How to Roast a Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe
How to Roast a Thanksgiving Turkey
Thanksgiving Day has arrived. Today is all about preparing and enjoying a bountiful feast. And, of course, it is a day to thank God for his many blessings upon you and your family. For many of us, turkey will be the centerpiece of the feast. As a result, you need to review how to roast a turkey and determine the turkey roasting time, so it comes out of the oven perfect for the big meal. You’re up early, to put the bird in the oven for an early afternoon feast. While it is roasting in the oven, you hope to go back to bed for a little more shut-eye, before a day filled with family, friends, food, fun, and football. Use this “How to Roast a Turkey” recipe guide to cook the bird to perfection.
Tip: Plan on 1 to 1/1/2 pounds of turkey per person.
With all of your family coming over for dinner, the turkey you bought is H-U-G-E. Getting the bird from the refrigerator to the oven is a relatively easy, yet weighty task. Perhaps you should lift weights in the weeks leading to Thanksgiving Day!?
Did You Know? Over 46 million turkeys are cooked on Thanksgiving. How will you prepare your bird this year? While the vast majority are roasted in the oven, some of us will fry them, cook a trash can turkey, or smoke them.
Turkey Roasting Times
It’s Thanksgiving morning and you arose early to put a huge bird into the oven. But, how long does the turkey have to cook? If you’re like me, turkey roasting times is an important factoid that I just don’t commit to memory. So, year after year, I go to this article to refresh my memory.
The size of the bird, and stuffed versus unstuffed, are the largest variables to determine the required turkey roasting time. However, there are other factors involved. So, you can only get an estimate. Therefore, use the cooking times below as a planning guide. Ultimately, your meat thermometer will determine when it is finally done.
Here are the approximate turkey roasting times when cooked in the oven at 325° F:
Unstuffed Turkey Cooking Time:
4 to 8 pounds (breast only): 1 1/2 to 3 1/4 hours
8 to 12 pounds: 2 3/4 to 3 hours
12 to 14 pounds: 3 to 3 3/4 hours
14 to 18 pounds: 3 3/4 to 4 1/4 hours
18 to 20 pounds: 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 hours
20 to 24 pounds: 4 1/2 to 5 hours
Stuffed Turkey Cooking Time:
6 to 8 pounds (breast only): 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours
8 to 12 pounds: 3 to 3 1/2 hours
12 to 14 pounds: 3 1/2 to 4 hours
14 to 18 pounds: 4 to 4 1/4 hours
18 to 20 pounds: 4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours
20 to 24 pounds: 4 3/4 to 5 1/4 hours
Remember: The internal temperature of a cooked turkey should be 165 ° F.
Directions for How to Roast a Turkey Recipe
There are several steps to cooking the bird to perfection. Here they are:
- If you have not yet done so, remove the turkey from its original packaging and wash it. See How to Wash Turkeys.
- If you plan to stuff the bird just before putting it in the oven, now is the time to do so. Safety recommendations state you should not it the night before
- Turn the oven on and set it at 325° F. Place the turkey in a roasting pan, breast side up.
- Brush cooking oil on the turkey. We prefer to use a light coating cooking oil spray, on both sides of the bird.
- Do not add water. The turkey will produce its juices, the basis for a rich and flavorful gravy.
- Cover the turkey with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Crimp the aluminum foil all around the roasting pan.
- Place the turkey in the middle rack of the oven. Now, the wait is on!
- See the chart above for the approximate turkey roasting time. These are approximate times, as each oven is different, and altitude can be a factor, too.
- Basting while the turkey is cooking is optional. Some say it’s important, while others find it unnecessary. Basting will not penetrate the skin into the meat. But, it can keep the skin from totally drying out.
- About 1/2 hour before you think it should be done, remove the aluminum foil. This allows the skin to become crisp and golden in color, creating a picture-perfect turkey.
Is it Done Cooking?
- It is important to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature.
- The turkey is done when the internal temperature is 165° F in the center.
- Test for doneness. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, without touching the bone.
- Remove from the oven and allow a 20 to 30 minute resting time before cutting and serving. In the meantime, cover the bird with aluminum foil.
- Now, your perfectly roasted turkey is ready to slice and serve!
Important Note: After roasting a turkey, the resting time allows the juices to be redistributed throughout the meat.
Cooking a Turkey from Thawing to Leftovers
From start to finish, here’s how to roast turkey to perfection:
How to Thaw
Thawing Times
Washing
Stuffing
Roasting – How to roast a turkey.
Leftovers
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