The Ultimate Guide to Slow Roasting Turkey for a Perfectly Juicy Bird

Slow roasting a turkey is hands down the best way to prepare a moist, flavorful and spectacular centerpiece for your holiday table. When done properly, slow roasting results in tender, fall-off-the-bone meat and crispy, golden brown skin that your guests will rave about.

As an avid home cook and food blogger, I’ve experimented extensively to perfect my technique for slow roasting turkey. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share everything I’ve learned over the years about how to slow roast a turkey to absolute perfection.

Why Slow Roast Your Turkey?

Slow roasting uses low heat over an extended period of time to gently cook the turkey all the way through while retaining moisture. The low heat helps melt the fat and collagen into delicious pan juices while the skin gets perfectly crispy.

The benefits of slow roasting include

• Very moist, tender meat
• Crispy and flavorful skin
• More forgiveness if guests are running late
• Oven space freed up to cook sides
• Less hands-on time needed

Picking the Right Turkey

When slow roasting you want to select a small to medium turkey between 10-16 pounds. Larger birds run the risk of not cooking through at the low temperatures used for slow roasting.

You also want to make sure your turkey is high quality and fresh, ideally organic and free range for maximum flavor. Avoid pre-injected or pre-brined birds. Do a quick check that there are no tears or holes in the skin before purchasing.

Prepare the Turkey

Before roasting, you’ll want to prepare your turkey:

• Remove neck and giblets from cavities. Reserve for making stock if desired.
• Rinse turkey under cold water and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
• Generously season the inside cavity with salt and pepper.
• Make a flavorful herb butter by blending softened butter with chopped fresh herbs like thyme, sage, rosemary.
• Loosen skin from the breast and rub herb butter underneath skin over breast meat.
• Stuff cavity with quartered onions, lemons, garlic and fresh herbs.

Truss for Even Cooking

For optimal even cooking, you’ll want to truss your turkey:

• Tuck wing tips under body.
• Tie legs together with kitchen string.
• Loop string around ends of drumsticks.
• Pull legs up against tail and tie string around cavity to close.

Time to Slow Roast

You’ll want to plan ahead, as slow roasting takes several hours.

• Take turkey out of fridge 1-2 hours before cooking to bring to room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 225-250°F.
• Place turkey breast up on a rack in a roasting pan.
• Add 1 cup broth or wine to pan bottom to keep moist.
• Roast uncovered for approx. 8-10 hours for a 12-15 lb bird.

Monitoring Doneness

It’s critical to accurately monitor the internal temperature of the turkey as it slow roasts to ensure food safety and proper doneness.

• Use an instant read thermometer to regularly check temperature.
• Insert thermometer deep into thickest part of thigh, avoiding bone.
• Turkey is done when thigh reaches 165°F and breast 170°F.
• Juices should run clear when pierced with a fork.

Browning the Skin

Once the turkey has reached the target internal temperature after several hours of slow roasting, you’ll want to brown the skin:

• Remove foil tent if using.
• Increase oven to 425°F.
• Roast an additional 30-60 mins until skin is crispy and deep golden brown.

Let Turkey Rest

Letting the turkey rest after roasting is crucial for juicy meat:

• Remove turkey from oven and transfer to a cutting board.
• Loosely tent with aluminum foil and let rest 30-60 minutes.
• This allows juices to redistribute for moister meat.

Make the Pan Gravy

While the turkey rests, make gravy from the flavorful pan drippings:

• Pour drippings into fat separator to remove excess fat.
• Return drippings to pan and simmer over medium heat.
• Whisk in flour to thicken, scraping up any browned bits.
• Season gravy with salt, pepper and herbs as desired.

Carve and Serve

Carve the turkey and arrange on a platter with the flavorful pan gravy. Slicing against the grain results in the most tender pieces.

• First, slice down along one side of the breastbone to remove breast meat.
• Remove leg quarters and separate drumstick from thigh.
• Then slice remaining breast meat into thin slices.

Your slow roasted turkey is sure to be a big hit at the holiday table! The tender, juicy meat and crispy skin is unbeatable.

Top Tips for Slow Roasting Turkey

Follow these top tips for slow roast turkey success:

• Allow 1-1.2 pounds turkey per person when calculating size to buy.
• Brine turkey for added moisture and flavor if not pre-brined.
• Truss turkey tightly for more even cooking.
• Use a rack in roasting pan to elevate turkey for air circulation.
• Baste occasionally with pan juices for extra moisture.
• Add vegetables under rack to steam and add flavor.
• Check temp early and often to prevent overcooking.
• Let rest before carving for juicier meat.
• Store leftovers safely within 2 hours of cooking.

Common FAQs

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about slow roasting turkey:

How long does it take to slow roast a turkey?

For a 12-15 lb turkey, expect around 8-10 hours at 225-250°F. Larger birds take longer.

What temperature do you slow roast a turkey?

The ideal temperature range is 225-250°F. Higher temperatures risk drying out the meat.

Do you cover turkey when slow roasting?

Covering the turkey with a loose foil tent for most of the roasting time helps retain moisture. Remove for the last 30-60 mins to brown the skin.

Should you baste a slow roasted turkey?

Basting every 30-60 minutes with the pan juices helps keep the turkey moist. Avoid opening the oven too frequently though.

What temperature is a turkey done slow roasting?

The thigh should reach 165°F and breast 170°F. Use an instant read thermometer to monitor.

In Summary

If you follow this comprehensive guide, your slow roasted turkey will turn out perfectly moist and tender, with crispy browned skin your guests will rave about. The lower temperature and extended cooking time results in foolproof, delicious results.

Be sure to use a quality fresh or thawed turkey, monitor the internal temperature, and let it rest before serving. Feel free to get creative with flavor additions like spice rubs, herb butters and aromatics.