Follow this simple, methodical tutorial for How to Carve a Turkey. Using a sharp carving knife, carve one side completely before moving on to the second side. Anyone can do it!
Once you have your dream Thanksgiving Turkey out of the oven and resting, it’s time to carve that bird. A properly carved turkey is both convenient for your guests and impressive to look at when arranged on a serving plate at the dinner table.
It’s easy to do, too. Carving a turkey might sound intimidating, but once you understand the technique, you can methodically move through the bird. Work on one side at a time and you’ll be done in no time.
Carving a juicy flavorful turkey is the crowning moment of any Thanksgiving feast. But before slicing into that golden brown bird fresh from the oven it’s crucial to let it rest first. Proper resting times allow the juices to redistribute, giving you moist, tender meat.
So how long should you let a turkey rest before carving? The ideal resting time depends on the size of your turkey and a few other factors, But following some simple guidelines will ensure roasting success
Why You Need to Let a Turkey Rest
It’s tempting to dive right in and start carving the turkey as soon as it comes out of the oven But doing so causes precious juices and moisture to spill out onto the cutting board Not only does this make your turkey dry, it also means losing all that rich flavor.
Resting gives the juices time to be reabsorbed back into the meat. The proteins relax and the temperature equalizes from the outside in. You’ll end up with a more evenly cooked, juicier turkey if you wait and let it rest properly.
How Long to Rest a Turkey
So what is the ideal resting time for your Thanksgiving turkey? There are a few key considerations:
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Turkey Weight: Plan for 15-20 minutes of resting time per pound. A 16 lb turkey would rest for 240-320 minutes (4-5 hours).
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Stuffing: Allow extra resting time for stuffed turkeys, at least 30 minutes more. The stuffing acts as an insulator, slowing cooling.
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Final Temperature: Pull the turkey from the oven when it hits 5-10°F below the target finished temperature. It will continue cooking during resting.
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Carving Time: Think about when you want to serve the meal and work backward to determine the minimum resting time needed.
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Food Safety: Never leave a rested turkey out for more than 2 hours before putting leftovers in the fridge.
Taking all these factors into account, here are some general recommended resting times:
- 12-14 lb turkey: Rest for 3 hours
- 16-18 lb turkey: Rest for 4 hours
- 20-24 lb turkey: Rest for 5 hours
You can always rest for less time if you’re in a pinch. But for the juiciest results, allow the longest resting time possible.
How to Rest Your Turkey
Proper technique is also important when resting your turkey:
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Let it Coast: Remove the turkey from the oven when the breast hits 165°F and the thighs hit 175°F. The temperature will coast up another 5-10°F.
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Use a Rack: Place the turkey on a rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet to allow air circulation.
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Loosely Tent: Cover the turkey loosely with foil to retain heat, without creating steam.
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Keep it Warm: Hold the rested turkey in a warm oven (up to 175°F) if needed after the initial resting time.
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Refrigerate Promptly: Discard stuffing and refrigerate all leftovers within 2 hours.
Expert Recommended Turkey Resting Times
Besides my own kitchen experience, here are some resting times suggested by professional experts:
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The USDA guidelines state to rest a turkey for only 15-20 minutes before carving. This seems too short for ideal moisture in my opinion.
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America’s Test Kitchen recommends resting for 30-40 minutes for the best moisture retention.
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Cook’s Illustrated found that a full hour of resting delivered juicier meat.
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Chef Thomas Keller says to rest a turkey for the same amount of time it roasted. So a 4 hour roasted turkey should rest for 4 hours.
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Alton Brown bucks the trend and says just 30 minutes of resting time is sufficient.
The consensus ranges from 30 minutes up to the full roasting time. For a big bird and maximum juiciness, longer resting is ideal if you have the time.
Frequently Asked Turkey Resting Questions
Here are some common questions about letting your turkey rest before carving:
Should you rest a stuffed turkey?
Yes, follow the same resting guidelines. Just remove the stuffing after 15-20 minutes since it can overcook.
Can you rest a turkey in a cooler?
Yes, a cooler helps retain heat for extended resting times. Leave the lid cracked for ventilation.
Should you cover the turkey while resting?
Loosely tenting with foil is best. Avoid a tight seal that would trap steam.
Can you rest a turkey in a warm oven?
Yes, after initial resting you can hold it at 175°F or below to keep warm.
Is a rested turkey safe at room temperature?
Turkey should not sit out for more than 2 total hours before refrigerating.
Can you reheat a fully rested turkey?
Yes, just reheat thoroughly to 165°F. Sliced white meat may dry out, so focus on reheating dark meat.
Takeaways for Letting Your Turkey Rest
I know it’s tempting to dive right into that golden brown bird when it comes out of the oven. But taking the time to let your turkey rest properly pays off in tender, juicy meat that makes the feast.
Follow the recommendations for ample resting based on turkey size, carving time, and food safety. Employ the right technique too.
Then you can relax and enjoy the fruits of your labor when you finally carve into that deliriously delicious turkey! Here’s to a happy and memorable Thanksgiving meal.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: Plan for 1 ¼ pounds of turkey per person (some of the weight is from bones). This recipe assumes a 15-pound bird will feed about 12 people (about 1 ½ cups of turkey per person or 18 cups total). The math is 12 people x 1.25 pounds per person = 15-pound turkey.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: Get a jump start on your Thanksgiving prep with my easy Make Ahead Turkey recipe. First, roast, carve, and freeze the turkey in its juices. Then thaw, reheat, and make the gravy.
- Table-side carving: Follow this method if you prefer to carve the turkey at the table, rather than handle everything backstage. Just above the thigh and shoulder joints, carve a deep horizontal cut through the breast toward the bone to create a base cut. Starting near the breastbone, carve thin slices vertically, cutting downward to end each slice at the base cut.
- Ultimate Turkey Guide: Cook your best Thanksgiving menu (or Sunday dinner) ever. Brush up on how to buy, thaw, brine, and cook a turkey, plus learn how easy it is to make turkey broth from bones and turkey gravy from pan drippings.
- Roasting times may vary: After all, you may be cooking a slightly smaller or larger turkey. An unstuffed turkey takes about 15 minutes per pound when roasted at 325 degrees. However, the best way to tell if a turkey is properly roasted is with a good meat thermometer (165 degrees at the thickest part of the thigh).
- Roasted Turkey Breast: For a small Thanksgiving menu or a Sunday dinner, try my favorite Roast Turkey Breast recipe. A dry brine and basting yields craveably crisp skin, and the meat itself is juicy and flavorful.
- Slow Cooker Turkey Breast: This recipe delivers a delicious, tender bird without taking up any oven space.
- Make turkey broth or soup: Put your leftover turkey carcass to work in a pot of delicious homemade Turkey Broth or the best Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup you’ve ever had.
For food safety reasons, and for a more evenly cooked bird, most modern recipes don’t encourage stuffing a turkey. If you decide to stuff your turkey, combine wet and dry stuffing components just before placing them in the cavity, ensuring any raw meat, poultry, or seafood used in the stuffing is fully cooked beforehand. Do not stuff a bird with cooked stuffing. Use a large spoon or your hands to loosely stuff the body and neck cavities (do not pack it tightly because the stuffing expands while it cooks). Truss the main cavity with trussing pins to keep the stuffing inside. The stuffing must register 165 degrees on an internal thermometer to be safe to eat. For more information, see the USDA website. Stuffing chicken and Cornish hens is also discouraged.
Working with Meat and Fish
Working with Meat and Fish
Working with Meat and Fish
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