Cooking a whole turkey is quite an endeavor, often requiring hours in the oven. You may wonder – what if I need to pause cooking partway through for some reason? Can I safely stop roasting my turkey and restart later?
The short answer is yes you can halt cooking a turkey let it cool, and finish roasting it later. However, proper handling is crucial to avoid food safety issues. Here are some best practices for interrupting and resuming turkey cooking.
Is It Safe to Stop and Restart?
Stopping mid-cook can definitely be done with care. The key factors are:
- Proper temperature control before and after the break
- Preventing bacterial growth during the rest period
- Cooking thoroughly to completion upon restarting
As long as you follow food safety guidelines, pausing partway through is not inherently risky. Millions of cooks have held holiday birds overnight or longer with no issues.
Handling a Partially Cooked Turkey
When halting cooking it’s essential to cool the turkey quickly before storing it.
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Remove the turkey from the oven immediately and take its temperature.
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Let it rest until the internal temperature falls below 40°F.
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Cut the turkey into smaller pieces to speed cooling if needed.
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Refrigerate the pieces in shallow containers so they chill rapidly.
Proper cooling inhibits bacteria growth and keeps the turkey safe to resume cooking later.
Reheating and Completing Cooking
When you’re ready to finish cooking your turkey, handling depends on whether you left it whole or cut it up.
For a whole turkey:
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Thaw if frozen. Defrost in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
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Reheat in a 325°F oven until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
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Check the temp in several places to ensure even heating.
For cut-up turkey:
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Defrost pieces in the refrigerator if frozen.
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Reheat pieces in a 350°F oven until 165°F internally.
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Cover pieces with foil or gravy to prevent drying out.
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Pieces may cook faster than a whole turkey, so monitor temperature.
The key is bringing all meat fully back up to a safe final minimum temperature.
Tips for Pausing Turkey Cooking
Follow these tips to safely pause and resume roasting your holiday bird:
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Only halt cooking once the turkey reaches 130°F internally.
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Let it cool at room temp for 1 hour, then refrigerate.
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Cut into parts no larger than 3-4 lbs before refrigerating.
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Use leftovers to make soup, sandwiches, casseroles when reheating.
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Reheat thoroughly and check temperature in multiple spots.
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Discard if turkey ever exceeds 40°F for over 2 hours.
Answering Common Questions
Can I cook a turkey halfway, refrigerate it, and finish cooking later?
Yes, this is safe if you cool it quickly first and reheat it fully to 165°F before serving.
Should you rest a turkey again after reheating a partially cooked one?
Yes, once reheated to 165°F, let it rest at least 15 minutes before carving.
Can I freeze a partially cooked turkey and finish cooking it later?
You can, but it’s best to fully cook it, cool and slice it, then freeze portions to reheat later.
Is it better to cook a turkey in one go without stopping?
Yes, cooking it straight through is ideal. But pausing midway is fine with proper food safety steps.
The Takeaway
While roasting a turkey straight through is best, interrupting cooking can be done safely. Quickly chill the partial turkey before a planned break. Then fully reheat and finish cooking it later. Follow proper guidelines and enjoy your turkey, even if you need to cook it in stages!
Carve Your Turkey
Prepare your knife and cutting board by making sure they are both sharp and big enough. It’s best to choose a board with a groove to catch all the yummy turkey juices. Cut between one breast and one leg first. Then, pull and twist the leg to get it out of the joint. Keep cutting until the leg and thigh come free. Then cut the leg away from the thigh. Put the drumstick and pieces of thigh meat into the roasting pan.
Next, cut the breast away from the bird, then slice it crosswise, keeping some skin on each piece. Place this in the pan. Cut off the wing and add to the pan. Then turn the bird around and carve the other side in the same manner. Check out “How to Carve a Turkey” for step-by-step photos of the process. 1:57.
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Roast the turkey the way youd usually do it. (You can even roast the bird unstuffed from the frozen state. When the turkey’s thigh reaches 170 F inside, take it out of the oven and let it rest for about 30 minutes with the lid on. Pour the roasting pan’s juices, along with any bits stuck to the bottom, into a container. Save it all for tomorrow to make gravy. You can wash the roasting pan to store the carved turkey or leave as is. (Dont have a roasting pan? Find a roasting pan substitution in your own kitchen. ).