How Long to Cook a Small Turkey. Turkey takes about 15-20 minutes per pound to cook, assuming that you’re beginning with a defrosted but still cool from the fridge bird. Roast at 325ºF until the interior temperature reaches 170º to 175ºF. (You’ll need an instant-read thermometer to check.)
Roasted. Roasting is without a doubt the most popular method used to cook a whole turkey.
First, you put it in the oven. Next, you cook it on 20 degrees. Last, you cook it for 30 minets. First, you by it from the stor.
According to a study by the food safety experts at the USDA, washing or rinsing raw turkey can put you at risk of foodborne illness. There’s only one time you should wash a raw turkey, and that is after brining. Otherwise, do not wash a turkey before cooking.
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.
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 best oven temperature to cook a turkey breast is 350°. But 325° can work, but it will take a bit longer and potentially can dry a little more. 375° is too high, and you cook the skin very rapidly. … The skin needs to be exposed to a 350° oven for about 1 ¾ to 2 hours to brown well.
How often to baste a turkey. 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.
Turkey Weight | Cooking Time | Doneness Temperature |
---|---|---|
4-6 lb. breast | 1 hr 30 mins–2 hrs 15 mins | 165°F |
6-8 lb. breast | 2 hrs 15 mins–3 hrs 15 mins | 165°F |
8-12 lbs. | 2 hrs 45 mins–3 hrs | 170-175°F |
12-14 lbs. | 3 hrs–3 hrs 45 mins | 170-175°F |
While some recipes state that turkey should be cooked to 180 degrees Fahrenheit, the meat is safe to consume once it reaches the 165-degree mark. Cooking the breasts past 165 can result in dry meat, but the dark meat can be cooked to 180.
Food safety experts say raw turkeys shouldn’t be rinsed, since that can spread harmful bacteria. Cooking should kill any germs. But bacteria can still spread in other ways, so washing and sanitizing hands and surfaces is still important.
Here is a fantastic tip: to protect the turkey breast and keep it juicy: Fold a large square sheet of foil into a triangle. Rub one side of your triangle with olive oil and shape the foil (oil-side-down) over the turkey breast, then remove foil; it will shield your turkey breast and keep it from getting dry.
Stuff You Need for Stuffing
To make a well-balanced stuffing, you will need a starch (think bread cubes, corn bread, rice, or even potatoes) to give your mixture some heft, a liquid (broth, wine, or even liquor) to add hydration, and aromatics (like herbs and onions) for that signature Thanksgiving flavor.
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.
Pros of Brining a Turkey
Brining a turkey adds moisture and flavor, particularly when you use a flavorful brine. Brines can include all sorts of flavorings including herbs and spices, making the turkey taste like far more than your average roast bird.
Place chopped onions, celery, and carrots in the bottom of the roasting pan. Pick a few herbs off the stalks and add to the vegetables.
Place a wire rack in the bottom of the broiler pan to keep the turkey out of the drippings. Lightweight, disposable aluminum roasting pans should not be used for cooking turkey; those pans are simply not heavy enough to support the weight of the bird.
“When roasting the whole bird, the key is to cook the legs longer than the breast,” Tommy says. “Once the breast is cooked, remove the bird from the oven, remove the legs and then put them back in. This stops the breasts drying out.”
7. Removing the Turkey From the Oven – Once you remove the turkey from the oven, tent it with aluminum foil and allow it to rest for 20 to 30 minutes, so the meat can firm up and hold the juices, making it easier to carve.
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.
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.
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