I hear people worry about having to cook the turkey for their family meal every holiday, and every year, hundreds of people write articles that promise to make the horribly, horribly difficult process of cooking a turkey easier for you so you won’t ruin the holiday for your friends and family.
There’s just one problem with that, cooking a turkey isn’t hard at all. It is easy. It is one of the easiest things to cook that you could ever cook. It is easier, for instance, than cooking a well seasoned and perfectly seared steak. It is easier than making bread, even from a mix in a bag. There’s no need to read a dozen articles on how to cook a turkey and then choose the best one.
So, maybe you have to stay at school over Thanksgiving break for some reason, or maybe you just moved into your first apartment after high school and can’t get home. You really want to cook a turkey for Thanksgiving and have some important people over, but you’re scared because you’ve heard it’s really hard. But I’m here to tell you, again, that cooking a turkey is very easy.
Cooking a turkey often gets a bad rap for being difficult and leaving cooks with dried-out, disappointing results. But with the right techniques, turkey roasting doesn’t have to be intimidating. While large in size, turkeys are quite simple to prepare if you follow some basic guidelines. With a little preparation and care, you can have a picture-perfect roast turkey on your holiday table.
Turkey Roasting Basics
When approached properly, roasting a turkey is very similar to roasting a chicken, just on a larger scale. It involves a few easy steps:
- Selecting and thawing the turkey
- Prepping the bird – removing giblets, patting dry, seasoning
- Roasting at a moderate temperature
- Monitoring temperature and roasting time
- Letting rest before carving
Get these basics down and you’ll see that turkey roasting doesn’t have to be difficult. Even first-timers can master the process.
Choosing and Thawing the Turkey
Let’s start with choosing the right turkey:
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Turkey Sizes: Estimate 1-1.5 lbs per person, so a 12-15 lb turkey will feed 8-10. Go larger if you want ample leftovers.
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Fresh vs. Frozen: Fresh turkeys are ready to cook but have a shorter shelf life. Frozen allow buying ahead but require thawing.
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Thawing: In the fridge for 24 hours per 4-5 lbs, so 3-4 days for a 15 lb turkey. Or in cold water, changing every 30 minutes.
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Don’t Wash: Avoid rinsing raw poultry due to bacteria spread. Only rinse if brined.
Once you have your turkey, make sure to properly thaw it in the fridge or cold water bath Never thaw on the counter
Preparing and Seasoning the Turkey
To prep a turkey for roasting:
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Remove giblets and neck from cavity Discard or use for gravy/stock
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Pat turkey dry inside and out with paper towels. Dry skin is key for crisping.
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Generously season cavity with salt, pepper and herbs like thyme or rosemary.
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Consider loosening skin and rubbing butter or oil underneath to keep meat moist.
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Truss legs with kitchen twine to hold shape if desired. Tuck wing tips under.
Determining Roasting Time and Temperature
The two keys to perfect roasting are temperature and time:
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Temperature: Roast at 325°F to allow even, gentle cooking. High heat can dry out.
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Time: Figure 15-20 minutes per pound. A 12 lb turkey will take 3-4 hours.
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Internal Temp: Cook to 165°F in thickest part of thigh. Use a meat thermometer.
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Resting: Let turkey rest 30 minutes before carving for juicier meat.
Follow these roasting guidelines and your turkey will turn out juicy and delicious every time.
Step-by-Step Turkey Roasting Method
Here is a walk-through of the full turkey roasting process from start to finish:
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Remove giblets, neck and rinse cavity. Pat turkey dry, inside and out.
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Generously season cavity with salt, pepper and herbs.
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Carefully loosen skin and rub butter evenly under skin and over outside.
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Tie legs together. Tuck wing tips under back. Place turkey breast-side up on roasting rack in pan.
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Add chopped onion, celery and carrots around turkey in pan. Add 1 cup broth or water to pan.
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Calculate roast time: 15-20 minutes per lb at 325°F. A 12 lb turkey will take 3-4 hours.
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Roast in preheated 325°F oven until thermometer inserted in thigh reads 165°F.
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Remove turkey from oven, tent with foil and let rest 30 minutes before carving.
Turkey Roasting Q&A
Should you brine the turkey?
Brining helps keep turkey extra moist and seasoned. Soak in saltwater brine 1 hour per lb. Rinse before roasting.
To stuff or not to stuff?
Stuffing can take longer to cook than turkey. Safer to bake stuffing separately.
How do you make turkey gravy?
Use pan drippings to make gravy. Skim fat, add flour to make roux, whisk in broth.
How long do leftovers last?
Store turkey leftovers in fridge 3-4 days. Freeze up to 3 months for longer storage.
While roasting a big turkey may look intimidating at first, the process is very straightforward. With some basic prep steps, seasoning, and following roasting time and temperature guidelines, you can have a beautiful feast-worthy turkey on the table this holiday season. Don’t be afraid to try your hand at roasting this delicious centerpiece!
- Roast turkey just like chicken, just bigger
- Choose turkey size and thaw properly
- Prep cavity, dry skin, season well
- Roast slowly at 325°F until 165°F internal temp
- Rest before carving
Follow these simple guidelines for a juicy, picture-perfect turkey!
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Prepping Everything But The Turkey
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
- Wash your filthy hands.
- Take your thawed turkey out of the package it’s in.
- With your hands, rinse and dry the turkey under running water that is any temperature from warm to cold. The exact temperature is is not essential. I just don’t want you to scald your hands.
- Remove the giblets and turkey neck from inside the turkey. It is in a wax bag most likely. Don’t use these unless you’re making gravy, which is harder than cooking a turkey. Instead, throw them away or cook them in a pan and give them to your pet.
- Place your turkey in the baking pan.
- Put four or five large Idaho potatoes in the pan and cut them in half lengthwise. Then, place them around the turkey.
- Four medium to large yellow onions should be cut in half and put around the turkey in the pan.
- Take a bunch of whole carrots (not baby carrots) and cut them in half or four. Place them around the turkey in the pan.
- Spice these vegetables with salt and pepper and some paprika.
This whole process will take about ten minutes but might take twenty the first time you do it. Regardless, it is easy.
I Bought This Turkey And This Pan, Now What?
Your turkey will be frozen. Your turkey should be bought by Monday, November 23rd, or maybe even Sunday, and put in the fridge instead of the freezer. It will take three days to thaw there. In three days it will be thawed. To be exact, it takes twenty-four hours for every five pounds of turkey to thaw. If you have a fifteen pound turkey it will take three days. Twenty pounds? Four days. Plan accordingly.
Why turkey is hard to cook
FAQ
Is cooking a turkey difficult?
Is turkey harder to cook than chicken?
How long does it take to fully cook a turkey?
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Weight
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Cook Time (Unstuffed)
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Cook Time (Stuffed)
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10-18 lbs.
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3-3½ hrs.
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3¾-4½ hrs.
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18-22 lbs.
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3½-4 hrs.
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4½-5 hrs.
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22-24 lbs.
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4-4½ hrs.
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5-5½ hrs.
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24-30 lbs.
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4½-5 hrs.
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5½-6¼ hrs.
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What is the secret to cooking a turkey?
How do you know if a Turkey is cooked?
Using an internal meat thermometer and placing it in the thickest part of the thigh (making sure it doesn’t touch bone) is the ideal way to determine when the turkey has finished cooking. If the turkey is stuffed, use a thermometer to check the temperature of the stuffing, which should also be at 165 F. How Long Should Turkey Rest?
Can one have turkey and carrots?
Eating turkey and carrots is part of healthy habits. The turkey has meat like chicken and is another healthy poultry option. Carrots are rich in carotenoids, it is a source of vitamin A, fiber, potassium and vitamin B3.
Why do you cook a Turkey unstuffed?
Cooking the turkey unstuffed creates a more level cooking field so the white and dark meat can be done at the same time. Dense bread stuffing reduces airflow inside the bird and slows the cooking time. Dark meat cooks slower than white breast meat, and stuffing the bird compounds the issue.
What temperature should a fully cooked turkey be?
Place the probe in the thickest part of one of the thighs, making sure it doesn’t touch any bone as that will skew the reading. A fully cooked turkey should be 165 F. You can test the temperature in one other spot just to be sure.
Should you stuff a Turkey before roasting?
If you choose to stuff your bird this year, Butterball recommends following these steps to ensure your turkey and stuffing are both cooked properly: Use cooked ingredients (like sautéed vegetables, cooked meats and seafood, and pasteurized eggs) in the stuffing instead of raw ingredients. Stuff the turkey just before roasting.
Is it safe to eat a stuffed turkey?
The stuffing should register 165 degrees at the center to be safe to eat. For safety reasons, don’t cook a stuffed turkey on an outdoor grill or with a water smoker. Don’t use a fast-cook method (like deep-frying) with a stuffed turkey. The meat will cook before the stuffing is done, which could make it unsafe to eat.