Oven Temps: Best roasting is two stage process—450°F (232°C) for 1 hour, then down to 325°F (163°C) for however long it takes until the turkey is done.
Is it better to cook a turkey at 325 or 350?
Do I Cook a Turkey at 325 or 350 Degrees? Though “low and slow” is a good rule for cooking a bird all the way through without burning it, there’s no hard-and-fast rule. All of our temperature guides assume you’re cooking at 325, but you can cook it a little warmer for roughly the same, or just a little less time.
What temperature should turkeys be cooked at?
The USDA says to cook your turkey to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F. (If you stuffed the turkey, the stuffing, not just the meat, should be 165°F). That’s their recommendation for all turkey that starts out raw.
How long does it take to cook 2 lb turkey?
The general rule is 15 to 20 minutes per pound of turkey when cooking an unstuffed turkey.
Is 325 a good temp for turkey?
Once your turkey has been properly thawed and brined, seasoned, or stuffed as desired, roast in a pan at 325°F using these times as guidelines for unstuffed turkeys.
Do you cook a 12 pound turkey at 325 or 350?
If your turkey weighs 12 to 14 pounds, roast it at:
350°F for 2¾ to 3 hours. 325°F for 3 to 3¾ hours.
Do you cook a 10 lb turkey at 325 or 350?
For a 10-13 lb. turkey (weight with giblets): Bake in a 350° oven for 1 1/2-2 1/4 hr. For a 14-23 lb. turkey (weight with giblets): Bake in a 325° oven for 2-3 hr.
How long do you cook a turkey at 375?
- Preparing the bird – Heat oven to 375 degrees.
- Cooking the bird – Estimate 12-15 minutes per pound for stuffed turkeys.
- Testing for doneness – You can either test by checking the temperature or checking the color of the juices.
- Finishing off – Remove bird from the oven.
Can I cook turkey at 375?
The Test Kitchen agrees that 375℉ is the best temperature to cook a turkey, because it’s not too hot, not too cold, and cooks quickly enough to ensure that a juicy, flavorful bird is ready by dinnertime.
Should I cover my turkey with aluminum foil?
We’ve found that covering a turkey in foil yields much moister results than roasting it without foil, and we favor simply covering up the breast to even out cooking time.
Do you cover a turkey when cooking?
Always cook your turkey until the skin is a light golden color. Cover your roasting pan with a lid or foil and cook covered for 2 hours (depending on size of your bird) and uncovered for the remaining time. Baste your turkey every half hour or so.
Do you put water in the bottom of the roasting pan for turkey?
Place on the bottom of your roasting pan. Place the turkey, breast-side up on top of the vegetables. Add about a half-inch of liquid (water or stock) to the roasting pan. This will keep the oven moist, and the turkey juicy.
Can you cook a turkey at 350 degrees?
We recommend roasting turkey at 350 degrees F for 13 minutes per pound for an unstuffed turkey.
Is turkey done at 165 or 180?
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.
How long do I cook a 12 lb turkey?
Turkey Recipe Cheat-Sheet
This method is best for a 12 to 16 pound bird. (Buy 1 to 1 1/2 pounds turkey for each guest.) How long to cook the turkey? 13 minutes of cooking time for each pound of turkey if roasting empty and 15 minutes per pound if stuffed.
How long do you cook a 10 pound turkey at 325?
Cover turkey loosely with foil. Roast in a 325°F oven for 2-1/4 hours.
How long to cook a 12 1/2 pound stuffed turkey?
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.
- For 14- to 18-pound turkey, roast 4 to 4¼ hours.
- For 18- to 20-pound turkey, roast 4¼ to 4¾ hours.
How long should a 14 lb turkey cook?
How Long to Roast a Turkey:
- 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.
How long does a 14 lb turkey take to cook at 325?
Assuming you are roasting your turkey in a 325°F oven, plan on 15 to 17 minutes of cooking time for each pound of an unstuffed turkey. Plan on 20 to 22 minutes per pound for a stuffed turkey. 8-12 lb. 12-14 lb.
How long does a 10 lbs turkey take to cook?
How long to cook a 10 lb turkey? Using a conventional oven you will need to cook a 10 lb turkey for 2.5 hours to 3 hours and 20 minutes at 325°F until the internal temp reaches 165°F.
How do I keep my turkey moist?
Classic Bread Stuffing Recipe
- Choose a fresh turkey instead of a frozen one.
- Roast two small turkeys rather than one large one.
- Brine the turkey.
- Rub soft butter under the skin.
- Truss loosely, or not at all.
- Roast the turkey upside down at first.
- Don’t overcook it.
- Let the turkey rest before carving.
How long does it take a 20 pound turkey to cook?
Cooking time will vary. For example, a 20 pound turkey will take 4 1/4 to 5 hours to cook, check the temperature on the thermometer after 4 1/4 hours.
What temperature do I cook a 15 pound turkey at?
For the 15 lb turkey, start the cooking at 400°F for the first 20 minutes to brown it. Then reduce the heat to 325°F for the next 1 to 2 hours, until the internal temperature of the breast reaches about 140°F to 145°F or so. Then reduce the heat further to 225°F until done, anywhere from a half hour to an hour or more.
How long do I bake a 20 pound turkey?
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.
How long do you cook a turkey at 400 degrees?
400°F (204°C) is the perfect temperature for cooking a whole bird. You’ll get crispy skin without compromising tenderness. Depending on the size of your bird, it should take anywhere from 2-6 hours to roast at 400°F (204°C).
How long does it take to bake a turkey in the oven?
Place the turkey in a roasting pan. Drizzle the outside of the turkey with a few tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the turkey about 3 hours, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F.
How long should I let a turkey rest before carving?
Before you cut a thing, let your turkey rest — at least 30 minutes — so its juices don’t end up on the cutting board.
How do you make turkey skin crispy?
Rub the skin with fat.
Once you’ve carefully dried off the skin, the next step you can take to guarantee perfectly crispy turkey skin is to rub it with a fat, like butter or oil. Oil will yield a crispier skin than butter because butter is at least 20 percent water, while oil contains no water.
How often do you 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.
How long should you take a turkey out of the fridge before cooking?
Before it goes in the oven, the turkey should be at room temperature, so take it out of the fridge (1 hr for a whole turkey, or 30 mins for a cut) before cooking. Keep it covered in a cool place.
Should I rub butter on my turkey?
Don’t butter your bird
Placing butter under the skin won’t make the meat juicier, though it might help the skin brown faster. However, butter is about 17 percent water, and it will make your bird splotchy, says López-Alt. Instead, rub the skin with vegetable oil before you roast.
Do you wash a turkey before cooking?
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.
How long should a turkey rest?
Thanksgiving Help Line
Pull it out as soon as the temperature hits 165, or even a little lower. The amount of resting time depends on the size of the bird, but at least 20 minutes is needed. A large bird can wait up to 40 minutes or longer, depending on the temperature of the room.
What do you put in the bottom of a turkey pan?
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.
How long does a 2.5 lb roast take to cook?
Regardless of the size of your roast, aim for cooking at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), for 20 minutes per pound.
Does turkey need roasting rack?
You don’t need a specially designed rack for your roasting pan, but you need something to lift the bird above the bottom of the pan. Balls of aluminum foil work perfectly well; you can also use upside-down ramekins.
What is the lowest safe temperature to cook a turkey?
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.
Is turkey safe in 160?
According to the Department of Agriculture, a turkey must reach 165 degrees F to be safe, but you can take it out of the oven as low as 160 degrees F because the temperature will rise at it rests.
Is 170 safe for turkey?
You’ll need a meat thermometer to make sure you cook your turkey to the right temperature. Insert it close to, but not touching, the thigh bone. If it reads 180 degrees F in the thigh and 170 degrees F in the breast, it’s done and ready to serve.
Is turkey safe at 145?
According to the USDA’s own data, as long as your turkey spends at least 3.7 minutes at or above,150°F (66°C), it is safe to eat.
Pasteurization Time for Poultry With 5% Fat Content (7-log10 lethality)
| Temperature | Time |
|---|---|
| 140°F (60°C) | 29 minutes |
| 145°F (63°C) | 10.8 minutes |
| 150°F (66°C) | 3.7 minutes |
Where do you put the thermometer in a turkey?
Here are few tips to keep in mind:
- When preparing a whole turkey, insert the thermometer into the thickest portion of the turkey breast, the innermost portion of thigh and the innermost portion of the wing.
- Make sure the thermometer does not touch bone, gristle or the pan.
How do you cook a turkey chart?
Here’s a handy turkey cooking chart.
How Long to Cook an Unstuffed Turkey.
| Weight | Cook Time |
|---|---|
| 8 to 12 pounds | 2¾ to 3 hours |
| 12 to 14 pounds | 3 to 3¾ hours |
| 14 to 18 pounds | 3¾ to 4¼ hours |
| 18 to 20 pounds | 4¼ to 4½ hours |
How long do you cook a stuffed turkey at 350?
Approximate Timetable for Roasting a Turkey at 350°F (177°C)*
| Weight | Stuffed |
|---|---|
| 11 – 13 lbs (5.0 – 5.9 kg) | 3 h 40 min – 4 h 20 min |
| 14 – 16 lbs (6.4 – 7.3 kg) | 4 h 40 min – 5 h 20 min |
| 17 – 19 lbs (7.7 – 8.6 kg) | 5 h 40 min – 6 h 20 min |
| 20 – 22 lbs (9.1 – 10.0 kg) | 6 h 40 min – 7 h 20 min |
What temperature should a turkey be cooked at?
The USDA says to cook your turkey to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F. (If you stuffed the turkey, the stuffing, not just the meat, should be 165°F).
What temperature should stuffing packed into the cavity of a bird reach?
Insert a food thermometer through the foil into the stuffing. The center of the stuffing must reach a minimum internal temperature of 165 °F.
How long do I cook a 12 lb turkey at 325 degrees?
How Long to Roast a Turkey
- 8- to 12-pound turkey: 2¾ to 3 hours.
- 12- to 14-pound turkey: 3 to 3¾ hours.
- 14- to 18-pound turkey: 3¾ to 4¼ hours.
- 18- to 20-pound turkey: 4¼ to 4½ hours.
- 20- to 24-pound turkey: 4½ to 5 hours.
Is it better to cook a turkey at 325 or 350?
Do I Cook a Turkey at 325 or 350 Degrees? Though “low and slow” is a good rule for cooking a bird all the way through without burning it, there’s no hard-and-fast rule. All of our temperature guides assume you’re cooking at 325, but you can cook it a little warmer for roughly the same, or just a little less time.
Do you cook a 10 lb turkey at 325 or 350?
For a 10-13 lb. turkey (weight with giblets): Bake in a 350° oven for 1 1/2-2 1/4 hr. For a 14-23 lb. turkey (weight with giblets): Bake in a 325° oven for 2-3 hr.
How long do you cook a 10 pound turkey at 350?
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.
What do you put in a turkey cavity?
Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, halved lemon, quartered onion, and the garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Is it better to cook a turkey breast up or down?
The United States Department of Agriculture advises to cook a whole turkey breast side up during the entire cooking time. Turning over a large, hot bird can be dangerous and it’s very easy to tear the skin, making the finished product less attractive.