There are a number of excellent ways to cook your turkey (or any poultry, really)—classic trussed and roasted, spatchcocked, or even smoked. There are numerous ways to ensure the bird is flavorful throughout, like brining or stuffing the cavity with herbs and other aromatics. But there is one strangely pervasive practice that ruins crispy turkey skin: tenting the turkey with foil after cooking.
Every Thanksgiving, I’d witness my mom stuff, roast, and carve a turkey. The bird would exit the oven, bronzed and shiny with visibly crisp skin. She’d caution me to be careful, the turkey was hot, and then she’d build an entire foil shell around it to keep it warm. Well, it was hot alright—hot and steaming. And so, it was a good long while before I ever knew the magic of crisp turkey skin. Please don’t think I’m needlessly roasting my mom on the internet—this is a cautionary tale.
Cooking and serving a juicy tender turkey dinner can be a delicate dance. Getting the timing right so the star of the show is ready at just the perfect moment is tricky. You want to avoid having the bird sit around drying out for too long before carving. Luckily, with some simple tricks, you can keep your turkey piping hot and irresistibly moist for hours after it comes out of the oven.
Why You Need to Hold a Cooked Turkey
Roasted turkey is the centerpiece of many holiday feasts and special occasion meals However, turkeys have a habit of being done cooking well before the optimal serving time. You may find yourself needing to hold a cooked bird for an hour or more before dinner
Here are some common scenarios that call for keeping cooked turkey warm:
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You have limited oven space and need to free it up to cook side dishes The turkey finishes roasting first
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Guests are running late so dinner gets pushed back.
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You are cooking for a crowd and need to roast the bird in the early morning to be ready for an evening meal.
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You want to cook the turkey a day ahead to reduce stress on the big day.
No matter the reason, with the right techniques you can keep your turkey mouthwateringly moist and delicious.
How Long to Hold a Cooked Turkey
Food safety experts recommend cooked turkey does not sit at room temperature for longer than 2 hours. After this point, bacteria can start rapidly multiplying, making the meat unsafe to eat.
When the air temperature exceeds 90°F, do not let the cooked bird rest for more than 1 hour before refrigerating.
If you need to hold the cooked turkey for longer periods, use methods like reheating that maintain a safe serving temperature. Roasting turkeys are large, so they retain heat well when properly handled.
5 Simple Ways to Keep Cooked Turkey Warm
Follow these handy methods to keep your beautifully roasted bird hot and succulent after cooking:
1. Rest and Cover the Turkey
After roasting, let the turkey rest 15-20 minutes before tightly covering with foil. The rest allows juices to absorb back into the meat. Tenting with foil traps in steam and keeps the turkey hot for a couple hours.
2. Hold the Turkey in a Low Oven
Keep cooked turkey in a 200°F oven to maintain temperature and moisture. Place a pan filled with an inch of hot water on the lower rack to create steam. The turkey can safely stay warm for 3-4 hours.
3. Return the Turkey to the Roasting Pan
Put the roasted bird back in the pan used for cooking. Add 1-2 cups turkey or chicken stock, then cover tightly with foil. The hot liquid creates a steamy environment that keeps the meat incredibly moist.
4. Use a Slow Cooker
A slow cooker set on low gently holds cooked turkey for up to 4 hours. The moist heat ensures the meat stays tender and does not dry out. Add a little liquid to the insert.
5. Reheat in Gravy
Shortly before serving, reheat carved turkey pieces bathed in piping hot gravy or broth for 15 minutes at 350°F. The simmering gravy keeps the meat succulent.
Handy Tips for Keeping Turkey Warm
Follow these extra pointers for foolproof turkey holding:
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Spatchcocking, or butterflying, helps the turkey roast faster so there is less holding time needed.
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Use a meat thermometer to ensure the held bird stays above 140°F to prevent bacterial growth.
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If reheating carved turkey, do it gently in broth, gravy or sauce to prevent drying.
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When in doubt, throw it out! Don’t take risks with poultry kept too long at room temperature.
Storing Leftover Turkey Safely
Be diligent with leftovers to avoid foodborne illness. Follow these guidelines:
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Refrigerate all leftovers within 2 hours of cooking. Cut turkey into smaller pieces so it chills quickly.
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Store leftovers in shallow containers. Layer stuffing and other sides separately.
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Use leftovers within 3-4 days. Reheat thoroughly until steaming hot, at least 165°F.
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Freeze extras like broth, gravy and cooked meat in airtight containers for longer storage.
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When reheating, add a little broth or sauce to prevent dried out turkey.
Frequently Asked Questions About Holding Turkey
Get answers to common questions about keeping cooked turkey hot until dinnertime:
How long can I hold a roasted turkey warm before it’s unsafe?
Cooked turkey should not be held at room temperature for longer than 2 hours before refrigerating or reheating. After this point, bacteria multiplying on the food can cause illness when eaten.
What is the best way to keep turkey moist?
Resting, tenting with foil, holding in a low oven with a water pan, and reheating in gravy or broth all help retain moisture in held turkey. Avoid refrigerating a whole roasted bird.
Should I make the turkey ahead or roast it the day of?
For food safety, cook your turkey no more than 2 days before serving. Make ahead then refrigerate carved meat and reheat gently. Roasting it the same day cuts down on bacteria risk but requires holding the whole bird hot.
How can I speed up turkey roasting time?
Spatchcocking, or removing the backbone to flatten the bird, significantly reduces cooking time. A spatchcocked turkey roasts in about 1 1⁄2 hours at 450°F vs. 2 1⁄2 – 3 hours for a traditional turkey. Less cook time means less holding needed.
Is it safe to keep turkey warm in a slow cooker?
Yes, using a slow cooker is an excellent way to keep cooked turkey hot. The moist, gentle heat keeps the meat tender and juicy for hours. Make sure the temperature stays above 140°F and discard any turkey left too long in the “danger zone.”
Master the Turkey Hold
A perfectly cooked turkey deserves to be served at its prime. With smart planning and our tried-and-true warming methods, you can relax knowing your holiday bird will hit the table hot, delicious and ready to carve anytime. Focus on spending time with loved ones while we handle the temperature tips and tricks. Here’s to memorable feasts centered around mouthwatering, juicy turkey year after year!
Why shouldn’t you tent your turkey?
If you or your parents have been tenting turkeys in an effort to keep them warm, I’m begging you to stop. Sure, foil can trap a bit of heat, but it’s way more effective at capturing steam and creating a surface for condensation to build up and drip off of. Drip where? You guess it, back on ol’ Birdy. More specifically, all that humidity and liquid is trapped right up against the turkey’s skin, quickly transforming it from crackling, crisp joy to floppy, rather unappetizing sog.
As it turns out, only Reynolds Wrap wants you to tent your turkey after cooking it (cant imagine why, or who spread this advice in the first place). Your turkey actually doesn’t need any covering at all to keep it warm. Large cuts of meat, not to mention entire Thanksgiving birds, hold onto heat very well unassisted. So well, it’s actually recommended to have large birds to sit for at least 30 to 45 minutes before carving. This gives the juices ample time to redistribute into the muscle tissue so you don’t lose it to the cutting board, and allows the turkey to actually cool down so you can carve it without hurting yourself. I’ve let my turkey rest for 45 minutes before carving and still had to stop and shake out my fingertips from the residual heat.