When baked at 325°F (the minimum temperature recommended by the USDA), a 20-pound turkey should be baked in the oven for 4 to 5 hours, or 4 1/4 to 5 1/4 hours if not stuffed. Stuffing.
Is it better to cook a turkey at 325 or 350?
Do I cook the turkey at 325 degrees or 350 degrees? Slow and slow” is a good rule for cooking a bird all the way through without burning it, but there are no strict rules. All of our temperature guides assume that you are cooking at 325, but you can also cook a little warmer in about the same or slightly less time.
How long does it take to cook a 20lb turkey at 350 degrees?
If your turkey weighs 18 to 20 pounds, roast it at 350°F for 4 to 4¼ hours.
How long will a 20lb turkey take to cook?
For example, a 20 lb. turkey will take 4 ½ to 5 hours to cook; check the temperature with a thermometer after 4 ½ hours.
What temperature do you cook a 20 lb turkey at?
You will find recipes that suggest cooking the turkey at 325°F to 375°F or higher. We have found that higher temperatures cook the bird faster, but also increase the risk of overcooking, drying, or burning the turkey. For this reason, we recommend 325°F.
How do I keep my turkey moist?
Classic bread stuffing recipe
- Choose a fresh turkey, not a frozen one.
- Roast two small turkeys instead of one large turkey.
- Marinate the turkey in brine.
- Rub soft butter under the skin.
- Truss loosely or not at all.
- Roast the turkey upside down first.
- Do not overcook.
- Allow the turkey to rest before carving.
Should I cover my turkey with aluminum foil?
We have found that covering the turkey with foil produces much more moist results than roasting without foil. To even out the cooking time, it is recommended to simply cover the breasts .
How long should a turkey rest for?
Thanksgiving Help Line Remove as soon as the temperature reaches 165 degrees or slightly lower. Rest time depends on the size of the bird, but should be at least 20 minutes. Larger birds can wait up to 40 minutes or more, depending on room temperature.
What temperature should a turkey be cooked at?
USDA directs that turkeys be cooked at a minimum internal temperature of 165°F. (When stuffing a turkey, the stuffing as well as the meat must be 165°F.)
How long do I cook a 20 lb turkey at 325 degrees?
When baked at 325°F (the minimum temperature recommended by the USDA), a 20-pound turkey should be baked in the oven for 4 to 5 hours, or 4 1/4 to 5 1/4 hours if not stuffed. Stuffing.
How long does it take to cook a turkey with foil covered?
Whole roasted turkey wrapped in foil
- Preparation time. 15 meters.
- Serving.
- Cooking time. 2 to 6 hrs.
- Courses. Main dish.
How long should you cook a turkey at 325?
Assuming you are roasting the turkey in a 325°F oven, plan for 15-17 minutes cooking time per pound of turkey without stuffing. Plan for the stuffing of the turkey to take 20 to 22 minutes per lb. 8-12 lbs.
How long does it take a 20 pound turkey to thaw in the refrigerator?
The math is as follows: plan for 24 hours of refrigerator thawing for every 5 pounds of frozen turkey (for example, budget 20 pounds of turkey to thaw in the refrigerator for 4 full days). Leave the turkey wrapped and check occasionally to see if the baking sheet or roasting pan needs to be drained.
How do I know the turkey is cooked?
To cook the turkey at the proper temperature, you will need a meat thermometer. Insert it near the thigh bone, but do not touch it. If it reads 180 degrees Fahrenheit for the thigh and 170 degrees Fahrenheit for the breast, it is ready.
How long do you cook a turkey for at 350?
For air roasting, allow 13 minutes per pound of turkey; for stuffing, allow 15 minutes per pound. What temperature should I cook my turkey at? Preheat the oven to 450°F. After placing the turkey in the oven, lower the temperature to 350°F.
How do you keep a turkey warm for 4 hours?
Place a kitchen towel over the foil to keep the meat warm and moist until you are ready to carve and serve. Another option is to cover the bird with foil and return it to the 200F oven at a lower temperature. Place a pan of water under the turkey to generate steam and contribute to the moisture.
Should I put butter or oil on my turkey?
Don’t Butter the Bird Butter under the skin will not make the meat juicier, but may help the skin brown faster. However, about 17% of the butter is moisture, which will cause the bird to speckle, says Lopez Alt. Instead, rub the skin with vegetable oil before roasting.
Should you put water in the bottom of the pan when roasting a turkey?
Add water to the roasting pan to keep the turkey from drying out. Grandma always added water or chicken broth to the bottom of the roasting pan at the start of cooking. This prevents the bird from drying out.
How do you cook a turkey so it’s not dry?
Says Tommy, “The key to roasting a whole bird is to cook the legs longer than the breast. The breast will dry out.”
How long should you take a turkey out of the fridge before cooking?
Before going into the oven, the turkey needs to be at room temperature, so remove from the refrigerator (1 hour for the entire turkey, or 30 minutes for cutting) before cooking. Keep covered in a cool place.
What do you put in the turkey cavity when not using stuffing?
Herbs. The secret to adding flavor to your Thanksgiving turkey is to season it generously. To ensure that your favorite herbs permeate every inch of the bird, stuff a small bunch into the cavity of the turkey. Thyme, sage, parsley, and a small amount of rosemary are a great combination, but feel free to customize to your liking.
How do you prepare a turkey the night before?
Place the turkey in a shallow dish large enough to hold it and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 days. The day before roasting the turkey, remove the plastic wrap and refrigerate the turkey. Skin will be dry and slightly translucent.
Should you let turkey sit out before cooking?
Remove the turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting, as the turkey will cook more evenly and faster if started at room temperature. If you plan to stuff the turkey, wait until ready to put it in the oven before placing the stuffing on the turkey.
Do you flip a turkey when cooking?
Cook the bird upside down. That is, breast side down and turn it over halfway through based on your estimation. If you are using a kettle and have all the charcoal on one side of the grill, you will also want to rotate the turkey when you turn it so that one side is not overcooked.
How long should a 20 lb turkey rest before carving?
A: Ideally, the turkey should rest for 30-40 minutes to redistribute the juices. (This gives them enough time to make gravy.) It is usually recommended that the turkey be back in the fridge within 2 hours.
How long should a turkey rest before you carve it?
Let the turkey rest for at least 30 minutes before you cut things up. That way, its juices are not on the cutting board.
How do you know when turkey is done without thermometer?
To find out if your turkey is done without a thermometer, poke a hole in the middle thigh muscle at the junction, explains Nicole Johnson, co-director of the Butterball Turkey Talk Line. When the juices are clear and no longer red or pink, it’s a good sign that the turkey is done.”
Where do you stick the thermometer in the turkey?
Here are a few tips to keep in mind:.
- When preparing the whole turkey, insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey breast, the innermost part of the thigh, and the innermost part of the wing.
- Make sure the thermometer does not touch the bones, gristle, or pan.
What is the lowest safe temperature to cook a turkey?
Be safe – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends a temperature not to exceed 325 degrees Fahrenheit for cooking meat and poultry. Cook turkey to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
How long do you cook a Butterball turkey?
Place the bread in the oven. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Roast for 3 to 3.5 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into deepest part of thigh without touching bone reaches 180°F. If necessary, cover the breast about two-thirds of the way through roasting and loosely cover the top of the drumstick with foil.
How long do you cook a Butterball turkey per pound?
Set a timer and cook the turkey at about 3 to 4 minutes per pound. Cook all dark meat to an internal temperature of 175°F to 180°F and all white meat to an internal temperature of 165°F to 170°F. Here is some help on how to check the temperature of your turkey.
Does tin foil make turkey cook faster?
If you want to speed up the cooking time of your Thanksgiving turkey, wrap the turkey in aluminum foil and roast it at 450°F. Using this method, the turkey will be ready to carve in just 3 hours.
Does turkey cook faster with aluminum foil?
Wrapping the Thanksgiving turkey in foil for faster cooking speeds and turkey cooking time will not dry out the meal.
How do you make turkey skin crispy?
Rub skin with fat. Once the skin is carefully dried, the next step you can take to ensure perfectly crispy turkey skin is to rub it with a fat such as butter or oil. Since butter is at least 20% water and oil contains no water, oil produces skin that is crisper than butter.
Do you cook turkey breast side up or down?
The USDA recommends cooking the entire turkey breast during the entire cooking time. Flipping a large, hot bird is dangerous and it is very easy to tear the skin, making the finished product less appealing.
Can I roast a turkey at 300?
Roasting at 300 degrees Fahrenheit can yield good results, but excellent results can be obtained at 325 F. If you take enough time and give it enough time, the rule of thumb is to choose a lower temperature.
Can you leave a turkey out all night to thaw?
Perhaps, could you let the turkey thaw overnight? The short answer is no. There are two wrong ways to thaw a bird and the safest way to thaw a turkey.
What if I left my turkey out overnight to thaw?
Thawing raw meat at room temperature for more than two hours imposes rapid bacterial growth. Is thawing a turkey at room temperature a good idea? No. If you’re doing it and using it, it’s not a good idea. If you are doing it and using it, you are in luck.
Why does my turkey smell like rotten eggs?
Often you can tell if the turkey is spoiled by the “texture and smell” of the turkey. Hanes said that turkey skin is often described as slimy and smells “like rotten eggs or sulfur.” According to Hanes, foodborne pathogens are more difficult to detect.
Is it better to cook a turkey at 325 or 350?
Do I cook the turkey at 325 degrees or 350 degrees? Slow and slow” is a good rule for cooking a bird all the way through without burning it, but there are no strict rules. All of our temperature guides assume that you are cooking at 325, but you can also cook a little warmer in about the same or slightly less time.
What if my turkey is a little pink?
The color of cooked poultry is not always a sure sign of its safety. Only by using a food thermometer can you accurately determine that the poultry has reached the minimum safe internal temperature of 165°F throughout the product. The turkey will remain pink even after cooking to the safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F.
Can you eat slightly pink turkey?
The best way to ensure that the turkey, or meat, is safely cooked and using a meat thermometer is done reliably. When the temperature of the turkey, measured at the thigh, reaches 180°F. Then done for family favorites, all meat, including those that remain pink, is safe to eat.
How do I keep my turkey moist?
Classic bread stuffing recipe
- Choose a fresh turkey, not a frozen one.
- Roast two small turkeys instead of one large turkey.
- Marinate the turkey in brine.
- Rub soft butter under the skin.
- Truss loosely or not at all.
- Roast the turkey upside down first.
- Do not overcook.
- Allow the turkey to rest before carving.
Should I cover my turkey with foil while cooking?
To achieve that balance, ideally the bird should spend time both covered and uncovered. We recommend covering the bird most of the cooking time so that the bird does not dry out. Crispy from the skin.
How long does it take to cook a 20lb turkey at 350 degrees?
If your turkey weighs 18 to 20 pounds, roast it at 350°F for 4 to 4¼ hours.
How do you keep turkey warm and moist before serving?
Catherine Cutter offers the following advice Do not carve the bird before guests arrive. Keeping it whole prevents the cooked chicken meat from drying out. Moisten the bird by covering it with foil and placing it in a 200°F oven with water in the bottom of the oven.
Can you let a turkey rest too long?
Can I let the turkey rest longer? In theory, yes. It is best not to let the bird rest for more than an hour past a certain point, as the meat will begin to cool. Therefore, if you want to serve a piping hot turkey dinner, a 45 minute to 1 hour rest period is preferable.
What do you put in the bottom of a turkey pan?
Place the chopped onion, celery, and carrots in the bottom of the roasting pan. Pick a few herbs off the stems and add to the vegetables.
What do I put on top of turkey before cooking?
Also, the oven must be kept open at all times, which means the oven loses heat, the turkey takes longer to cook, and the turkey may dry out. Brushing the herb butter mixture on the outside and inside skin of the turkey will help the skin to brown beautifully and taste wonderful.
Should I put olive oil on my turkey?
You may be wondering if you can use olive oil instead of butter on the turkey in The Best Oven Roasted Turkey, and the answer is yes. Olive oil is used in place of butter for turkey. Olive oil is a healthy alternative to butter and does not compromise the flavor.
Should I put broth in my turkey pan?
Add about 0.5 inch of liquid (water or stock) to the roasting pan . This will keep the oven moist and the turkey juicy. This aromatic liquid can be used to prep the turkey during cooking (there is some debate as to whether prepping does anything, but it is part of the tradition).
How often should you baste a turkey?
Most recipes call for baking the turkey every 30 minutes. However, our rule of thumb is actually every 40 minutes. The reasons for this are as follows. It takes longer to cook a whole bird if you don’t want to open the oven multiple times, which is very inconvenient.
What do you put in a turkey cavity?
Salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity thoroughly. Stuff the cavity with thyme, halved lemons, quartered onions, and garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Should I put butter or oil on my turkey?
Don’t Butter the Bird Butter under the skin will not make the meat juicier, but may help the skin brown faster. However, about 17% of the butter is moisture, which will cause the bird to speckle, says Lopez Alt. Instead, rub the skin with vegetable oil before roasting.
How long should I keep my turkey covered with foil?
For stuffed turkeys, add 30 minutes to the roasting time. To sear the turkey, remove the foil tent after roasting for 1 hour. For easy slicing, cover the turkey with foil and let stand for 15 minutes.
Can you leave turkey on the bone in the fridge?
Yes, you can refrigerate the entire cooked turkey. Always refrigerate as soon as possible and do not leave the turkey on the counter to cool.
When should I tent my turkey?
TENTING THE TURKEY – First, place the aluminum foil tent loosely over the turkey breast for the first hour to hour and a half, then remove to brown. Alternatively, you can place the foil tent over the turkey after the turkey has reached the desired golden color.
Why do you put celery in a turkey?
If you don’t have a roasting pan, you can actually place additional onions, whole celery stalks, and whole carrots under the turkey to prevent the bottom from burning. This is a little hack that helps if you are using a regular pan or casserole dish. Use a thermometer.
Why do we put apples in turkey?
Apples. Consider cutting one or two apples into quarters to stuff the turkey. They will give the turkey a little extra moisture during the cooking process and provide a very subtle flavor reminiscent of fall. Want to use up the last apples of the season?
What can I put in my turkey for flavor?
Basics like onions, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and sage can help add traditional Thanksgiving flavors. Add halved lemons or oranges to take the flavor up a notch. Citrus fruits add a nice brightness and tartness to the turkey.
Should I butter my turkey the night before?
Absolutely! In fact, many believe that buttering the turkey the night before not only saves roasting time, but that leaving the butter on or under the skin overnight adds even more flavor to the turkey.