Keep the others chilled as you debone each bird. After all three birds are deboned and the filling is prepared, assemble the turducken ingredients and quickly place in a preheated 325 degree Fahrenheit oven. Using a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the bundle, cook the turducken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Check the temperature in several places.

Make sure your turkey or turducken is safe this year by following the safe practices recommended by the Michigan State University Extension. Using safe methods, including using a food thermometer, is a step in the right direction for having a safe holiday meal.

For information on how to safely cook your turkey in a paper bag, read the second part of this article.

Do you want to guarantee that your turkey will be tender and juicy? Throw away the timing charts and forget about cooking “until the juices run clear.” Just use a thermometer. This is the only way to guarantee perfectly cooked meat – provided you know where to check the temperature of the turkey and what temperature it should be. For best results, you should take the turkey’s temperature at three different points: the deepest part of the breast, the joint between the thigh and body, and the joint between the thigh and thigh.

This video shows you exactly how to do it.

2:32 The right way to take your turkey’s temperature

The government recommends cooking turkey breast to 74°C (165°F). I prefer my turkey breast at 150°F (66°F) then it’s much, much juicier (especially if you dry it in brine!). But is it safe?

ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE Buy at Thermoworks.com

Well, here’s the thing: Food safety industry standards are designed primarily to be easy to understand, usually at the expense of accuracy. The rules are set out so that any chef, regardless of skill level, can follow them and are easily enforceable by health authorities. But for single-celled organisms, bacteria are surprisingly complex, and despite what any ServSafe chart might have you believe, they refuse to be placed in a step function. The result is that food safety depends on both temperature and time.

What the USDA is really looking for is a 7.0 log 10 relative reduction in bacteria. That is, a reduction that will ensure that for every 10,000,000 bacteria living on that turkey, only one will survive.

Take a look at this simplified chart I drew using data from a USDA guide.

Pasteurization time for poultry with 5% fat content (7-log10 lethality)

When I was a kid, I remember being fascinated by my mom’s whole turkey recipe. Learning how to cook a whole turkey seemed intimidating, but it always came out perfectly juicy and tender. My first attempt at cooking a whole turkey was a total failure, but I learned how to make it flavorful, moist, and absolutely delicious, and now you can too. Here’s the best Thanksgiving turkey recipe we share every year!

How to Cook a Whole Turkey (Best Turkey Recipe)

Cooking a whole turkey might seem like a tall order, as it’s usually the centerpiece of a special meal, especially around the holidays. But this is the best turkey recipe because it uses simple ingredients that yield beautiful results in both presentation and flavor.

Ingredients for roast Thanksgiving turkey

Whole Turkey – of course!

– good Obviously! Yellow onions – these provide pungent flavors.

– these provide sharp aromas. Baby Red Potatoes – creates a base under the turkey while leaving the bottom of the pan for perfect circulation.

– Creates a base under the turkey while holding the bottom of the pan for perfect circulation. Carrots – adds some color to your baked turkey when served and tastes so good with the herb butter and turkey juices.

– adds some color to your baked turkey when serving, plus they taste so good with the herb butter and turkey juices. Fresh herbs – a combination of rosemary, sage and thyme make the perfect turkey seasoning.

– The combination of rosemary, sage and thyme makes the perfect turkey seasoning. Lemon – creates a stunning taste.

– creates a stunning taste. Garlic – for the herb butter.

– for the herb butter. Unsalted Butter – choose unsalted since you will be salting the turkey.

Easy turkey recipe

Cooking a turkey in the oven takes several hours to bake. However, this easy turkey recipe is ready in just 30 minutes. While it’s baking, you can focus on the rest of your meal. Ideally, you’ve already prepared all this and can finally put your feet up (or sneak a glass of wine!).

Something going on… the farmer just unfriended me on Facebook.

Tom the turkey

How to make roast turkey

If you want everything to go smoothly, remember to let your turkey sit on the counter for an hour to let it come to room temperature. You prepare the roaster with vegetables and prepare the herb butter. After that you can start with the turkey. When preparing a turkey, don’t forget to remove the neck and the inside of the turkey first. Then pat the turkey dry, seasoning it inside and out with salt and pepper.

Fill the cavity with flavors, put the herb butter under the skin and bake. You’ll soon be reveling in the smell of hearty baked turkey.

Expert tips and tricks for the perfect turkey every time

Adequate Defrosting Time – Allow your turkey adequate time to defrost in the refrigerator. Don’t even try to bake a turkey if it’s still frozen.

– Give your turkey enough time to thaw in the fridge. Don’t even try to bake a turkey if it’s still frozen. Fill Your Turkey With Flavor – This recipe calls for lemon, fresh herbs, and onions to go in the cavity. It makes the meat juicier and adds the perfect flavor to the oven-roasted turkey.

– This recipe calls for lemon, fresh herbs and onions to go in the cavity. It makes the meat juicier and adds the perfect flavor to the oven-roasted turkey. Don’t forget to remove the giblets – my mom likes to tell me about her first turkey she ever made. She didn’t know that bag was in there and of course her kitchen filled with stinking smoke and they ended up going out to eat.

How to cook a Thanksgiving turkey

There are several ways to cook a turkey, but a roast turkey recipe is the most traditional and best way to cook a turkey. Once you’ve done all the prep work, cooking a turkey is easy. Make it easy on yourself by prepping everything in advance so all you have to do is assemble and bake the bird.

How do you prepare a turkey?

You need to make sure it’s completely thawed. Then you need to remove the neck and giblets, which come in a pouch that sits inside the turkey. From there, pat dry and season, stuff with aromatic herbs, and rub butter under the skin to keep it moist.

What is the best way to season a turkey?

Seasoning inside the bird, as well as seasoning under the skin, are among the best ways to season a turkey. This gives a lot more flavor and keeps the meat juicy.

What can I put in my turkey for flavor?

Lemon, onion, and herbs like rosemary, sage, and thyme are wonderful flavorings for your turkey. This gives it more flavor and a heavenly aroma.

Do I butter or oil my turkey?

Butter is best for adding a nice, rich flavor and keeping the turkey meat moist. Also, it helps the skin to become beautiful and golden brown. The skin over the turkey breast is very thin and is the first to brown.

Should I put butter under my turkey’s skin?

Butter under the turkey skin is one of the best tricks for a perfect bird. But take it a step further and use my herb butter for the most delicious flavor of them all.

How do I keep my turkey moist?

My secret is using the herb butter under the skin. Not only does it add amazing flavor, but it also serves to keep the meat tender and juicy.

How do I cook my turkey the night before Thanksgiving?

You can season it and prepare it the night before. If you decide to butter it at this point, be sure to butter it again before it goes in the oven so the skin browns nicely.

At what temperature to cook a turkey?

The standard oven temperature for turkey is 325°F, which is the lowest temperature the USDA recommends for cooking turkey.

Turkey Cooking Time – How long does a whole turkey cook in the oven?

Knowing how long to cook a whole turkey in the oven depends on the weight of your turkey. As a rule of thumb, check the weight of your turkey (should be on the label) and cook at 325°F for 15-20 minutes per pound of turkey (unstuffed). The best way to avoid overcooking or overcooking your turkey is to use a meat thermometer to check the turkey’s internal temperature. The USDA recommends that the turkey’s internal temperature reach 165°F.

How long does it take to cook a 10 pound turkey?

Using a conventional oven, you will need to cook a 10 pound turkey at 325°F for 2.5 hours to 3 hours and 20 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

How long does it take to cook a 12 pound turkey?

In a conventional oven, you must cook a 12 pound turkey at 325°F for 3 to 4 hours until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

How long does it take to cook a 14 pound turkey?

In a conventional oven, you must cook a 14-pound turkey at 325°F for 3.5 hours to 4 hours and 40 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

How long does it take to cook a 16 pound turkey?

Using a conventional oven, you would need to cook a 16 pound turkey at 325°F for 4 hours to 5 hours and 20 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

How long does it take to cook an 18 pound turkey?

In a conventional oven, you must cook an 18-pound turkey at 325°F for 4.5 to 6 hours until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

How long does it take to cook a 20 pound turkey?

In a conventional oven, you must cook a 20-pound turkey at 325°F for 5 hours to 6 hours and 40 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Is it better to cook a turkey at 325F or 350F?

This recipe suits 325F for cooking turkey, the perfect temperature to cook it effectively without overdoing it. You can use a meat thermometer to check the turkey’s internal temperature.

How do you roast a turkey without drying it out?

Pay attention to the roasting time of your turkey. Turkey cook time per pound is 15 to 20 minutes at 325°F per pound of unstuffed turkey. Your thermometer can help you be sure it’s cooked to 165°F internally.

Do you pour water on the bottom of the turkey pan?

No need. Because the turkey drippings and juices ooze out over the veggies at the very bottom, there’s soon enough delicious turkey broth to base your turkey gravy on.

Do you roast a turkey covered or uncovered?

Some people cover their turkeys, but that won’t brown the skin. You need to get that golden skin first. Then you can cover it as you like.

How often do I baste a turkey?

Basting a turkey isn’t necessary, but if you choose to do so, go with 30-minute intervals.

What to Serve With Baked Turkey (Side Dishes)

You’ll have red potatoes, onions and carrots at the bottom of your skillet with this baked turkey recipe. But you will probably want more things. Dinner rolls, mashed potatoes with gravy, sautéed seasonal greens (like spinach or Brussels sprouts), baked sweet potatoes, and a fresh salad are all good ideas.

How to store leftover turkey

When the big meal is ready, wrap the leftover turkey in aluminum foil or store in an airtight container. You can keep it in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

Can you freeze turkey?

Turkey is a wonderful thing to have in the freezer. You can also use it to cook other meals, making meal prep a breeze. You have to take your time to loosen all the meat from the bones and separate it. Then it can be stored in your freezer for up to 3 months.

How to reheat frozen turkey

I put it in the fridge overnight and then bake it at 300F with some broth or sauce to keep it from drying out. This should take around 30 minutes.

Watch How to Make Turkey (Video)

Print Pin Easy Traditional Turkey Recipe 5 out of 3 votes This foolproof traditional Thanksgiving turkey recipe is always a crowd pleaser. It’s an easy recipe that comes out moist and full of flavor every time! The garlic herb butter makes this recipe truly unique. My family looks forward to the holidays every year because of this meal. Now you can share it with your family too! Equipment turkey roaster

Roast Turkey Ingredients 1 15-20 lb turkey

6 yellow onions ((3 peeled and quartered, 3 halved))

2 lemons (quartered)

1 ounce fresh rosemary

1 ounce fresh sage

1 ounce fresh thyme

5-6 carrots (peeled, chopped)

10-12 red baby potatoes (halved)

1/2 tablespoon olive oil herb butter 1 1/2 cups butter (unsalted)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 black pepper

10-12 garlic cloves (crushed)

2 1/2 teaspoons freshly chopped rosemary, sage, thyme Instructions Remove the thawed turkey from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Preheat your oven to 325F.

In a large skillet, place a layer of carrots, baby red potatoes, and onions on the bottom. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with the olive oil. Meanwhile, make your herb butter by mixing together the butter, garlic, salt, pepper, and freshly chopped herbs.

When you have prepared the herb butter, remove the turkey from the packaging and remove the neck and giblets. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Place the turkey on a wire rack in the roasting pan, then season the entire turkey, including the thighs and cavity, with salt and pepper.

Place the lemon, onion and herbs in the turkey’s belly. Use your fingers to loosen the skin on the turkey breast until you can place several tablespoons of the herb butter underneath. Baste the entire turkey in the remaining herb butter mixture, then roast at 325°F about 15 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Let the turkey rest for at least 20 minutes before carving. Nutrition Calories: 367 kcal | Carbohydrates: 49 g | Protein: 11 g | Fat: 17g | Saturated fat: 2 g | Cholesterol: 1 mg | Sodium: 345 mg | Potassium: 1062 mg | Fiber: 6 g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 4469 IU | Vitamin C: 36 mg | Calcium: 112 mg | Iron: 4 mg

More turkey recipes:

Everyone makes mistakes when trying to make a fabulous Thanksgiving turkey. But this year RELAX! Get the hang of it with these 10 simple tips that will save your turkey and make you look like a culinary rock star!

1. Not giving your turkey enough time to thaw.

Chances are you’ll buy your turkey frozen because that’s how most of them come. It’s important to allow enough time to safely defrost. The best way to thaw that frozen bird is in the fridge. It thaws at the rate of about four pounds a day, so it could take the average 16-pound turkey at least four days to fully thaw! If you don’t give your turkey enough time to thaw, it will cook on the outside but will be super raw on the inside. Rough!

2. You don’t let your bird warm up to room temperature.

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Take your turkey out of the fridge and set it on the kitchen counter for 60-90 minutes before roasting. Unwrap it and remove it from its brine (the liquid). This will ensure that you cook an equally moist bird. If you are germaphobic, rest assured this is safe and hygienic for this hour and a half.

3. Stuff your turkey.

The center of the turkey will take the longest to cook. So putting food in the bird’s burrow to pull out and eat later could pose a potential health hazard. In order for the filling to be safe to eat, it must reach 165 degrees. However, by the time it reaches that temperature, the rest of the turkey is overcooked. Your choice is an overcooked bird with properly heated stuffing, or a perfectly cooked turkey, but the stuffing is mushy and undercooked. Play it safe and bake the filling separately so you can enjoy both foods. You’ll be glad you avoided this turkey mistake!

4. Put a damp bird in the oven.

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It’s important to pat your turkey dry before roasting it. Also, do not neglect drying in the bird’s den. A lot of people forget that because they stuff it. You want the bird to be dry if you want a crispy, golden brown turkey.

5. Forgot to season.

If you want a great-tasting bird, you need to season it thoroughly. That means inside and outside. You can just sprinkle some salt in its cavity, or fill it loosely with herbs, lemons, onions, and fennel (not for eating). This will add flavor to the meat and the aroma will also make your kitchen smell great!

6. Do not use a roasting rack.

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I have no idea how many people don’t use a roaster. The roasting rack will help cook the bird evenly. Without them, the meat on the bottom becomes dry, overcooked, and often burned. If you don’t want to waste a portion of your turkey every year, invest in a rack for your roasting pan. You can also use it to roast other meats, so you can use it more than once a year.

7. You skip the meat thermometer.

Many people forgo a meat thermometer and just rely on the plastic pop-up thermometer. That’ll get you in trouble. Use a regular metal meat thermometer rated for oven temperatures. Position it at the thickest part of the turkey leg, as the dark meat of the turkey leg takes the longest to cook. When the thermometer reads 165, take it out!

8. Cooking at too high a temperature.

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Cooking your turkey at too high a temperature will burn the skin and likely undercook the meat. Yuck! It is best to roast the bird at 475-500 degrees for the first 20-30 minutes and then reduce the heat to 400 degrees until the bird reaches 165 degrees.

9. Roast the turkey well over 165°F.

Maybe you use a meat thermometer and roast the turkey in the oven at 400 degrees, but you’re still cooking the turkey well past 165 degrees. If you let the bird’s thigh temperature reach 180 degrees, it’s dry. There’s no point in waiting that long because the meat is perfectly safe to eat at 165 degrees. You can even cook it to just 160 degrees as the meat will continue to cook for a while after you take it out of the oven.

10. Your turkey carving is shameful.

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Does your turkey look like a shredded mess on a platter? Or maybe a poultry crime scene? Turkey carving is all about the presentation. Here’s what you can do to make your carving better this year:

Allow the bird to cool for about 15 minutes before carving. Start by cutting off the leg quarters first, then work on the breast meat. Try to separate the breast meat from the bone in one large chunk, then slice crosswise for thicker, even slices. Cut the shanks into larger pieces. Only cut what you will eat immediately. If your family doesn’t plan on eating most of the bird during dinner, only carve half the turkey. Carved meat dries out faster than when left intact on the carcass.

Featured Photo Credit: Whole Turkey/Aimée Wimbush-Bourque via simplebites.net

As we may have mentioned once or twice this week, Thanksgiving is all about the turkey. So you really don’t want to mess it up. We asked Assistant Food Editor Janet McCracken to come up with the home cook’s most common mistakes when it comes to the big bird. You should avoid the following:

1. Not getting a good bird

With anything you cook, the quality of the ingredients will determine how tasty the end product will be. Order in advance to get a heritage bird. But no matter what type of turkey you’re roasting, make sure you prepare it properly. Before choosing a recipe, do some research on how to cook the type of turkey you’re making.

Not giving it enough time to thaw

Because many birds are shipped frozen, it’s important to allow enough time for your birds to thaw safely. In the fridge, your turkey will defrost at a rate of 4 pounds per day (do some easy math on when to start defrosting). If you don’t thaw it thoroughly, the outside of the turkey will cook and the inside will remain raw. ick

3. Fill the bird with stuffing

It’s a potential health hazard as the filling may not have been able to reach 165 degrees (the temperature at which harmful bacteria die). Also, your filling will be mushy and won’t have the crispy, browned crust that comes from baking it separately in the oven.

4. Forget about seasoning… inside and out

What you should be stuffing your turkey with is flavorings. Things like herbs, lemons, onions, fennel, and celery add flavor and smell to the meat while it’s in the oven. Just make sure you stuff your bird loosely – an over-stuffed bird won’t cook evenly. And don’t forget to season your turkey inside AND out with salt and pepper.

5. Don’t use the meat thermometer

Most people overcook turkey because they overestimate its cooking time. To avoid this deadly Thanksgiving sin, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh when the bird is almost done (don’t bang the bone). When the thermometer reads 165, take it out! Check out Sam Sifton’s Turkey Tips for a rough guide to minutes per pound.

6. Put a wet bird in the oven

Be sure to pat the skin as dry as possible before seasoning so it becomes crispy and golden brown.

7. Frying at too high a temperature

We understand that you want crispy skin, but keeping your oven temperature too high will burn the skin and undercook the meat. We recommend starting hot to crisp up the skin, around 475-500 degrees, for 20 minutes. Then reduce the heat to about 400 and fry until cooked through. – Janet McCracken

HOW OFTEN HAS THIS HAPPENED TO YOU?

It’s Thanksgiving and you’ve been in the kitchen all day getting ready. You were there last night too, making pies and cranberry sauce and anything else you could cook ahead of time so you could spend the day stuffing and basting the turkey and generally caring for the turkey. Finally it’s time to eat. The side dishes are ready, the sauce is hot and everyone is attacking.

Unfortunately the bird is dry.

The breast meat tastes like cardboard, and the leg also seems to have aged a bit.

But you followed a roasting chart. You followed the instructions on the turkey label. And just like the US Department of Agriculture told you, you used a meat thermometer to take the turkey’s temperature. Multiple times. You’ve been trying to follow safety guidelines from the government (and the National Turkey Federation and many household economists), which tell you to cook the turkey until the drumstick is 180 degrees, the breast meat is 170 degrees, and the stuffing is 165 degrees.

What went wrong?

Well, maybe the USDA’s golden rules on temperature are a bit clouded.

Perhaps it’s practically impossible to get the turkey leg to 180 degrees, the white meat to 170, and the stuffing to 165 at exactly the same time.

With poultry, the white meat cooks faster than the dark meat. So maybe the now-dry turkey breast on your dining room table has long since surpassed these temperatures.

Perhaps these government guidelines ensure safety but risk boiling over.

“There’s a fundamental dilemma,” says nutritionist Harold McGee. “The dark meat needs to reach a high temperature to become tender. The bird is standing on its legs, so it needs a lot of support [there] – a lot of muscle and connective tissue. The breast has as good as none.” It is very tender. The goal is to minimize cooking of the breast and thoroughly cook the leg. But the odds of getting the two up to their respective temperatures at the same time are really tough. . . . The challenge of not just cooking a bird thoroughly but with one part more tender than the other becomes rocket science.”

There’s another challenge to getting those temperatures predictably: the shape of the bird, which almost guarantees it won’t be cooked evenly. Instead of a nice, firm cut of meat like a roast that allows heat to flow smoothly from the outside in, a turkey is a shell made of bones and varying layers of tissue, with a hollow central cavity and limbs that protrude in different directions. There’s no way to wrestle every part of the bird — let alone the filling — into a predictable, reliable formula.

And yet that is exactly what is expected of us.

To understand how American consumers got into this mess, a little history is in order.

Ask any traditionally trained chef: Before thermometers were regularly used in the kitchen, the doneness of poultry wasn’t measured in degrees: “I certainly didn’t use a thermometer to learn when a chicken or turkey was done,” says Galileo’s chef Roberto Donna , who graduated from the renowned Colombatto Hotel School in Turin, in the Piedmont region of Italy. “My teacher showed us lightly into the chest with a two-pronged fork, which he stuck in the bird’s armpit. When the fork was warm and the juice was clear, it was done. When a bird is fully cooked, the drumstick will move slightly in the pan, the meat will not be pink, and the chicken or turkey will have all the juices in it. I don’t know what temperature it is. I never check it.”

Thermometers and internal temperatures did not appear regularly in poultry recipes until well after World War II. Even the venerable “Joy of Cooking” gave no temperature guidelines for cooking poultry until the 1951 edition — and then only in a recipe for portions of turkey or half a turkey, says culinary historian Anne Mendelson, whose “Stand Facing the Stove” is a biography of the “Joy’s” authors Irma Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker.

Today, kitchen thermometers are affordable, available, and easy to use. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service believes in them so much that a year and a half ago they launched an extensive campaign to encourage Americans to use them in cooking meat, poultry and eggs.

In fact, there is no doubt that checking the bird’s temperature is a good way to gauge safety. But who ever said it was a reliable reflection of taste? A turkey is safe to cook, but will taste dusty.

Additionally, the government standards that reflect most turkey cook charts were originally set as a safety guide for mass-produced poultry products, such as Safety standards for real turkeys followed, but the bottom was already set — and it didn’t have much to do with pleasing your family’s taste buds.

And as if all that weren’t challenging enough for the home cook, today’s turkey — about 267 million were produced in the United States last year — is a very different bird than those of old. Literally. In the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, turkey farmers were moving away from the traditional American bronze-feathered, narrow-breasted turkeys, which weren’t all that different from wild birds (the feathers were also difficult to get out).

Instead, they focused on developing a white-feathered, broad-chested bird that never flew – and therefore never developed pectoral muscles. His breast meat was and is plentiful and delicate. And the approximate cooking times and temperatures of yore didn’t work, whether the instructions came from cookbooks — or family recipes. (According to Mendelson, the 1951 “Joy of Cooking” advocates a 190-degree temperature measured between the leg and the carcass.) They overcooked the new breed of turkey.

Complicating the situation even further was the greater depth of this newer turkey breast. Depending on the size of the bird, the inner and outer walls of the breast would likely register significantly different temperatures.

“It wasn’t the same bird that our grandmother cooked,” says Sherrie Rosenblatt of the National Turkey Federation. “To ensure quality cooking, we’ve strived to spread the word that you don’t have to cook the turkey as long as the old birds did, and encouraged people to throw out their old recipes.”

It took a while for this message to get out, primarily through information services and hotlines set up at places like the USDA, the National Turkey Federation and ConAgra’s Butterball.

However, even these sources suggest cooking times and temperatures based on ensuring food safety (and in the case of haunch and drumstick, chewiness). And the temperatures have been increased by 3 to 5 degrees to provide a margin of error. (The pathogens that food scientists worry about are knocked out at 160 degrees.) The flavor of the turkey wasn’t ignored, but it certainly wasn’t the focus.

That being said, food safety or not, many Americans are used to the taste of long-cooked turkey. “It’s partly what American consumers are used to,” says Sherleen Clausen. As a culinary specialist for ConAgra chilled ready meals, she takes care of the Butterball turkey hotline. “Many callers don’t want to see pink juice when carving,” says Clausen. “They feel very uncomfortable. And a haunch or rump cooked at 160 degrees will not have the same flavor as one cooked at 170-180 degrees. The flavor develops more and becomes more complex as it is further roasted. It’s like the difference between a prime rib and a pot roast.”

The emphasis on food safety continued in 1994 with a University of Georgia study conducted in collaboration with the USDA and the National Turkey Federation. “The goal was to determine the time it took to raise the temperature of stuffed and non-stuffed turkeys,” says John Carpenter, who co-led the study. “The temperature had to be high enough to kill the microorganisms in the turkey and stuffing.”

The study revealed a major safety issue: Americans typically only checked turkey internal temperatures in the turkey breast — the wrong part of the bird to rely on. “It’s the normal place people place thermometers and is the easiest to see, but it’s not the slowest-boiling part of the bird,” says Romeo Toledo, co-director of the study. In other words, the temperature of the white meat was way ahead of the dark meat and filling.

How it tasted wasn’t the issue. “Flavour was not one of the parameters of the study,” says Carpenter.

Then there is the question of the cooking method. Turkey research, like the Georgia study, was generally conducted by roasting the birds at a low temperature of 325 or 350 degrees, which is what most turkey experts recommend. But many chefs and home cooks prefer to cook at high heat (e.g. 425 to 500 degrees). And the cooking method also relates to safety and flavor as it affects how long it takes to cook the turkey and also how long the bird continues to cook after it is removed from the oven.

When a turkey cooked at high temperature is removed from the oven, its internal temperature continues to rise by up to 10 degrees. But the internal temperature of one cooked at 325 will only rise a few degrees. And that’s crucial in calculating whether your turkey is well cooked or overcooked. For example, if you are cooking at high heat, e.g. B. 400 (or start at 450 and then end at 375), and remove the turkey from the oven when the breast meat reads 165 degrees on a meat thermometer, this temperature could easily increase by at least 5 degrees if your bird is on the counter is sitting.

Back in the test kitchen, turkey experts know there are problems. And they all suggest cooking methods that try to combat them. Each method requires attention on the part of the cook, some more than others. And each of them prescribes to monitor the turkey during the roasting process. (If you put the bird in the oven, turn on the soccer game, and rely on Providence, that’s fine. But you deserve what you get.) So consider these options. After all, there are many ways to make a juicy turkey.

Brushing the skin with oil: You oil your own skin so it doesn’t burn when you go out in the sun, don’t you?

Regular basting (especially the breast): Similar to sweat, which moisturizes and cools the skin, basting cools the turkey breast and slows its cooking.

When the bird is about two-thirds done, cover the breast (or the whole turkey) with foil: the foil protects the turkey from direct heat and also reflects the heat away.

Brining: Brining (soaking the turkey in a mild salt solution for several hours or overnight) is a lot of work, but some cooks and food scientists swear by it. “Burning turkey in a mild saline solution breaks down the actin and myosin proteins in muscle, converting them to a liquid form, which makes cured meat noticeably juicier,” says Shirley Corriher, author of Cookwise: The Hows and Whys of Successful Cooking. “A chicken or turkey weighs more after curing, indicating fluid intake.”

Place stuffing between breast skin and breast meat: Some cooks like to create a space for the stuffing between the breast meat and skin (by sticking a couple of fingers between the two and gently lifting the skin away). The stuffing placed there serves as a kind of insulation and protects the breast meat while the leg and thigh continue to cook. The only problem is that once the turkey is out of the oven, the hot stuffing will continue to cook the breast if not removed.

Make the turkey breast significantly cooler than the drumsticks and thighs (e.g. 20 degrees) before it goes into the oven. That is not easy. Harold McGee tried turning the turkey upside down and placing the breast in ice water while the rest of the bird came to room temperature. Currently, however, he prefers to wrap the turkey breast (right side up) in frozen gel packs to chill while the legs and thighs warm to room temperature.

Cooking the drumsticks and thighs longer than the breast: With this method, after the breast has been cooked, the drumsticks and drumsticks must be separated from the breast meat, either by removing the breast meat after it is fully cooked and setting aside the rest of the carcass, or by baking you detach the clubs and drumsticks from the carcass and put them back in the oven. It’s not for those who want to present the assembled crowd with the image of a perfectly cooked turkey, but it’s a very good idea. (See box below left.)

Cooking the Turkey at a Higher Temperature: A turkey cooked at a higher temperature absorbs and retains heat differently than one cooked at a lower temperature. Meat that is cooked at a very high temperature is much hotter on the outside than on the inside. Therefore, when you remove the meat or bird from the oven, there is still a heat difference between the inside and outside, and the heat continues to move toward the center.

Cooking the turkey less overall: Shirley Corriher isn’t aiming for the 180/170 degree ratio, which she thinks is unrealistic. “That’s not the case,” she says. “The breast cooks faster.” However, she acknowledges that the greater depth of the breast in today’s turkeys changes the equation, but that white meat still cooks faster than dark meat. “The chest is dried before the legs and thighs are done.” Corriher’s solution (see box below left and full recipe in next week’s Food section) is to place the bird in brine, sear it in aluminum foil for an initial frying period, and remove it from the oven when the breast meat is 154 reached. By then, it’s getting dark. Meat has generally reached 165 to 175, which is fine for them.

“I’m comfortable with feeding my friends and family and not completely cremating the turkey,” she says.

What is the ailing husband to do in the face of all this?

By now it’s clear: if you’re caring for your turkey, you need to pay attention to it during the cooking process. And you also need to make sure it’s fully cooked, which means every part of the bird, as well as the stuffing, if you make it, hits 160 or more. That said, if you like your turkey the way you’ve always cooked it, that’s fine — stick with it.

If your bird is usually too dry for your liking, consider using one of the methods above or in the box below. (If you usually cook one large turkey, you can also cook two smaller ones, which are easier to control.)

If your kitchen is too messy to mind the turkey while it’s roasting, do it in good time — the inside of the turkey retains heat for some time. (Be sure to remove the filling immediately.) “It’s still pretty hot after two to three hours,” says Harold McGee.

And if all this is getting to be too much for you, relax. We talk about Thanksgiving, about gratitude for our gift, about family and friends. There’s a lot more on your plate than turkey.

“The goal is to minimize cooking of the breast and thoroughly cook the leg. But the odds of both being brought up to their respective temperatures at the same time are really slim,” says food science writer Harold McGee.

The best roast turkey breast recipe isn’t a casserole, it’s oven-roasted with wine, lemon, and butter for a juicy turkey breast every time.

Cooking a full-grown turkey for a crowd is usually reserved for only once a year – Happy Thanksgiving! But if you have a smaller gathering, or even just a couple, knowing how to cook a turkey breast is a really good idea instead. And really, Thanksgiving isn’t the only time to talk turkey. Sure, it’s a popular protein during the holidays, but when roasting a turkey breast is as easy as boiling a chicken, it should be considered a dinner contender any time of the year.

My turkey breast recipe makes a perfect oven-roasted turkey breast—juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and ready to swallow. Whether it’s served with all the Thanksgiving fixins, in my favorite turkey pot pie, or even as an amazing grilled cheese turkey sandwich, you won’t go wrong with this recipe.

Get the Thanksgiving Prep Guide: Get your FREE Thanksgiving plan, timeline, recipe and menu inspiration, plus all the tips and tricks you need to have the best Thanksgiving yet. AND! FREE printable.

What’s in this Roast Turkey Breast recipe?

When it comes to cooking turkey breast, I’ve found that it’s best to keep things simple. No brining or dry rubbing is required, just a handful of fresh herbs and flavors.

The only ingredients you need for this Roast Turkey Breast recipe are:

Turkey breast (preferably with bone and skin)

Butter (salted or unsalted, I use salted but the choice is yours)

White wine – always use the same quality you would drink (I use Pinot Grigio). If wine isn’t your thing, chicken stock or broth or even plain old water will add moisture to the oven and bird.

lemon

Garlic cloves

fresh thyme – fresh sage and rosemary would also be great additions (or you can use these in place of the thyme if you prefer)

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

See More: 31 Days of Comfort Favorites You Can Prepare Now

Here’s how to prep this turkey breast

I use the same technique to cook turkey breast as I do to roast chicken. And just like my whole roast chicken or my best baked chicken breasts, it’s a recipe that’s easily adapted for boneless turkey breasts, too.

Leave the skin on and debone for maximum flavor and moisture. Cooking meat on the bone helps prevent poultry from drying out. The skin also retains moisture.

Put softened butter under the skin to preserve flavor. Gently slide your fingers under the skin and pry away from the turkey meat before pushing the softened butter under the skin. Press the butter onto the top of the skin as well. As the turkey cooks, the butter will melt with the meat and help brown the skin.

How to cook a turkey breast

Cooking up a roast turkey breast is an excellent idea whether you’re looking for an easy dinner any night of the week or having a smaller Thanksgiving gathering.

Add flavors and wine for flavor. Before or after churning, place the turkey breast on a high-sided baking sheet and pour the wine over the turkey. Use a decent white wine, something you’d like to drink. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon to the turkey, and sprinkle fresh thyme leaves and a few cloves of garlic into the wine to make the flavor even juicier. If the liquid evaporates as the turkey cooks, add more wine, water, or chicken broth to the pan to keep the flavors from burning.

Always season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Even if you skip all of the above steps, always season with it. Kosher salt has a flatter surface than table salt and is less pungent with a milder flavor.

Fry at high temperature and then leave to rest. Cook the turkey at 400°F to lock in the juices and brown the skin. Let the turkey rest for 10 minutes before slicing to allow the hot juices to settle back into the meat. The turkey will continue to cook while it rests, eventually reaching the recommended internal temperature of 160°F.

see more: 21 easy recipes for leftover Thanksgiving turkey

How do you keep a turkey breast from drying out?

The secret to a juicy bird that doesn’t dry out is to roast it at high temperature in a 400°F oven. Cooking over high heat seals in the juices and creates a crispy and browned skin.

How long to cook a turkey breast per pound

I usually cook two bone-in turkey breasts, trimmed into two split breasts, totaling 3 pounds (1 1/2 pounds each).

If you can’t find the smaller, split breasts, look for a 6 1/2-7 lb breast and split the breast in two.

If you are preparing a 1.5 kg bone-in half breast, the cooking time will be longer.

see more: 50 Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Cooking time for boneless turkey breast

When cooking split boneless turkey breasts at 400°F I estimate about 12 minutes cook time per pound for boneless turkey where two 1 1/2 pound chops should cook in 30 minutes or if it registers an internal temperature of 150-155°F when tested a meat thermometer.

If you are preparing a rolled skinless turkey breast (shaped and tied into a roast), allow 20 minutes of cooking time per pound. Tied into a roast, the meat is denser and takes longer to cook. After about 45 minutes, start checking the temperature, knowing it could take 1 hour to cook.

Cooking time for bone-in turkey breast

For a single 3 pound bone-in turkey breast, 17-20 minutes per pound at 400°F or 45-60 minutes until thickest part of meat reads 150-155°F.

After about 45 minutes, start checking the cooking temperature.

Again, two split bone-in breasts totaling 3 pounds will cook faster than a single 3-pound bone-in breast.

Trap the bird with aluminum foil if the skin starts to brown too much.

If cooking the bone in split turkey breast at the lower temperature of 350°F, sauté 20 minutes per pound.

What to serve with juicy turkey breast

If you make this recipe please let me know! Rate this recipe below and leave a comment, take a picture and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

Print 3.88 out of 264 votes How to cook THE BEST Roast Turkey Breast Roast turkey breast can be made any time of year for healthy meals, meal prep and of course adding to your Thanksgiving dinner for the many white turkey lovers. Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 1 hour Standing Time 10 minutes Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes Servings 4 servings Calories 105 kcal Ingredients 1 bone-in turkey breast, 3 pounds, with skin

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 lemon

1/2 garlic clove halved lengthways

1 cup of white wine

4-6 sprigs of fresh thyme

Kosher Salt and Pepper Instructions Preheat oven to 200°F. Rinse the turkey breast and pat dry. Use your fingers to gently separate the skin from the turkey meat, then rub the softened butter under the skin.

Place the turkey breast in a roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the wine over the breast, then squeeze the lemon over the breast. Season with kosher salt and pepper, then sprinkle the garlic cloves and thyme into the wine.

Roast the turkey for 30 minutes for boneless breasts, or 45-60 minutes for bone-in breasts, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the breast reads 150-155°F. If necessary, add more wine to the pan while the turkey is cooking to keep the flavors from burning.

Cover with foil and let rest at least 10 minutes before slicing, internal temperature rises to 160°F while resting. Reserve pan drips for sauce, if desired. Notes Cooking time for boneless turkey breast When cooking split, boneless turkey breast at 400°F, I estimate about 12 minutes cook time per pound for boneless turkey, with two 1 1/2 pound chops should cook in 30 minutes or if it’s 150-155 ° registers F internal temperature when tested with a meat thermometer. If you are preparing a rolled skinless turkey breast (shaped and tied into a roast), allow 20 minutes of cooking time per pound. Tied into a roast, the meat is denser and takes longer to cook. After about 45 minutes, start checking the temperature, knowing it could take 1 hour to cook. Cooking time for bone-in turkey breast For a single 3-pound bone-in turkey breast, I give 17-20 minutes per pound, or 45-60 minutes until the thickest part of the meat reads 150-155°F. After about 45 minutes, start checking the cooking temperature. Again, two split bone-in breasts totaling 3 pounds will cook faster than a single 3-pound bone-in breast. Trap the bird with aluminum foil if the skin starts to brown too much. Nutrition Calories: 105 kcal | Carbohydrates: 3 g | Egg white: 1 g | Fat: 6g | Saturated fat: 4 g | Cholesterol: 15 mg | Sodium: 54 mg | Potassium: 61 mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 222 IU | Vitamin C: 9 mg | Calcium: 13 mg | Iron: 1 mg

Roast turkey recipe ideas

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