Read our expert guide to cooking turkey and find out how to defrost, prepare and roast a whole turkey, plus top tips to help you buy the best.Ad
While its the traditional Christmas bird, turkey is good to eat all year round, though its only readily available in portions (rather than a whole bird) most of the year. Use our guide to learn how to cook a turkey to feed a crowd, including brining and carving.
Turkey has all the nutritional benefits of chicken but with a slightly lower fat content. This is better for your health, but it does mean that the flesh can be on the dry side. Older turkey recipes advise basting a turkey regularly to keep the meat moist, but newer recipes suggest cooking the turkey quickly while using dry brines. The latter method involves seasoning the turkey with salt and aromatics and leaving it for up to 48 hrs. This draws moisture out, then the turkey reabsorbs it, which seasons the meat and dries out the skin for a crisp finish in the oven.
Should the Turkey Be Room Temperature Before Cooking?
As Thanksgiving approaches one of the most debated topics among home cooks is whether to bring the turkey to room temperature before roasting. With conflicting advice floating around, it can be confusing to determine the right approach for perfectly cooked turkey. In this article, we’ll examine the reasons for and against bringing the turkey to room temp, look at expert opinions and provide best practices for safely thawing and handling your bird.
Why Bring the Turkey to Room Temperature?
Proponents argue there are several advantages to letting the turkey warm up before cooking:
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Promotes Even Cooking: A chilled turkey roasts unevenly, with the extremities overcooking before the thicker breast and thighs are done. Bringing it to room temp allows the heat to penetrate more evenly for consistent doneness.
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Shortens Cooking Time: Rather than using energy to slowly raise the temperature, the oven can focus on cooking a room temp bird. This reduces overall roasting time.
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Improves Browning: When the turkey isn’t ice cold, the hot oven air crisps and browns the skin more effectively for better presentation.
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Enhances Juiciness: Less time in the oven means less moisture loss. The turkey stays tender and juicy throughout.
Why Not Bring it to Room Temperature?
On the flip side, there are reasons some advise keeping the turkey chilled:
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Food Safety Concerns: Turkey should never sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours, as bacteria multiply rapidly above 40°F.
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Minimal Difference: Tests show little variation in cook times or doneness between room temp and refrigerated turkeys. It may not be worth the risk.
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Logistical Challenges: Large turkeys can require 4+ hours to fully warm up, which isn’t practical for most cooks.
Expert Opinions are Mixed
With valid points on both sides, experts remain divided on this issue. Celebrity chef Alton Brown asserts room temperature is crucial for even cooking. Yet the test kitchen at America’s Test Kitchen found no major differences in their testing.
Best Practices for Thawing and Handling
For cooks who choose to bring their turkeys to room temp, food safety should be the top priority:
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Thaw turkey in the refrigerator 1-3 days before cooking, allowing approx. 24 hours per 4-5 pounds.
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Once thawed, leave wrapped turkey on counter for 1-2 hours until it reaches approx. 70°F internally.
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Keep it in a contained area away from kids, pets, heat sources, and sunlight.
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Don’t let it exceed 2 hours above 40°F before roasting.
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Stuff just before cooking, or cook stuffing separately.
You can also place a chilled turkey straight into the preheated oven, adding 15-30 minutes to the roasted time. Use a meat thermometer to confirm it reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the breast and thigh before removing.
Regardless of your approach, following proper thawing, handling, and food safety procedures will ensure delicious, perfectly cooked holiday turkey. Trust your instincts and adjust methods to your schedule, kitchen, and comfort level. With smart planning and care, your feast will be a huge success this Thanksgiving.
What to look for when choosing a turkey
As is the case with all meat, turkey should be bought from a source that you trust – a good supermarket, local butcher, farmers market or shop, or a website mail-order company. Of those five sources, the last four are perhaps more likely to be able to tell you the most about the turkey, such as where it came from and how it was reared. Traceability like that will give you assurance that the turkey has been humanely treated while alive; the higher the standard of welfare by which a turkey was reared, the better the quality of the meat.
- Organic turkey is the most expensive, as the most stringent farming standards will have been adhered to at all stages of the animals life, including being allowed to roam outside during the day and being fed a mainly organic diet. As they are allowed to mature slowly, their flesh is firm and flavourful; however, because they have had lots of exercise during their lives, they may be less plump than indoor-reared birds. Look for the Soil Association sticker if youd like to buy organic.
- Free-range turkeys should have had some access to the open air and are usually cheaper than organic. The Freedom Food label can also be used by producers that meet the RSPCAs welfare standards.
- Battery (or factory) reared turkeys are the most commonly available kind. They are rarely labelled as such, but the low price is a giveaway. Although such turkeys are more affordable, the conditions they endure are extremely grim, as they are packed in at high densities, with little room to move around and no access to sunlight – all of which produces a noticeably inferior meat.
Good breeds to look out for include Norfolk Black, Kelly Bronze and Cambridge Bronze. Reared slowly in free-range conditions, they all have densely textured meat that is more flavourful and succulent than indoor-reared types.
What visual characteristics to look for when buying a turkey
- Whichever breed or cut you go for, choose a turkey that is plump and well-rounded, with clear, soft and evenly coloured skin. Avoid those that have been unevenly plucked.
- Look for the phrase farm fresh which means that birds have been handled traditionally once slaughtered, i.e. dry hand-plucked (as opposed to wet-plucked, by which the turkey is immersed in very hot water to loosen the feathers, which are then mechanically removed) and hung for two weeks, which gives the flesh an enjoyably gamey flavour.
Do you let a turkey breast come to room temperature before cooking?
FAQ
How long should turkey sit out before cooking?
Once your turkey has thawed, leave it on the counter for about an hour so that it warms up closer to room temperature before roasting.
When should I take my turkey out of the refrigerator before cooking?
Remove the thawed turkey from the refrigerator approximately 1 hour before your plan to begin cooking. Removing your turkey from the refrigerator gives it time to reach, or at least come closer to, room temperature. I always have a few reports each year that the turkey was not getting done on time.
Do you put water in the bottom of the roasting pan for turkey?
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No water for browning:Adding water creates steam which can hinder the browning process on the turkey skin.
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Use a roasting rack:Always use a roasting rack to elevate the turkey above the pan, allowing for better air circulation and browning.
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Flavorful drippings:If you want to make gravy, the pan drippings will be more concentrated and flavorful without added water.
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Alternative option:Some cooks might add a small amount of liquid like broth or wine to the pan for extra flavor, but this should be minimal.
What temperature should my turkey be before cooking?
A thawed turkey may be kept in the refrigerator (40 degrees F or below) up to 4 days before cooking.
Should I cook a Turkey at room temperature?
Starting with a room temperature turkey may help it cook more evenly, but it won’t guarantee a perfectly cooked bird. Other factors such as cooking time, proper seasoning, and using a meat thermometer are also important. 2. How long does it take for a turkey to reach room temperature?
Should you cook a thawed Turkey at room temperature?
Bringing your bird to room temperature first substantially decreases cooking time. A thawed but cold turkey may require 30-60 more minutes in the oven than if it was left out to come to room temp. Shorter cooking equals moister meat. The longer turkey cooks, the drier it becomes.
Should Turkey be refrigerated before cooking?
Leaving raw meat like turkey out of the refrigerator for longer than 2 hours can cause harmful bacteria to grow. When this happens and you consume it, you can put yourself at risk for food-borne illnesses. But, all this said, it is important to allow your turkey to come to room temperature before you cook it.
Can you cook a pre-brined Turkey at room temperature?
Yes, even pre-brined turkeys benefit from being brought to room temperature before cooking. The consistent cooking and absorption of flavors still apply, resulting in a better overall result. How to cook london broil in instant pot?
Should you cook a cold turkey before cooking?
When you cook a cold turkey, the moisture in the turkey will evaporate more quickly. This can lead to the turkey being dry and tough. By bringing the turkey to room temperature before cooking, you can help to retain the moisture in the turkey, resulting in a more moist and flavorful turkey.
Does a Turkey come to room temperature faster than cold?
If your kitchen is warm, the turkey will come to room temperature faster than if your kitchen is cold. * The type of cooking method you are using. If you are roasting the turkey, it is important to let it come to room temperature before cooking so that it cooks evenly.