What temperature do you cook a turkey

Table of Contents Show

Ingredients
Directions
Chef's Notes
Nutrition Facts
What Temperature to Cook the Turkey?
What Temperature Is the Turkey When It's Done?
Tips for Taking a Turkey's Temperature
Is it better to cook a turkey at 325 or 350?
What is the best temperature to bake a turkey?
How long does a 14 lb turkey take to cook at 325?
Is turkey done at 165 or 180?

Ingredients

Directions

Instructions Checklist

Step 1
Remove and discard leg truss from turkey. Pull off and discard any lumps of fat. Remove giblets and neck (they're often packed in the neck or body cavity) and save for gravy. Rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry. Rub turkey all over with butter.
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Step 2
Place turkey, breast up, on a V-shaped rack in a 12- by 17-inch roasting pan, or one that is at least 2 in. longer and wider than the bird. Insert a meat thermometer through thickest part of breast to the bone. (If using an instant-read thermometer, insert when checking temperature later.)
Step 3
Roast in a 325° or 350° (depending on size of bird; see below) oven until thermometer registers 160°.
Step 4
If turkey is unstuffed, tip slightly to drain juices from body cavity into pan. Transfer turkey to a platter. Let stand in a warm place, uncovered, for 15 to 30 minutes, then carve. If thigh joints are still pink (common in an oven-roasted bird), cut drumsticks from thighs, place thighs in a baking pan, and bake in a 450° oven until no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes; or put on a microwave-safe plate and cook in a microwave oven at full power (100%) for 1 to 3 minutes.
Step 5
Nutritional analysis per 1/4 pound boned cooked turkey with skin, based on percentages of white and dark meat in an average bird.
Step 6
Oven-roasted turkey: temperatures and times
Step 7
For a 10-13 lb. turkey (weight with giblets): Bake in a 350° oven for 1 1/2-2 1/4 hr.
Step 8
For a 14-23 lb. turkey (weight with giblets): Bake in a 325° oven for 2-3 hr.
Step 9
For a 24-27 lb. turkey (weight with giblets): Bake in a 325° oven for 3-3 3/4 hr.
Step 10
For a 28-30 lb turkey (weight with giblets): Bake in a 325° oven for 3 1/2-4 1/2 hr.
Step 11
Times are for unstuffed birds. A stuffed bird may cook at the same rate as an unstuffed one; however, be prepared to allow 30 to 50 minutes longer. While turkeys take about the same time to roast in regular and convection heat, a convection oven does a better job of browning the bird all over.

Chef's Notes

If using a frozen turkey, start thawing it in a pan in the refrigerator 3 to 4 days before roasting, depending on its size. During roasting, if turkey overlaps the pan rim, tuck a strip of heavy-duty foil along the sides of the pan to keep fat from dripping over.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:

229 calories; calories from fat 39%; protein 32g; fat 10g; saturated fat 3g; sodium 82mg; cholesterol 93mg.

Say goodbye to serving a dry turkey on Thanksgiving. Use these tips to ensure you cook the bird perfectly on the big day.

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The best way to ensure that your Thanksgiving turkey stays delicious and moist is by cooking it at the right temperature and taking it out at the correct temperature.

What Temperature to Cook the Turkey?

Cook your turkey at 325 degrees F for most of the cook time; in the final 45 minutes, remove the foil tent from the turkey, increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F and baste the bird with butter. The initial lower oven temperature cooks the turkey through evenly. Cranking the oven temperature up at the end when the foil is removed achieves crispy, golden skin.

What Temperature Is the Turkey When It's Done?

Starting about 30 minutes earlier than your per-pound cooking calculations indicate, begin checking the internal temperature at regular intervals. To do so, carefully remove the roasting pan with the turkey from the oven and set it on the stovetop or counter. (Make sure to close the oven door behind you so the heat doesn't all escape!) Find the crease where the turkey leg attaches to the breast and insert your thermometer down into the meaty part of the thigh. If you feel the thermometer hit a bone, pull it out a little bit or readjust the position slightly so that it is no longer touching it, as it will give you a false reading. Hold the thermometer still until the numbers stop increasing. If it is not ready, return it to the oven.

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.

Tips for Taking a Turkey's Temperature

1. The best thermometer to Use: Use a digital, instant read thermometer for the most-accurate results.

2. Remove the turkey from the oven to take its temperature: Carefully take the turkey out of the oven and set it on the counter or stovetop, closing the oven door. Leaving the oven door open causes the temperature to drop and could prolong your cooking time.

3. Insert the thermometer into the right place: Hold the thermometer perpendicular to the bird and insert it into the crease where the leg and breast meet, deep into the center of the meatiest part of the thigh, making sure it is not touching the bone.

4. Read the thermometer correctly: Hold the thermometer still until the numbers stop. If the temperature is between 160 and 165 degrees F, the turkey is done.

Is it better to cook a turkey at 325 or 350?

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.

What is the best temperature to bake a turkey?

What temperature to cook the turkey? Preheat the oven to 450°F then drop the temperature to 350°F after putting the turkey into the oven. What temperature should the turkey be? The turkey is done when it registers a minimum of 165° in the thickest part of the thigh.

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.

Is turkey done at 165 or 180?

4. Read the thermometer correctly: Hold the thermometer still until the numbers stop. If the temperature is between 160 and 165 degrees F, the turkey is done.