Slow roast the turkey at 300F. Using a digital thermometer, start testing the internal temperature in the meatiest part of the thigh after 6 hours. Keep the bird in the oven until the temperature reads 140F.Oct 27, 2020
Good results can be had by roasting at 300 degrees Fahrenheit, but you can also achieve excellent results at 325 F. The rule of thumb is to select a lower temperature if you allow sufficient time in advance. … The best temperature to remove the turkey for perfectly cooked white meat is 155-160 degrees breast temperature.
The simplest way to figure out turkey roasting times is to calculate 13 minutes per pound at 350°F for an unstuffed turkey (that’s about 3 hours for a 12- to 14-lb. turkey), or 15 minutes per pound for a stuffed turkey.
For one 8- to 12-pound turkey, roast at 325°F for 2¾ to 3 hours. For one 12- to 14-pound turkey, roast at 325°F for 3 to 3¾ hours. For one 14- to 18-pound turkey, roast at 325°F for 3¾ to 4¼ hours. For one 18- to 20-pound turkey, roast at 325°F for 4¼ to 4½ hours.
Roast the turkey uncovered at a temperature ranging from 325°F to 350°F. Higher temperatures may cause the meat to dry out, but this is preferable to temperatures that are too low which may not allow the interior of the turkey to cook to a safe temperature.
The rule of thumb is to smoke the turkey at 300 degrees, 15 minutes for each pound. This is the FASTER method for smoking a whole turkey.
Cover tightly with foil and place in a preheated 275 degree F oven, where you will cook the turkey at 10 minutes per pound. For example, if you have a 15-pound turkey, you will roast for 2 1/2 hours.
At this point, you will want to measure the temperature of the oil, which will drop when the turkey is first lowered into the pot. Keep the oil temperature above 300 degrees. In just a short time, the oil temperature will begin to rise again. Cook the turkey for 3 1/2 minutes per pound.
It’s okay to cook the bird over temperature.
The meat will seize and then yield and become even more tender as it cooks, so I typically cook my bird to 180 F.
Make it safe – The United States Department of Agriculture ( USDA ) recommends temperatures no lower than 325 degrees Fahrenheit for cooking meat and poultry. Cook turkey to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Just make sure you uncover the lid about 30 minutes before the turkey’s done roasting so the skin has a chance to get crispy. … Covering the bird with foil mimics what a roaster lid would do — it traps steam and moistness so the turkey doesn’t dry out — all the while allowing the skin to crisp up.
In a 325°F oven, here’s a rough guide for how long to cook a stuffed turkey from the pros at foodsafety.gov. These stuffed turkey cooking times have been tested and proven to work well by our Test Kitchen team: For 10- to 12-pound turkey, roast 3¼ hours to 3½ hours. For 12- to 14-pound turkey, roast 3½ to 4 hours.
Turkey weight | Unstuffed turkey cooking time | Oven temperature |
---|---|---|
15 to 22 lb | 3 to 4 hours | 325°F |
23 to 25 lb | 4 to 4 1/2hours | 325°F |
Lift turkey onto platter and let stand for 15 minutes before carving. 7-9 lbs. / 4-4 1/2 hrs. 9-12 lbs. / 4 1/2-5 hrs. 12-14 lbs. / 5-6 hrs.
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 the cooking. This keeps the bird from drying out.
How long does it take to smoke a turkey? … Plan for 11-13 minutes a pound for a 325 degree F smoke temp. The best way to get a great bird is to cook to 165 degrees, and to let the bird rest after cooking before cutting.
Using the 15 minutes per pound rule, it would take 5 hours at 350 degrees in a conventional oven. If you are using a convection, you should start checking the turkey near the end of 4 hours. Use a meat thermometer to be sure.
SMOKING THE TURKEY:
In our research, we found that the rule of thumb is to smoke the turkey at 275 degrees, 15 minutes for each pound. We had a 15 lb Turkey, so we smoked it at 275 degrees for just under 4 hours. When smoking food, the key factor is indirect heat and consistent temperatures.
At 275 degrees F your turkey will take 20 to 25 minutes per pound.
At 225 degrees F, you can plan on it taking approximately 30 minutes per pound to smoke your turkey. Alternatively, if you are running your smoker at 250 degrees F, it will typically take 25 minutes per pound. For example, my 15-pound turkey took around 7 and 1/2 hours at 225 degrees F to fully cook.
Typically, it takes at least 6 hours to smoke an average sized turkey at 250 degrees F. Plan on having your turkey cook for about 30 minutes per pound.
Fill a 30-quart pot with the appropriate amount of oil (see Cook’s Note) and heat to 300 degrees F. Carefully lower the turkey into the oil and bring the oil temperature up to 350 degrees. Fry until the turkey registers 155 degrees at the breast; start checking after 30 minutes.
Pour the oil into the pot, and turn on the heat. (We use peanut oil to fry our turkeys. … Over high heat, heat the oil to 250 degrees F. Once the oil gets to 250 F, carefully lower turkey into the oil – be sure to use the turkey holder and the handle!
Maintain the temperature of the oil at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and cook turkey for 3 1/2 minutes per pound, about 35 minutes. Carefully remove basket from oil, and insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh; the internal temperature must be 180 degrees F (80 degrees C).
Unsure how long you’re supposed to leave the bird in the oven? If you’re baking it at 325°F (the lowest temperature the USDA recommends), you’ll need to bake a 20-lb turkey in the oven for 4 to 5 hours if it’s unstuffed, and 4 ¼ to 5 ¼ hours if it’s stuffed.
Turkey Size | Cooking Time (unstuffed) | Cooking Time (stuffed) |
---|---|---|
18 – 20 lbs | 4 ¼ – 4 ½ hours | 4 ¼ – 4 ¾ hours |
20 – 24 lbs | 4 ½ – 5 hours | 4 ¾ – 5 ¼ hours |
Turkeys between 4-6kg should be rested for 1½ hours, and ones from 6-10kg can rest for two hours. Get your turkey out of the fridge 30 minutes before you cook it. You’ll get less shrinkage when it goes into a hot oven.
Most recipes will tell you to baste your turkey every thirty minutes. But our rule of thumb is actually every forty minutes, and here’s why. You don’t want to open the oven too many times, or else the whole bird will take much long to cook, and that’s a huge inconvenience.
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