Thanksgiving is right around the corner, which means it’s almost time to cook the star of the show – the turkey! While roasted turkey is a delicious holiday tradition, it does require a substantial amount of time in the oven. If you’re looking to speed up your turkey roasting process this year, I’ve got some helpful tricks to share.
As a home cook who has prepared my fair share of Thanksgiving birds, I’ve discovered several clever methods for decreasing total cook time without sacrificing taste or quality. Read on to learn 5 smart ways to make your turkey cook faster.
Skip Stuffing the Turkey
Stuffing the turkey adds wonderful flavor, but it also significantly increases the overall cooking time. The general rule of thumb is to allow 15-20 minutes of cook time per pound for an unstuffed turkey. A stuffed turkey needs about 30 minutes per pound since the inside has to reach a safe minimum temperature of 165°F.
So a 15 pound stuffed turkey requires 7.5 hours in the oven while an unstuffed 15 pounder only needs 4.5-5 hours. That’s 2-3 extra hours just because of the stuffing! My advice? Cook the stuffing in a casserole dish on the side. You’ll shave off hours of cooking and can still enjoy the delicious flavors.
Cook Just the Breast and Legs
Cooking an entire turkey is time consuming, but you can greatly reduce the roasting time by separating the bird into breast and leg quarters. A whole 15 lb turkey needs 4.5-5 hours in the oven, but breaking it down into parts only requires about 2.5-3 hours total.
The breast and legs can cook at different temperatures too (breast at 350°F and legs at 325°F works well), Going this route lets you perfectly roast the white and dark meat in less time, Just arrange the pieces nicely on a platter when serving so it looks like a whole turkey!
Skip Trussing the Turkey
Trussing or tying the turkey wings and legs together does make for a nice presentation. However it also impedes the cooking process. When the turkey is tightly bound it restricts airflow and prevents heat from circulating evenly throughout the cavity and under the skin.
An untrussed bird cooks more quickly and has more crispy browned skin too. If presentation is important to you, just untie the turkey about halfway through roasting so it finishes cooking evenly. Skipping the initial trussing will definitely speed things along though.
Avoid Opening the Oven Door
It may be tempting to open the oven and check on the turkey every so often, but don’t do it! Every time you open the oven door, the temperature inside drops significantly. This cooling effect means it will take longer for the oven to come back up to the proper roasting temperature, therefore lengthening the cook time.
Use an oven-safe meat thermometer to monitor the turkey temperature instead of constantly peeking inside. Opening the oven repeatedly could mean your bird needs 30-45 minutes longer in the oven. Keep that door shut as much as possible for a faster cook.
Spatchcock the Turkey
Spatchcocking, also called butterflying, is one of the most effective ways to reduce turkey roasting time. It involves removing the backbone and flattening out the bird for more even cooking.
A spatchcocked turkey cooks up to 40% faster than cooking it whole. The open structure allows the inside to roast faster while also creating more crispy skin all around. Spatchcocking does require some knife skills, but it’s easy to learn. Any losses in presentation are made up for by the time savings and delicious results!
Put These Tricks to the Test
There you have it—5 simple yet effective tricks to decrease the amount of time your turkey needs in the oven. Employing one or more of these methods will help you enjoy mouthwatering Thanksgiving flavors sooner. Now you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time at the table sharing a meal with loved ones.
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How To Make 2-hour turkey, really.
- 1 PREHEAT OVEN TO 475 degrees F (240-250 degrees C). This is where you’ll roast it the WHOLE TIME. Because this uses a VERY HOT oven, make sure it is CLEAN before you begin. Also, put about an inch of water in the bottom of the roasting pan to keep your family from being smoke-stricken. NOTE: I smoked my house out last Thanksgiving even though my oven was clean. Adding about an inch of water (or broth) to the roaster pan can help cut down on the smoke. and keep replenishing it as needed. When I did this, the smoking stopped, and I had great drippings for gravy! Place the oven rack on the LOWEST or SECOND-TO-LOWEST position. In some ovens, the lowest spot may be too hot because it’s right above the heating elements.
- 2. Take off the giblets, the neck, the pop-up thermometer (if it has one), and any trussing, which is the plastic thing that holds the legs together. Clean the turkey INSIDE AND OUT with cool water, making sure all the water drains out of the neck and body cavities. Pat dry, inside and out, with paper towels.
- 3. Put the turkey on a V- or U-shaped wire rack in the roasting pan so it doesn’t rest on the pan’s bottom. I didn’t have a rack the first time I made this, so I just put it in my grandmother’s old blue-enamel roaster pan, and it was fine. If you dont have a rack. Make a long rope out of a long piece of aluminum foil. Place the rope in the bottom of the pan and put the turkey on top of it. Note: I strongly advise that you keep 1-2 inches of water in the bottom of your roasting pan while you cook. This will GREATLY reduce smoking (which can be brutal). I forgot to put water in the pan the first time I made this. and I smoked out my house. The turkey was fabulous, but the house was SO smoky.
- 4. Use olive oil to cover the whole outside of the dried turkey. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. I use Kosher salt because it has large, coarse grains.
- 5. Pull the tips of the wings AWAY from the body, twist them, and tuck them under the bird backwards. up by its neck.
- 6. Cover the ends of each drumstick with a piece of aluminum foil. Make a foil “collar” under any parts of the turkey that stick out past the edge of the pan to make sure the juices flow back into the pan. Do NOT stuff the body, tie the legs together, or close the body cavity. Adding some herbs, lemon, or onion to the cavity might be fine, but don’t fill it all the way up.
- 7. Fill the pan with two inches of water.
- 8. Put them in the oven on the second-to-lowest rack.
- During the middle of the cooking time, flip the roasting pan 180 degrees to make sure uniform cooking. Do NOT flip the bird over.
- 10: It’s done when the temperature inside the thickest part of BOTH the breast and the chest is 160 degrees. Make certain they are BOTH at temp. Sometimes the thighs take a bit longer. When done, remove from the oven. Approximate Cooking Timing: 10-13 lbs. = 50 minutes to 1 1/4 hrs. 13-16 lbs. = 1 1/4 hrs to 1 hour 50 minutes. 16-19 lbs. = 1 1/2 hrs to 2 hrs. 19-22 lbs. = 1 3/4 hrs to 2 1/4 hrs. 22-24 lbs. = 2 hrs to 2 1/2 hrs. 25+ lbs. = 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hrs. or a bit more depending on how humongous it is. There might be an ostrich in the oven. If you’re not sure, call the Guinness Book of Records.
- 11: Put foil over the whole thing and let it rest for 30 to 45 minutes before carving. It will keep going up until it reaches the recommended 165 degrees. After resting, transfer to a platter for carving. Note: The cavity is likely to have a lot of juices. Drain them before transferring the bird to a platter. Save the juices to make gravy or moisten dressing.
- https://youtu.be/Thx8qtu4NMo
- Last Step: Don’t forget to share! Post a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network and watch all of your friends drool. And dont forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too! .
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
The Easiest and Fastest Way to Cook a Turkey for Thanksgiving | You Can Cook That | Allrecipes.com
FAQ
Can a turkey be done in 2 hours?
Does covering a turkey with foil cook it faster?
Is it better to cook a turkey at 325 or 350?
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.
What are the health benefits of ground turkey?
Ground turkey has multiple benefits. It is a good source of minerals, and B vitamins, rich in proteins, low in fat and it is lower in calories than common turkey.
Can you cook a Turkey at high heat?
Cooking turkey at high heat can also help achieve crispy, savory skin. Don’t let our high-heat turkey recipe intimidate you; we walk you through every step to ensure that your end result is unmatched. Once you’ve let your turkey rest, now all that’s left to do is carve, serve and enjoy! Move oven rack to lowest position; heat oven to 450°F.
How long do you cook a 13 pound turkey?
Place in the oven and cook for 3-4 hours for my 13 pound turkey and up to 5-6 for a larger turkey. If you notice the breast is getting too brown and crispy. then turn the oven down to 250 °. (The USDA RECOMMENDS that you cook at a minimum of 325°F oven temp, which you can also do and the turkey cooks faster. The choice is up to you.)
How do you roast a Turkey for Thanksgiving?
The secret to roasting the perfect Thanksgiving turkey is planning: First, you’ll want to know how much turkey per person is needed to feed the family. Second, you have to get the bird in a turkey brine the day before the big feast.
How do you cook a Turkey in a crock pot?
Place the turkey parts in one large roasting pan. Tuck between them onion, celery pieces, and, if using, herbs, and shower with salt and pepper. Dot turkey pieces with pats of butter. Place pan in a 450 degree oven for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and baste with accumulated juices.