Calculate turkey cooking time and 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.
How long does it take to cook a 13lb turkey 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.
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.
How long does it take to cook a thawed 13 pound turkey?
After 4-1/2 to 5 hours, a 12- to 13-pound turkey is nicely cooked. Check the temperature. The leg and thigh should be tender and at a temperature of 175 to 185°F, while the breast will be moist at a temperature of 160 to 170°F (it will reach the minimum 165°F temperature on standing).
What temperature should a 13 lb turkey be?
Turkey is done at an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
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.
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.
Should you take turkey out of 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.
What is the best temp to cook a turkey?
Stick with a temperature of 325°F, which ensures the turkey gets cooked all the way without becoming overdone.
What is the best temperature to bake a turkey?
Our Best Turkey Tips
- Buy two smaller birds (or one whole turkey and one turkey breast) if you’re feeding a crowd.
- 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.
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 leave a turkey out to thaw overnight?
turkey, which, if left out, will take hours to thaw completely. If you thaw raw meat at room temperature for two hours or more, it will be subject to rapid bacteria growth. Is thawing a turkey at room temperature a good idea? Nope.
When should I start thawing turkey for Thanksgiving?
So, if the turkey weighs 4 to 12 pounds, plan for it to defrost in the fridge for one to three days. If it’s 12 to 16 pounds, make sure it’s placed in the fridge three to four days before the holiday arrives.
How long should a turkey rest for?
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.
How do you know when the turkey is ready?
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.
Should I tent my turkey?
Butterball suggests that after the turkey has been cooking for 2/3 of the amount of time needed (depending on the size of the bird), that you cover the breasts with a small tent made of aluminum foil. This will slow down the cooking process of the turkey breasts.
What do you put in the turkey cavity when not using stuffing?
Herbs. The secret to adding extra flavor to your Thanksgiving turkey is to season it liberally. To make sure that your favorite herbs permeate every bit of your bird, stuff a small bundle into the turkey cavity. Thyme, sage, parsley and a bit of rosemary are a great combination—but feel free to customize to your taste.
How do you prepare a turkey the night before?
Place the turkey in a shallow dish just large enough to hold it and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for one or two days. The day before you plan to roast the turkey, remove the plastic wrap and leave the turkey in the fridge. The skin will dry out and turn a little translucent.
Is it better to cook a turkey covered or uncovered?
Q: Should I roast the bird covered or uncovered? A: The Butterball folks recommend cooking the turkey uncovered in a roasting pan. Two-thirds of the way through cooking, Butterball says foil can be placed over the breast area to prevent it from drying out.
Should I put butter or oil 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.
How do you cook a turkey so it’s not dry?
“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.”
How do you keep a turkey from drying out in the oven?
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.
Should you cook 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.
Should you flip a turkey when cooking?
Cook the bird upside down, meaning the breast meat down, then flip it halfway through based on your estimation. If you are using a kettle and have all of your charcoal on one side of the grill, you will also want to rotate the turkey when you flip it so that it doesn’t overcook on one side.
Does turkey continue to cook while resting?
Cook your turkey until your thermometer reads 155 -160 degrees. (Yes, we know that new safe cooking guidelines say to cook your bird to 165 degrees (they used to say 180!), but remember that your turkey will continue to cook after removed from the oven and it’s temperature will increase by 10 degrees while resting.
Should I start my turkey at a higher temperature?
Your turkey will cook more evenly and faster if you start it out at room temperature so remove the turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting. If you plan to stuff your turkey, wait until you’re ready to put it in the oven before putting the stuffing in the turkey.
How do you keep a turkey warm for 4 hours?
If your turkey is done too early, things can get a little complicated, but it’s not the end of the world. If it’s done around an hour early, let it rest uncovered for about 20 to 30 minutes. Then cover your turkey with some foil and a thick towel or blanket to keep it warm.
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.
What part of the turkey takes the longest to cook?
Experts recommend taking the turkey’s temperature in the thickest part of the thigh, being sure to stay away from the bone, because that’s the portion of the turkey that takes the longest to cook.
Should I put butter under the skin of my turkey?
Impart rich flavor and add moisture to your Thanksgiving turkey by adding a layer of butter under the skin before roasting.
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.
Is it OK to cook a turkey in an aluminum pan?
If you do not have a suitable roaster, a disposable aluminum foil roasting pan can be used for cooking a turkey.
What do I do if my turkey is not fully thawed?
If There’s No Time to Thaw
If you’re up against the clock and have no time left for even the “quick” cold-water thaw, then just cook the turkey as it is. It’s perfectly safe to cook a frozen or partially frozen turkey — you just need to allow some extra cooking time.
Can you keep a thawed turkey in the refrigerator for 4 days?
A thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. If necessary, a turkey that has been properly thawed in the refrigerator may be refrozen.
Can you thaw a turkey in water and then put it in the fridge?
It is safe to cook turkey thawed in cold water then put back in the fridge.
How do you defrost a 13 pound turkey?
Refrigerator Thawing
- Thaw turkey breast side up, in an unopened wrapper on a tray in the fridge (40 degrees F or below).
- Allow at least 1 day of thawing for every 4 lbs of turkey.
- Keep turkey in original wrapper and place on tray.
- Use turkey within 4 days after thawing.
How do you know when turkey is done without thermometer?
To find out if your turkey is done without a thermometer, pierce it with a fork in the mid-thigh muscle, explains Nicole Johnson, the co-director of the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line. “When the juices run clear, and no longer reddish or pink in color, it’s a good indication that your turkey is done.”
How long can a turkey sit before carving?
3. The turkey needs to rest before carving. About 45 minutes or so gives it time to reabsorb the juices; otherwise they’ll dribble out when you slice, and the meat will be dry. Don’t tent the turkey with foil to keep it warm while it’s resting; it’s unnecessary and will make the skin soggy.
Can I let my turkey rest for 2 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.
Should I cover my turkey with foil while cooking?
To achieve that balance, the ideal is to let the bird spend time both covered and uncovered: We recommend covering your bird for most of the cooking time to prevent it from drying out, then removing the cover for the last 30 minutes or so to allow the skin to crisp.
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 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 one accurately determine that poultry has reached a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F throughout the product. Turkey can remain pink even after cooking to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F.
Should you take turkey out of 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.
When should I start cooking my turkey?
When you should start cooking: Season the turkey the night before and start cooking it Thanksgiving morning. While it’s best to actually cook your turkey on Thanksgiving day, Holzman recommends seasoning your turkey the night before.
Should you season turkey overnight?
You can season your turkey the night before or as far in advance as two days. Salt is a great (and non-negotiable) place to start, but there are so many seasonings that really rev up the flavor of a bland bird.
Why do you put celery in a turkey?
If you don’t have a roasting pan, you can actually place extra onions, whole celery stalks and whole carrots underneath the turkey to prevent it from burning at the bottom. This is a great little hack if you’re using a regular pan or even a casserole dish. Use a thermometer.
How do you make a turkey taste good?
The basics, like onion, garlic, thyme, rosemary and sage, help lend that traditional Thanksgiving flavor. Take your aromatics up a notch by adding halved lemons or oranges. The citrus will add a nice brightness and acidity to your turkey.
Why put an orange in a turkey?
The fresh citrus creates a porous area inside the cavity and provides moisture that steams and seasons the meat. Adding herbs that complement the citrus and turkey is a simple way to stuff the bird, and creates a fresh, flavorful meat.
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.
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.
Should I butter my turkey the night before?
Absolutely! In fact, buttering your turkey the night before not only saves you time the day your roast, but many believe allowing the butter to sit overnight on and under the skin infuses even more flavor into the turkey.
How often should I baste my 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.
What is the most popular way to cook a turkey?
Roasted. Roasting is without a doubt the most popular method used to cook a whole turkey.
What is the best temperature to cook a turkey?
Begin by roasting your turkey at 425°F for 40 to 45 minutes before lowering the temperature of the oven to 350°F for the rest of the cook time. Like the other method, it’s a good idea to brush the turkey every 15 to 20 minutes with butter or olive oil to help the surface brown and keep the meat moist.
Should I put olive oil on my turkey?
You may be wondering if you can use olive oil instead of butter on turkey for The Best Oven Roasted Turkey and the answer is, yes. Use olive oil on turkey instead of butter. Olive oil is a nice, healthy alternative to butter and it won’t compromise the taste at all.
Should I put butter or oil 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.
What size turkey is the most tender?
The youngest turkeys that are available, usually less than 4 months old and under 8 pounds in weight, are labeled fryer/roasters and have the most tender meat of all.
What makes a turkey dry?
Because dark meat has more connective tissues, it takes longer to break down, so if you cook the turkey whole, by time the legs and thighs are done, the breasts are overcooked and dry. The solution: Carve your turkey before you cook it.