Cooking the perfect turkey can be one of the most stressful parts of preparing your Thanksgiving meal. A full-size turkey usually takes at least 3-4 hours to roast in the oven, which can throw off your entire cooking timeline if you’re not prepared.
Luckily, there are several tricks you can use to cut down on your turkey roasting time. Follow these tips to get a delicious, juicy and fast-cooked bird on the table this Thanksgiving.
Don’t Stuff the Turkey
Stuffing a turkey adds a significant amount of time to the cooking process. The inside has to reach 165°F for food safety, so stuffing the cavity necessitates a longer cook time.
Instead, cook your stuffing separately in a baking dish. You’ll still get great flavor by spooning the pan drippings over it after roasting the turkey. Skipping stuffing will slash at least 1 hour off your roasting time.
Spatchcock the Turkey
“Spatchcocking” is one of the most effective ways to radically reduce cooking time for your Thanksgiving turkey.
To spatchcock, you use kitchen shears to cut out the backbone, then flatten the breastbone to lay the bird totally flat Roasting spatchcock-style exposes more surface area to the oven heat, dropping cook time by as much as 50%
A 12-14 lb spatchcocked turkey only needs around 1 1/4 hours in a 450°F oven, Crispy skin and juicy meat in a fraction of the traditional time
Roast Turkey Parts Rather Than a Whole Bird
Cooking an entire turkey takes much longer than just roasting parts like the breast, thighs or drumsticks. Pieces will cook faster and more evenly than one huge bird.
Pound the parts thin for extra speed, or roast 2 bone-in turkey breasts instead of a whole turkey. You can get perfect turkey cooked in about an hour using this method
Cook Unstuffed at a High Temp
Cook your unstuffed turkey at a high oven temperature, between 450-500°F. The hotter oven will significantly decrease cook time.
Aim for about 15 minutes per pound at these high temps. A 12 lb. turkey will finish in under 2 hours. Check temperature early to avoid overcooking.
Avoid Opening the Oven
Every time you open the oven door, the temperature drops substantially which slows cooking. Limit opening the oven as much as possible.
Use the oven light and thermometers to monitor doneness instead of peeking in unnecessarily. The less you open the oven, the faster your turkey will cook.
Let It Rest Before Carving
Be sure to let your turkey rest at least 15-20 minutes once it’s done cooking and before carving.
This resting time allows the juices to reabsorb back into the meat. If you carve too soon, the turkey will dry out fast as the juices run out. A short rest makes for a juicier meal.
Cook It Upside Down
One unorthodox tip is to roast your turkey upside down, with the breast on the bottom. This protects the delicate white meat from drying out.
Cooking inverted helps the bird cook evenly from thigh to breast. Carefully flip once the legs are cooked through for brief final browning of the breast side.
Add Liquid to the Pan
Putting water, broth or other liquid in the roasting pan will speed up cook time slightly by allowing more even heat circulation. The liquid prevents the pan from getting too hot.
Replenish the liquid periodically if it evaporates. You’ll end up with flavorful drippings for gravy too. Just a 1/4 inch depth of liquid is all you need.
Butterfly the Turkey
For a very quick turkey, you can butterfly it similarly to spatchcocking but leave the breast intact on one side.
Use shears to cut the backbone out, then break the keel bone and flatten. Roast skin-side up, uncovered in a 425°F oven until the thickets part of the breast hits 165°F.
Truss Properly
Skip elaborate trussing that ties up the limbs too tightly. Just secure the legs with a loop of string and tuck the wings under.
Proper, loose trussing allows for good air circulation while holding the shape. Make sure the legs are tied loosely so heat can penetrate.
Cook Multiple Small Birds
Rather than one big turkey, cook 2 smaller birds like chicken or game hens. Pound them thin for quick, even cooking.
The smaller birds will roast faster. Cook them on a sheet pan at 450°F, checking temperature early to avoid overcooking.
Ree Drummond: 2
spatchcock: 5
butterfly: 2
truss: 2
stuffing: 3
drumsticks: 1
thighs: 2
breasts: 3
backbone: 3
keel bone: 1
Follow one or more of these handy tricks to get a perfectly cooked, tender and delicious turkey meal ready in half the traditional time. Take the stress out of your holiday cooking and enjoy more time with your loved ones this Thanksgiving.
Ingredients For 2-hour turkey, really.
- 1 thawed, whole turkey (from 10 – 24 pounds)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 to 3 tsp coarsely ground salt (Kosher or sea)
- freshly ground pepper
How To Make 2-hour turkey, really.
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1 PREHEAT OVEN TO 475 degrees F (240-250 degrees C). This is what youll roast it at for the ENTIRE time. Since this employs the use of a VERY hot oven, make sure your oven is CLEAN before you start, AND put about 1 inch of water in the bottom of the roasting pan to reduce the risk of smoking your family out of the house. NOTE: Even WITH a pristine oven, I still smoked out my house last Thanksgiving… so a tip to cut down on the smoke issue is to add about an inch of water (or broth) to the roaster pan…and keep replenishing it as needed. By doing this, not only was the smoking problem eliminated, but I had terrific drippings for gravy! Place oven rack on LOWEST or SECOND-TO-LOWEST position in oven. The lowest position may be too hot in some ovens since its directly above the heating elements.
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- https://youtu.be/Thx8qtu4NMo
- Last Step: Dont forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And dont forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
How to Make Our Easier Roast Turkey and Gravy
FAQ
How do you help my turkey is cooking too fast?
If your turkey is done too early, things can get a little complicated, but it’s not the end of the world. If it’s done around an hour early, let it rest uncovered for about 20 to 30 minutes. Then cover your turkey with some foil and a thick towel or blanket to keep it warm.
How long will it take a turkey to go from 150 to 165?
For the juiciest meat, you’ll want to remove your bird from the oven when the temperature reaches 150°F. The temperature will continue to rise as the turkey rests and should reach 165°F within 30 minutes of being removed from the oven.
Can a turkey be done in 2 hours?
Your turkey can be any size, from small to 20 pounds. Crank the oven up to 500 degrees, pour water into the roasting pan with the turkey. It steams the turkey, leaving it moist. You’ll have a turkey cooked and glowing golden brown in 1 ½ to 2 hours, depending on the size.
Does wrapping a turkey in foil cook it faster?
Foil wrapping is the answer! This technique helps speed the cooking process and locks in the turkey’s natural juices.Dec 3, 2024
How can I Make my Turkey cook faster?
If you fall behind schedule on the big day, don’t panic (we’ve all been there) — here are five smart ways to help your turkey cook faster, so you can get it on the table in time. 1. Don’t stuff the bird. Skip cooking the stuffing in the bird.
How to cook a turkey properly?
To cook a turkey properly, first, you should baste it with warm water rather than rubbing it with butter (avoid using butter as it can burn and cause the turkey to spoil faster). Second, don’t leave your turkey to cook unattended. Make sure that you have a family member or friend who can be around to monitor it and ensure that it is cooking correctly.
Can you cook a whole Turkey in the oven?
Cook just the parts, rather than the whole bird. Consider forgoing the whole bird in favor of cooking your favorite turkey parts instead. The breast or legs (or even both) require significantly less oven time than the whole turkey. 3. Don’t truss the turkey. We prefer to skip trussing our turkeys.
Can you cook stuffing inside a Turkey?
1. Don’t stuff the bird. Skip cooking the stuffing in the bird. Not only can it pose food safety issues if not cooked properly, but stuffing cooked inside the turkey also slows down cooking time considerably, as it blocks the flow of heat. If you’re going for a faster cook time, it’s best to cook the stuffing separately.
How do you cook a Spatchcock Turkey?
If you’re looking to save time, The Pioneer Woman outlines her way of procuring an evenly roasted turkey by using the unique spatchcock method. In the detailed instructions, the ranch-dwelling chef first recommends taking out the bird’s backbone and slowly breaking the turkey down the middle so it lays flat on a baking sheet.
Is a spatchcocked Turkey better?
Beyond a speedier cook time, America’s Test Kitchen claims spatchcocking also guarantees a fully crisp bird since all areas of the turkey are resting on an even plane. Also, a spatchcocked turkey is easier to carve since the fowl has already been butterflied.